.  ;    M:. 


NERAL'S  OFFICE, 


DECEMBER  5,  1870. 


LAR    NO.    4. 


OSPITALS. 


•r. 


la  -.«• 


UJ 


jf       Shelf  / 
Liber  No. 


ALBERT  L  NORRIS,  M.  D, 


If  thou  art  borrowed  by  a  friend, 
Right  welcome  shall  he  be, 

To  read,  to  study,  not  to  lend, 
But  to  return  to  me. 


Not  that  imparted  knowledge  doth 
Diminish  learning's  store, 

Rut  books,  I  find,  if  often  lent, 
Return  to  me  no  more. 


Read  slowly,  pause  frequently,  think  seriously,  keep  cleanly,  return  duly, 
with  the  corners  of  the  leaves  not  turned  down. 


& 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 

THE  PETER  AND  ROSELL  HARVEY 

MEMORIAL  FUND 


CIRCULAR   No.  4. 


WA.R 
STJKGEON   GENEKAL'S  OFFICE, 

WASHINGTON,  DECEMBER  5,  1870. 


A   REPORT 


ON 


BARRACKS   AND  HOSPITALS, 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF   MILITARY  POSTS. 


WASHINGTON. 

GOVERNMENT     PRINTING     OFFICE. 
1870. 


CIRCULAR  No.  4. 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

SURGEON  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

Washington,  December  5,   1870. 

The  following  report  on  the  Barracks  and  Hospitals  of  the  United  States  Army, 
with  descriptions  of  the  principal  military  posts,  is  published  for  the  information  of 
Officers  of  the  Army. 

JOSEPH  K.  BARNES, 
Surgeon   General  United  States  Army. 


REPORT 

ON   THE 


BARRACKS    AND    HOSPITALS 


THE  UNITED  STATES   ARMY. 


BY    JOHN    S.    BILLINGS, 

ASSISTANT   SURGEON    UNITED   STATES  ARMY. 


SURGEON  GENERAL'S  OFFICE,  WASHINGTON,  D.  C., 

December  1,  1870. 

GENERAL:  In  accordance  with  your  directions,  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  here- 
with a  report  on  the  Barracks  and  Hospitals  of  the  United  States  Army,  with  descrip- 
tions of  the  principal  military  posts  in  the  United  States;  the  latter  compiled  from 
special  reports  made  by  medical  officers  of  the  Army. 

These  special  reports  were  furnished  under  the  following  circumstances:  During 
the  spring  of  1868,  a  large  blank  book,  entitled  "Record  of  the  Medical  History  of  the 
Post,"  was  furnished  to  each  permanent  post,  with  the  following  instructions  from  this 
office: 

It  is  desired  that  this  book  shall,  so  far  as  possible,  show  all  the  conditions  and  causes  which 
affect  the  health  of  the  troops  at  the  post ;  and,  also,  that  it  shall  serve  as  a  record  of  the  sanitary 
recommendations  of  the  medical  officer,  and  of  the  action  taken  thereon.  The  record  for  each  month, 
and  the  entries  on  the  first  eighty  pages*  of  the  book,  are  to  be  signed  by  the  medical  officer  who 
makes  them;  and  each  medical  officer  should  continue,  and  endeavor  to  make  more  complete,  the 
observations  of  his  predecessors  in  relation  to  the  natural  history  of  the  vicinity  of  the  post.  When 
a  medical  officer  is  relieved  from  duty,  he  will  note  in  this  book  the  exact  sanitary  condition  of  the 
post,  the  troops,  and  the  hospital.  His  successor  will  enter  his  remarks  upou  the  same.  When 
the  medical  director,  or  au  inspector  authorized  by  him,  shall  visit  the  post,  he  will  note  in  this 
book  the  results  of  his  inspection. 

Soon  after  these  books  had  been  sent  out,  the  following  order  was  issued : 

[Circular  Orders  No.  4.] 
WAR  DEPARTMENT,  SURGEON  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

Washington,  D.  C.,  August  25,  1868. 

On  and  after  the  31st  of  December,  1868,  a  sanitary  report  will  be  prepared  by  the  senior 
medical  officer  ou  duty  at  a  post,  on  the  31st  of  December  and  the  30th  of  June  of  each  year.  *  * 
With  the  first  report,  medical  officers  will  forward  a  special  report,  describing,  in  detail,  the  post 
buildings,  water  supply,  drainage,  &c.  This  report  should  contain  the  information  and  data 
which  have  been  obtained  for  and  entered  in  the  "  Eecord  of  the  Medical  History  of  the  Post."  *  * 

*  The  first  eighty  pages  are  devoted  to  a  description  of  the  post  and  vicinity,  including  botany,  geology,  &c. 


VI  REPORT   ON    BARRACKS    AND    HOSPITALS. 

Upon  examining  the  special  reports  forwarded  in  accordance  with  the  above  order, 
it  was  found  that  they  contained  much  information  which  would  probably  be  of  interest 
and  value  to  many  officers  and  other  persons  who  could  not  have  access  to  the  files  of 
this  office.  In  editing  them  for  publication  I  have  endeavored  to  keep  the  following 
objects  in  view,  viz :  1st.  The  preservation  of  interesting  historical  memoranda.  2d. 
The  presentation  of  all  facts  bearing  upon  the  hygiene  of  the  post  and  the  sanitary 
condition  of  the  troops.  3d.  The  furnishing  such  information  as  would  be  of  interest 
to  officers  ordered  to  a  post  new  to  them.  In  addition,  I  have  tried  to  give  an  idea  of 
the  general  character  of  the  barrack  and  hospital  accommodation  of  the  Army. 

As  the  reports  were  furnished  nearly  two  years  ago,  many  of  them  did  not  fairly 
represent  the  present  state  of  affairs.  By  combining  reports,  and  by  writing  for  missing 
data,  I  have  endeavored  to  make  the  necessary  corrections,  but  it  is  improbable  that  all 
errors  have  been  avoided ;  nor  are  some  of  the  descriptions  as  complete  as  would  be 
desirable.  It  has  been  much  more  difficult  to  obtain  facts  than  opinions,  even  when 
the  former  have  been  specially  requested.  For  the  sake  of  brevity  I  have  omitted  many 
passages  of  minor  importance  in  the  reports;  and  in  those  headed  "information  furnished 
by,"  &c.,  I  have  prepared  the  description  from  such  data  as  I  could  collect.  The  plates 
and  wood-cuts  have,  in  all  cases,  been  made  from  recent  drawings. 

For  information  furnished  I  am  much  indebted  to  the  offices  of  the  Adjutant  Gen- 
eral, Quartermaster  General,  and  Chief  of  Engineers;  to  the  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of 
Medicine  and  Surgery,  United  States  Navy;  to  General  F.  A.  Walker,  Superintendent 
of  the  Census;  to  the  Supervising  Architect  of  the  Treasury,  Mr.  A.  B.  Mullett,  and  to 
Assistant  Surgeons  J.  J.  Woodward  and  G.  A.  Otis,  United  States  Army,  of  this  office. 

Although  the  following  descriptions  contain,  for  the  most  part,  their  own  com- 
mentary, it  may  perhaps  be  not  out  of  place  or  useless  to  preface  them  with  a  few 
remarks  on  the  general  principles  which  should  be  kept  in  view  in  judging  the  merits 
of  the  plan  or  construction  of  a  post,  and  to  refer  to  the  most  prevalent  errors,  the  evils 
to  which  they  give  rise,  and  to  the  best  and  most  practical  means  of  correcting  them. 

The  most  important  structures  at  a  post,  in  a  hygienic  point  of  view,  are  the  bar- 
racks proper,  or  soldiers'  quarters,  the  guard-house,  including  the  prison-rooms  or  cells, 
and  the  hospital;  and  the  object  to  be  kept  in  view  in  their  construction  is  to  furnish 
shelter  without  diminishing  that  supply  of  pure  air  and  light  which  is  necessary  to 
health.  The  merits  of  locality,  exposure,  plan,  construction,  and  mode  of  heating  and 
ventilation  are  to  be  estimated  mainly  with  reference  to  the  manner  in  which  they  secure 
the  above  object.  In  every  room  occupied  by  men,  a  supply  of  fresh  air,  such  that  no 
occupant  shall  be  compelled  to  breathe  air  which  has  recently  passed  from  the  lungs,  or 
which  is  vitiated  by  the  products  of  combustion,  is,  if  not  absolutely  essential,  so  very 
dcsirable  that  a  strong  effort  should  be  made  to  secure  it.  Air  just  breathed  is  unfitted 
for  respiration,  in  part  because  it  contains  less  oxygen  and  more  carbonic  acid  than  is 
desirable  and  in  part  because  it  is  loaded  with  moisture,  and  contaminated  with  organic 
matter  which  has  a  strong  tendency  to  putrescence,  and  has  been  well  described  as  a 
sort  of  "aerial  filth;"  or,  as  Becquerel  expresses  it,  "a  physiological  miasm,"  which  is 
directly  and  positively  hurtful  when  introduced  into  the  system.  Taking  into  considera- 
tion the  well-known  dangers  attending  the  aggregation  of  large  numbers  of  men,  and  the 
fact  that  a  man  can  preserve  life  and  comparative  health  for  a  time,  with  an  allowance  of 


EEPOET  ON  BAEEACKS  AND  HOSPITALS.  VII 

air  which  would  be  utterly  insufficient  if  furnished  to  each  of  a  hundred  men  placed 
together,  it  would  almost  seem  as  if  the  organic  malter  above  referred  to  were  les> 
harmful  to  the  one  who  has  produced  it  than  to  others,  or,  in  other  words,  that  this 
excretion  of  a  man  is  more  or  less  of  a  specific  poison  to  other  men.  That  this  is  the 
case  with  a  person  affected  with  small-pox  or  whooping  cough  will  be  readily  admitted; 
nor  is  it  hard  to  understand  that  the  organic  emanations  from  a  case  of  pneumonia,  or 
typhoid  fever,  in  which  rapid  retrograde  metamorphosis  is  going  on,  will  be  much  more 
damaging  to  a  neighboring  ease  of  rheumatism,  or  wound,  or  to  a  man  in  ordinary  health, 
than  to  the  pneumonic  or  fever  patient  himself.  If  a  man  is  eliminating  an  undue  quan- 
tity of  carbonic  oxide,  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  or  some  of  the  compound  ammonias,  his 
system  being  already  permeated  by  the  gas  or  vapor,  will  not  readily  reabsorb.  that 
which  has  been  thrown  off,  nor  will  its  presence  in  the  surrounding  atmosphere  be  so 
offensively  perceptible  to  him  as  to  others.  Whatever  be  the  explanation,  the  fact 
remains  that  the  more  men  are  placed  together  the  greater  should  be  the  amount  of  air 
supply  per  head. 

The  minimum  amount  of  air  with  which  life  can  be  supported  is  not  precisely 
known.  Dr.  Read  states  that  he  was  able  to  remain  between  one  and  two  hours  "in 
an  air-tight,  oblong,  metallic  box,  not  larger  than  was  necessary  to  contain  me  in  the 
horizontal  position,  and  the  door  being  carefully  cemented  and  soldered,  so  that  no  air 
could  either  enter  or  escape."  *  This  experiment,  somewhat  modified,  has  been  many 
times  repeated,  although  for  a  very  different  purpose,  in  the  so-called  "  sweat-boxes"  of 
the  Navy.  These  are  wooden  closets,  just  large  enough  to  contain  a  man  standing 
upright.  A  few  inch  auger-holes  are  usually  bored  through  the  door  and  sides.  Two 
hours'  confinement  in  one  of  these  boxes  usually  exhausts  a  man  greatly,  and  several 
instances  have  been  related  to  me  in  which  men  were  taken  out  insensible.  The  symp- 
toms presented  are  said  to  be  much  like  those  observed  in  men  overcome  by  heat  in 
furnace  rooms.  This  form  of  punishment,  although  not  uncommon  at  one  time,  is  now 
considered  discreditable  and  illegitimate. 

The  evil  results  of  insufficient  air  supply  are,  however,  rarely  so  marked  as  to  be 
perceived  at  once,  or  if  noticed  they  are  attributed  to  some  other  cause,  such  as  a  cold, 
or  indigestion,  and  a  cough  mixture,  or  a  pill,  is  no  doubt  often  taken  when  the  true 
remedy  would  be  a  supply  of  fresh  air  to  the  sleeping-room.  It  is  only  of  late  years 
that  the  insidious  effects  of  foul  air  in  sapping  vitality,  and  producing  or  aggravating 
destructive  forms  of  fever  or  lung  disease,  have  been  fairly  appreciated,  and  a  corre- 
sponding change  has  taken  place  in  the  estimate  of  necessary  allowance  of  air  supply. 
This  estimate  has  been  made  in  various  ways.  The  calculations  of  Peclet,  as  followed 
out  by  Mr.  Thomas  Box,  are  as  follows: 

An  ordinary  man  makes  twenty  respirations  a  minute;  therefore,  admitting  that  air  should 
not  be  respired  a  second  time,  we  have  20^°^60  =  28  cubic  feet  of  air  thus  vitiated  per  hour. 
Putting  the  amount  of  air  vitiated  by  vapor  at  187  cubic  feet  per  hour,  he  proceeds:  We  have  a 
total  of  28+187=215  cubic  feet  per  hour.  This  is  the  minimum  quantity  necessary  for  cleanly 
and  healthy  persons.  For  prisons,  work-houses,  &c.,  it  should  not  be  less  than  350 
feet  per  head.t 

*  Illustrations  of  Ventilation.    London,  1844 ;  page  179. 
t  Practical  Treatise  on  Heat.    London,  1868;  page  178. 


VIII  REPORT  OX  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 

I  have  given  the  above  statement  in  full,  as  being  a  recent  one  in  a  scientific  manual, 
and  as  giving  a  view  of  the  subject  which  is  not  uncommon,  although  rarely  formulated 
so  clearly.  The  fallacy  in  it  lies,  of  course,  in  the  assumption  that  the  air  expired  does 
not  mix  with  the  surrounding  air.  If  a  man  inspired  fresh  air  from  one  reservoir,  and 
expired  into  another  entirely  separate,  the  above  calculation  would  have  some  value. 
The  true  mode  of  calculation,  however,  is  that  of  Dr.  De  Chaumont.*  Assuming  that 
air  begins  to  seem  impure  to  the  senses  when  the  amount  of  carbonic  acid  reaches  0.6 
per  1,000  volumes,  and  that  this  should  be  the  maximum  impurity  permissible,  also 
that  a  man  expires  0.6  of  a  cubic  foot  of  carbonic  acid  per  hour,  it  can  be  readily  calcu- 
lated that  3,000  cubic  feet  of  air  per  hour  are  necessary  to  properly  dilute  the  air 
expired  by  an  adult  in  good  health;  and  this  is  the  standard  accepted  by  Dr.  Parkes. 

The  amount  of  carbonic  acid  given  above,  as  expired  by  a  man  per  hour,  viz.,  0.6 
per  1,000,  is  too  large  for  a  man  sleeping,  the  amount  being  about  0.4  per  1,000  under 
such  circumstances,  as  shown  by  Dr.  Edward  Smith ;f  and  this  is  the  amount  upon  which 
the  calculations  of  I  )r.  Craig  are  based  in  his  very  valuable  and  interesting  report,  which 
will  be  found  in  the  appendix.  But  as  in  cold  and  stormy  weather  the  men  occupy 
their  barracks  during  the  day,  and  as  the  amount  from  cutaneous  transpiration  must  be 
taken  into  account,  the  figures  of  Drs.  De  Chaumont  and  Parkes  may  be  accepted  as 
more  nearly  correct  for  our  purpose  than  the  lower  number. 

Dr.  Foster  states  that  "air  which  by  respiration  has  acquired  more  than  .08  per  cent, 
of  carbonic  acid  should  be  considered  as  unfit  for  further  respiration.f  It  is  a  little 
doubtful,  from  the  context,  whether  Dr.  Foster  really  means  that  the  .08  per  cent,  is  to 
be  derived  solely  from  respiration ;  if  so,  as  remarked  by  Dr.  Parkes,  the  air  would  be 
very  offensive,  as  this  would  make  the  total  percentage,  0.12. §  General  Morin  fixes  the 
proper  allowance  for  men  in  barracks  at  1,053  cubic  feet  of  fresh  air  by  day,  and  from 
1,404  to  1,755  cubic  feet  at  night. ||  It  appears  to  me  that  2,000  cubic  feet  per  hour 
per  man  may  be  accepted  as  a  proper  allowance  for  soldiers  in  barracks. 

But  it  is  important  to  remember  that  it  is  not  the  carbonic  acid  that  is  specially 
hurtful.  This  gas,  in  the  proportion  in  which  it  would  be  found  present  in  the  worst 
ventilated  of  our  barracks,  is  probably  not  specially  deleterious,  as  has  been  shown  by 
Bernard,  Pettenkoffer,  and  others.  But  its  quantity  is  usually  in  proportion  to  that  of 
the  organic  matter — carbonic  oxide,  &c. — which  are  the  true  poisons,  and  in  this  con- 
sists its  real  importance.  The  air  of  a  tent,  especially  of  a  wet  tent,  may  be  very  dele- 
terious with  a  low  proportion  of  carbonic  acid,  as  the  gas  would  pass  through  the  canvas, 
while  the  organic  matter,  being  molecular,  would  remain. 

The  removal  of  the  vitiated  air  rapidly,  regularly,  and  in  such  a  manner  that  dis- 
agreeable drafts  or  currents  of  air  are  not  produced,  is  what  is  to  be  effected  by  ventilation. 
This  subject  of  ventilation  is  one  that  has  been  darkened  by  a  multitude  of  counsel, 
and  the  popular  idea  of  it  is  that  it  is  to  be  effected  by  the  use  of  certain  mysterious 
appliances  called  ventilators.  Those  who  have  made  themselves  most  prominent  in  con- 
nection with  this  subject  are  in  many  cases  persons  who  desire  to  make  money  by  some 

*  Edinburgh  Medical  Journal,  May,  1867  ;  page  1024. 
t  Phil.  Trans.,  1859. 

t  Watt's  Dictionary  of  CheiniHtry.     Article,  "JRegpirutwn" 

$  The  experiments  of  Dr.  Craig  are  believed  to  be  the  only  ones  of  the  kind  in  which  a  discrimination  has  been 
made  between  the  carbonic  acid  derived  from  respiration  and  that  previously  existing  in  the  air. 
I!  Manuel  Pratique  du  Chanffage  et  de  la  Ventilation.    Paris,  1868 ;  page  38. 


EEPOKT  ON  BAKHACKS  AND  HOSPITALS.  IX 

patent  which  is  to  be  a  universal  panacea,  or  men  zealous,  but  without  corresponding 
knowledge,  who  exaggerate  the  evils  of  mismanagement  as  the  best  means  of  drawing 
attention  to  the  subject  and  to  themselves.  For  such  carbonic  acid  is  the  great  bug- 
bear, and  the  Black  Hole  of  Calcutta  the  favorite  illustration,  although  an  unfortunate 
one,  as  the  deaths  in  that  case  were  probably  not  due  to  carbonic  acid. 

To  have  good  ventilation  without  discomfort  a  certain  amount  of  cubic  space  per 
man  is  necessary,  and  in  fixing  this  amount  the  main  consideration  is  the  possibility  of 
furnishing  the  requisite  air  supply  without  causing  unpleasant  currents.  A  man  requires 
the  same  amount  of  fresh  air  per  hour  whether  the  space  allotted  to  him  be  great  or 
small;  and  if  the  ventilation  be  insufficient  the  large  room  will  in  time  become  as  foul 
as  the  small  one.  When  rooms  are  empty  a  large  part  of  the  day,  cubic  space  becomes 
important  in  itself  as  affording  a  stock  of  fresh  air  to  commence  with;  but  in  places  con- 
stantly occupied,  its  value,  though  great,  is  secondary.  This  point  must  be  insisted  on, 
for  it  will  be  found  in  examining  the  following  reports  that  the  subject  of  air  supply  has 
been  very  rarely  considered  at  all,  even  where  cubic  space  seems  to  have  been  specially 
attended  to.  When  cubic  space  alone  is  to  be  considered,  the  allowance  fixed  by  the 
Metropolitan  Board  of  Health  of  New  York  seems  a  fair  one,  and  is  as  follows: 

SEC.  133.  That  no  owner,  lessee,  or  keeper  of  any  tenement-house,  lodging-house,  boarding- 
house,  or  manufactory  sball  cause  or  allow  the  same  to  be  overcrowded,  or  cause  or  allow  so  great 
a  number  of  persons  to  dwell,  be,  or  sleep  in  any  such  house,  or  any  portion  thereof,  as  thereby  to 
cause  any  danger  or  detriment  to  life  or  health ;  nor  shall  more  persons  than  one  for  1,000  feet  of 
cubic  contents  be  allowed  to  sleep  in  any  apartment  of  any  such  boarding-house,  tenement-house, 
or  lodging-house;  nor  shall  more  than  one  person  for  every  1,000  cubic  feet  of  contents  be  allowed 
to  dwell  in  any  such  last-mentioned  houses.  And  for  the  purpose  of  computing  such,  space,  no 
cellar,  nor  any  closet,  hall,  cupboard,  nor  any  room  not  properly  lighted  and  ventilated,  nor  any 
room  or  space  not  used  as  a  part  of  the  dwelling  apartments  of  the  family  or  other  occupant,  shall 
be  computed  or  taken  into  account.  * 

The  cubic  space  allowance  in  soldiers'  barracks  has  varied  much  in  different  coun- 
tries and  at  different  times,  but  the  constant  tendency  has  been  to  increase  it.  M. 
Boudin  states  (Annales  de  Hygiene,  1853)  that  the  allowance  was,  in  French  infantry 
barracks,  421  cubic  feet;  in  French  cavalry  barracks,  491  cubic  feet;  in  Prussian  bar- 
racks, 631  cubic  feet. 

The  subject  was  carefully  investigated  in  behalf  of  the  English  government  by  a 
royal  commission,  which  reported  that  "the  air  in  barrack  rooms  can  be  kept  suffi- 
ciently pure  with  about  600  cubic  feet  ('air  space')  per  man,  provided  the  local  posi- 
tion of  the  barracks  be  open  and  airy,  the  structure  of  the  buildings  simple  and 
admitting  of  free  external  and  internal  movement  of  the  atmosphere,  and  provided  the 
barrack  rooms,  as  well  as  all  internal  parts  of  the  buildings,  are  duly  ventilated."f 

The  allowance  of  600  cubic  feet  per  man  in  barracks  had  been  fixed  by  a  previous 
commission,  and  made  a  part  of  the  regulations  of  the  English  army,  which  provide 

that— 

The  Medical  Director  General  is  to  be  consulted  on  the  plans  and  site  of  any  new  barracks.  The 
Inspector  or  Deputy  Inspector  General  (a  medical  officer)  is  ordered  to  see  that  all  regulations  for 
protecting  health  in  barracks  are  carried  out.  He  makes  a  monthly  inspection,  examining  into 
ventilation,  warming,  lighting,  latrines,  closets,  and  all  other  points.  The  regimental  medical  officer 

*  Code  of  Health  Ordinances  and  Rules  and  Sanitary  Regulations  adopted  by  the  Metropolitan  Board  of  Health  at 
a  meeting  held  April  20,  1866. 

t  Report  on  Barracks  and  Hospitals.     London,  1861 ;  page  35. 
II 


REPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 


performs  the  same  duties.  He  is  also  especially  ordered  to  see  that  every  soldier  has  a  separate 
bed;  that  the  beds  are  not  placed  at  a  less  distance  than  six  inches  from  the  wall;  that  the  beds 
are  aired  every  morning  for  at  least  an  hour;  that  the  windows  are  opened  in  the  morning  as  soon 
as  possible,  and  kept  open  as  far  as  weather  and  season  will  permit.  The  walls  and  ceilings  are 
ordered  to  be  limewashed  twice  a  year.  Each  man  is  allowed  GOO  cubic  feet  of  space,  and  the  num- 
ber of  men  located  in  each  barrack  room  is  to  be  painted  on  the  door.  This  is  a  most  important 
rule,  which  should  be  strictly  enforced ;  if  it  is  not  so,  it  is  to  be  stated  in  the  annual  report.* 

With  regard  to  the  French  service  the  accounts  are  somewhat  contradictory.  Ros- 
signol  states  that  from  12  to  16  cubic  metres  (421.2  to  561.6  cubic  feet)  per  head  are 
allowed  in  barracks.f 

The  regulations  of  the  Prussian  army  fix  the  surface  area  per  man  in  barracks 
at  from  42  to  45  square  feet.}  Kirchner  states  that  the  allowance  in  barracks  is  from 
420  to  495  cubic  feet,  and  in  hospitals  1,200  cubic  feet  per  man.§  In  the  Russian 
army  Kirchner  states  that  the  allowance  is  491.4  cubic  feet  per  man. 

In  the  Austrian  service  the  condition  of  things  is  shown  by  the  following  extract 
from  a  very  interesting  letter  of  Surgeon  J  Neudorfer,  of  the  Austrian  army,  formerly 

medical  director  with  Maximilian  in  Mexico  : 

VIENNA,  September  24,  1870. 

»*#******##** 

Order  No.  581  from  the  War  Department,  dated  July  25,  1850,  directs  that  in  hospitals  each 
patient  shall  have  202.13  square  feet  of  surface  area  without  regard  to  the  height  of  the  room.  In 
solitary  and  dark  confinement  477.4  cubic  feet  per  man  is  prescribed  for  each  prisoner,  bytOrder 
No.  52,  dated  Headquarters  of  the  Army,  May  9,  1857.  In  barracks  from  537  to  59G  cubic  feet  of 
air  space  have  been  prescribed  by  Order  No.  6505,  dated  November  30,  1861. 

Before  giving  the  following  data  relating  to  the  barracks  in  and  around  Vienna,  I  may  remark 
that  the  dormitories,  mess-rooms,  and  day-rooms  are  not  yet  separated,  one  barrack  room  being 

designed  for  all  these  purposes. 

************* 

In  the  beautiful  Rudolfs  barrack  one  room  for  infantry,  125.75  feet  long,  11.944  feet  wide,  and 
12.4  feet  high,  contains  16  men,  allowing  1,164  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man  ;  the  room  for  cavalry 
allows  1,167  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man. 


BARRACK  ROOMS. 

1'ltISON  ROOMS. 

CELLS. 

Number  of  room. 

1 

•3 

l! 

• 

o 

1 

o 

Numbcrof  men  for 
which  intended. 

Cubic  feet  of  air 
space  per  man. 

Xumber  of  room. 

£ 
'a 

•o 

«  i 

<s  a 

X 

o 

1 

o 

Xumber  of  men  for 
which  intended. 

Cubic  feet  of  air 
space  per  man. 

Number  of  room. 

% 

«w 

o 

"e   1 
<2  | 

B 

3 
I 
o 

Number  of  men  for 
which  intended. 

138 
142 
143 
154 

10,  210.  8 
10,  454.  4 
10,  454.  4 
10,792 
9,  266.  4 
9,  741.  6 
9,  979.  2 
11,187.  2 
7,128 
14,  102.  65 
12,  654.  78 
17,  339.  93 
19,  963.  80 
10,  387.  21 
11,  118.  22 

20 
21 
20 
20 
17 
18 
19 
21 
13 
20 
18 
32 
36 
19 
20 

510.8 
497.8 
522.7 
539.6 
545.  08 
541.2 
525.2 
531.7 
548.3 
705.  13 
703.  04 
541.87 
554.55 
54C.  69 
555.  91 

112 
75 

4,752 
10,  454.  4 

9 
24 

528 
435.6 

18 

243.  29 

1 

Frani  Joseph's  barracks  ||  .  . 

544.  43 

1 

Each  room. 
Each  room. 

Each  room. 
Each  room. 

13,  058.  97 
7,  528.  96 

19 
9 

687.  05 
836.  55 

Each  room. 
Each  room. 

650.23 
370.  26 

1 
1 

Art'ybar'cks  AmRennweg. 
Josefstadtor  cav'y  barracks. 

*  Parkes's  Hygiene,  third  edition.    London,  1869  ;   page  305. 

t  Rossignol.    Trait<$  d'Hygihie  Militaire.    Paris,  1857 ;  page  238. 

t  Heerwesen  und  Infanteriedienst  der  Kcin.  Preuss.  Armee,     Berlin,  1869. 

$  Militar-Hygiene.    Erlangen,  1869. 

||  All  rooms. 


REPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS.  XI 

A  hospital  for  from  20  to  25  patients  Ave  do  not  possess,  but  use  thus  far  common  barrack 
rooms  for  from  20  to  25  sick  in  quarters.     (Leichtkranke.) 

The  United  States  Army  regulations  for  1863  provide  for  every  six  soldiers  225 
superficial  feet,  north  of  38°  north,  and  25G  square  feet  south  of  that,  which,  with  10  feet 
as  the  average  height  of  rooms,  would  give  375  and  425  feet  respectively.  Even  this 
allowance  is,  however,  practically  denied  by  the  following  clause:  "But  the  amount  of 
quarters  shall  be  reduced  pro  rata  by  the  commanding  officer  when  the  number  of 
officei's  and  men  renders  it  necessary."  Practically  there  is  no  regulation  on  the  subject. 

With  reference  to  barracks  we  may  assume  that,  in  temperate  climates,  each  soldier 
should  have  at  least  600  cubic  feet  air  space,  of  which  between  50  and  60  feet  should 
be  surface  area  in  his  dormitory,  and  that  these  figures  should  be  increased  to  800  cubic 
feet  and  70  feet  area  at  posts  below  latitude  36°  north.  But  this  allowance  is  not  to  be 
considered  as  doing  away  with  the  need  for  ventilation,  cubic  space  allowance  being 
merely  the  A  B  C  of  the  main  problem.  The  point  is  clearly  stated  by  M.  Desjobert: 

The  mere  allowance  of  cubic  space  to  men  is  insufficient;  no  good  can  be  effected  except  by 
a  ventilation  regular,  constant,  independent  of  the  care  of  superintendents,  or  of  the  will  of  the 
soldier,  and  combined  with  heating  for  the  seasons  that  demand  it.* 

Plow,  then,  is  this  ventilation  to  be  effected?  An  excellent  lesume  of  the  various 
plans  is  given  by  Dr.  Parkes  in  his  "Military  Hygiene,"  a  book  which  has  been  placed 
in  the  hands  of  every  medical  officer  of  our  Army,  and  which  renders  it  unnecessary  to 
go  into  details.  One  elementary  proposition  or  axiom  is  so  generally  unknown  or  for- 
gotten, that  I  will  state  it.  Air  will  not  pass  out  of  a  room  unless  other  air  can  pass  in 
to  replace  it,  and  vice  versa;  hence  ventilation  of  a  room  is  not  to  be  effected  by  simply 
inserting  a  single  tube  or  shaft, 

In  a  properly  constructed  dormitory,  which  should  be  24  feet  wide,  12  feet  high 
at  least,  and,  for  thirty  men,  67  feet  long,  we  have  to  introduce,  distribute,  and  remove 
60,000  cubic  feet  of  air  per  hour.  During  warm  weather  the  easiest  mode  of  doing  this 
is  by  the  windows,  which,  for  this  purpose,  should  be  on  opposite  sides,  one  to  every 
two  beds,  and  should  have  both  sashes  made  to  slide.  To  the  top  of  the  upper  sash 
should  be  fixed  a  light  louvre  board,  sloping  toward  the  ceiling.  If  the  top  sash  be 
swung  on  pivots  in  the  center  of  its  sides,  the  effect  will  be  equally  good.  During  cold 
weather  the  motive  power  for  ventilation  must  be  derived  from  winds  or  heat.  The 
former  often  oppose  rather  than  assist,  and  to  make  use  of  their  aspiratory  powers  cowls 
should  be  applied  to  all  shafts  of  exit.  What  is  known  as  the  Emerson  ejector  is  prob- 
ably as  good  a  form  as  any.  The  modification  of  it,  used  by  the  Architect  of  the 
Treasury,  is  shown  in  Figure  5  of  the  plate  opposite  page  XIII.  An  ingenious  and 
easily  made  form  of  cowl  is  figured  and  described  by  Wyman,f  and  referred  to  approv- 
ingly by  Peclet.  It  is  a  cone  balanced  on  a  point  in  such  a  manner  that  it  may  be  tilted 
in  any  direction.  The  wind  blowing  upon  it  depresses  the  side  upon  which  it  strikes, 
and  at  the  same  time  elevates  the  opposite  side. 

During  cold  weather,  however,  heat  must  be  the  main  agent  of  ventilation  for  Army 
buildings,  and  although  it  is  better  to  separate  the  heating  from  the  ventilating  appara- 
tus, as  thereby  each  process  can  be  better  regulated,  practically  it  is  usually  necessary 

*  Report  on  the  means  of  improving  the  sanitary  state  of  the  Army.    Annales  d'Hygieue.     1848. 
t  Treatise  on  Ventilation.     Boston,  1846  ;  page  3d. 


XII  liEPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 

to  obtain  the  power  of  expelling  foul  air  from  the  same  apparatus  which  warms  the  room. 
Hence  the  form  and  arrangement  of  this  apparatus  becomes  an  important  matter  for 
consideration.  A  ton  of  coal  or  a  cord  of  wood,  when  burned,  will  produce  only  a 
certain  quantity  of  heat,  and  no  form  of  stove,  grate,  or  boiler  can  increase  this  quantity 
in  the  least.  All  that  can  be  done  is  to  increase  the  thorough  oxidation  or  combustion 
of  the  fuel  and  to  prevent  the  heat  passing  up  the  chimney.  But  it  requires  a  certain 
amount  of  heat  to  remove  the  products  of  respiration  and  combustion,  and  this  heat  can- 
not, at  the  same  time,  be  used  to  warm  the  room.  The  heat  which  passes  up  the 
chimney  is  ordinarily  spoken  of  as  wasted,  and  many  have  been  the  plans  to  retain  and 
utilize  it.  It  seems  to  be  often  forgotten  that  it  is  doing  work,  and  good  and  necessary 
work.  This  was  clearly  stated  by  Wyman:  "The  whole  system  is  a  waste  of  fuel. 
The  question  is,  how  much  air  is  to  be  allowed  to  each  individual  in  the  twenty-four 
hours?  The  less  he  is  allowed,  the  greater  will  be  the  saving."* 

In  all  northern  latitudes  stoves  are  the  usual  means  of  heating  barracks.  If  this 
could  be  supplemented  by  a  system  of  hot-water  pipes,  sufficient  to  warm  and  distribute 
about  one-half  of  the  fresh  air  introduced,  it  would  be  desirable,  as  doing  away  with 
complaints  about  currents  of  cold  air;  for  soldiers  care  very  little  for  the,  to  them, 
unknown  evils  of  vitiated  air,  in  comparison  with  the  palpable  and  present  discomfort 
of  cold,  and  they  will  render  useless  the  best  system  of  fresh  air  inlet  if  it  produces  a 
draught  of  cold  air  upon  them. 

In  a  hygienic  point  of  view  it  is  well  known  that  radiant  heat  is  much  the  best. 
This  does  not  raise  the  temperature  of  the  air  directly,  but  warms  the  walls  of  the  room 
and  the  bodies  of  the  inmates  much  better  than  any  system  of  warm  air  supply  can  do. 

Why  radiant  heat  is  preferable  to  conducted  heat  is  not  precisely  known ;  but  it 
certainly  adds  to  a  man's  comfort  and  health  that  the  heating  of  the  air  inspired  beyond 
a  temperature  of  about  45°  F.  should  be  accomplished  in  the  lungs,  rather  than  previ- 
ously by  artificial  means.  It  is  possible  that  this  depends  upon  the  increased  transpira- 
tion when  cool  air  is  breathed,  and  that  this  favors  the  removal  of  effete  organic  matter 
or  of  volatile  organic  bases. 

When  air  is  heated  its  capacity  for  taking  up  moisture  rapidly  increases.  Air 
inhaled  at  45°  F.,  and  expired  at  95°  F.,  will  take  up  50  per  cent,  more  vapor  than  air 
inhaled  at  65°  F.,  supposing  the  previous  relative  saturation  to  have  been  the  same. 

When  the  transpired  vapor  is  condensed  into  a  liquid  the  organic  matters  fall  with 
it,  as  shown  by  the  fetidity  of  the  fluid.  As  the  most  dangerous  impurity  is  thus 
removed,  it  is  evident  that  when  the  difference  between  the  external  and  internal  tem- 
perature is  so  great  that  the  vapor  arising  from  the  breath  is  condensed  on  the  windows 
or  the  walls,  that  this  exercises  a  temporary  purifying  effect  on  the  air. 

Coal  stoves  are,  moreover,  objectionable  by  reason  of  their  contaminating  the  air 
with  carbonic  oxide  gas — a  direct  poison,  even  in  small  quantities — and  the  evil  effects 
of  which  are  strongly  insisted  on  by  Dr.  Derby .f 

With  stoves  alone  it  is  difficult  to  distribute  the  fresh  air  in  a  satisfactory  manner. 
Tubes  and  openings  intended  for  inlets  will  sometimes  perversely  act  as  outlets,  and 

*  Wyman  on  Ventilation.     Boston,  1846;   page  175. 

t  Anthracite  and  Health,  by  Dr.  Geo.  Derby.     Boston ;  1868. 


EEPOET  ON  BAKEACKS  AND  HOSPITALS.  XIII 

vice  versa;  men  will  complain  of  draughts,  whether  the  cold  air  lit:  introduced  at  the 
ceiling  or  the  floor,  and  will  close  the  apertures  if  possible. 

To  secure  the  greatest  effect  from  heat  as  a  ventilating  power,  the  fresh,  cool  air 
should  enter  at  the  bottom  of  the  room  and  the  warm,  ibid  air  pass  out  above.  This 
will  not,  however,  secure  the  satisfactory  distribution  of  the  air  which  is  essential,  for  it  is 
possible  to  pass  a  superfluity  of  air  into  and  out  of  a  room  without  properly  ventilating 
it.  The  openings  for  fresh,  cool  air  should,  therefore,  be  near  the  ceiling  in  cold 
weather;  but,  when  fires  are  not  used,  a  mechanical  advantage  is  gained  by  having 
them  near  the  floor,  and  both  sets  of  openings  should  be  inserted  with  tightly-fitting 
doors,  so  that  either  can  be  used  as  required.  The  exit  shaft  should  be  at  the  highest 
part  of  the  room.  When  a  room  is  heated  by  hot-air  supply  there  is  a  theoretical 
advantage  in  having  the  exit  shaft  open  near  the  bottom  of  the  room,  i.  e.,  that  it 
secures  better  distribution,  and,  as  General  Morin  deems  specially  desirable,  that  it 
removes  the  effete  products  as  soon  as  they  are  formed.  Another  argument  is  some- 
times advanced,  which  is  thus  stated  by  Dr.  Douglass:  "The  carbonic  acid  must 
inevitably  fall  to  the  floor,  in  consequence  of  its  superior  specific  gravity,  (1.52,)  and 
there  remain  to  bide  its  time  of  diffusion.  *  *  *  It  is  claimed  that  its  superior 
temperature  will  cause  the  carbonic  acid  to  rise.  To  this  we  answer  that,  according  to 
the  well-known  rate  of  expansion  of  gases  by  heat,  the  carbonic  acid  would  require  to 
be  heated  to  250°,  or  150°  above  the  temperature  of  the  animal  body,  before  it  will  have 
attained  the  same  specific  gravity  of  (sic)  the  air."*  If  the  expired  carbonic  acid  were 
pure,  this  would  be  good  reasoning;  but,  as  the  carbonic  acid  forms  but  a  small  part  of 
the  expired  air,  the  fact  is  that  it  does  rise,  and  that  the  difference  in  its  percentage 
at  the  ceiling  or  the  floor  is  too  small  to  be  of  any  practical  importance  whatever. 

The  plan  of  ventilation  proposed  and  carried  out  by  the  barrack  commissioners 
consists  in  the  introduction  of  fresh  air  around  the  stoves  and  at  the  eaves,  the  openings 
at  the  latter  points  being  provided  with  valves  or  louvres,  to  throw  the  current  toward 
the  ceiling,  and  the  removal  of  foul  air  by  a  shaft  or  shafts,  the  opening  into  which  is  at 
the  highest  point  in  the  room.f  This  is  said  to  afford  good  and  satisfactory  results. 

I  would  recommend  the  following  plan  of  heating  and  ventilating  a  barrack-room : 
The  heating  is  to  be  effected  by  one  or  two  ventilating,  double  fireplaces.  Each  of 
these  consists  of  two  open  fireplaces,  placed  back  to  back  and  inclosing  an  air  chamber 
between.  This  air  chamber  communicates  below  with  an  air  box,  18  inches  square, 
which  passes  from  one  side  of  the  building  to  the  other,  beneath  the  floor.  Above,  the 
air  chamber  communicates  with  the  room  by  two  openings,  which  may  be  closed  witli 
dampers.  The  construction  of  this  fireplace  is  shown  in  the  plate  opposite,  Figure  1 
being  a  front  view;  Figure  2  a  longitudinal  section  ;  Figure  3  a  perpendicular  transverse 
section;  A,  the  central  air  chamber;  B,  the  opening  by  which  it  communicates  with  the 
air  box  beneath  the  floor ;  C,  the  pipes  for  escape  of  hot  air  into  the  room.  Figures  4  and 
5  show  the  arrangements  for  ventilation,  when  one  of  these  fireplaces  is  used.  Figure  4 
is  an  isometrical  drawing  of  a  room,  45  feet  long,  24  feet  wide,  and  15  feet  high,  being 
a  hospital  ward  for  twelve  beds.  A  A  are  two  boxes,  carried  from  the  ceiling  to  above 
the  roof,  and  capped  by  ridge  ventilators.  Each  of  these  boxes  is  10  feet  long  by  2£ 

*  On  Ventilation ;  Mich.  Univ.  Med.  Journal,  Juno,  1870. 
t  Report  of  tlie  Barrack  Commission.    London,  1861. 


XIV  REPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 

feet  wide;  they  are  placed  10  feet  apart,  in  the  central  line  of  the  ceiling,  the  joists 
being  carried  directly  across  them,  and  are  intended  for  summer  ventilation.  They  can 
be  closed  in  winter  by  trap  doors  just  above  the  joist,  B  B  are  air  boxes,  each  18 
inches  square,  communicating  with  the  room  by  openings  through  the  ceiling  at  the 
ends,  and  thence  passing  above  the  ceiling  and  by  the  side  of  the  summer  ventilating 
boxes  to  an  air  chamber,  C,  just  over  the  center  of  the  ceiling.  From  this  air  chamber 
an  exit  shaft,  D,  24  inches  in  diameter,  passes  up  through  the  roof.  The  pipe  from  the 
fireplace,  10  inches  in  diameter,  passes  through  a  close-fitting  jacket  or  collar  of  earthen 
ware  in  the  ceiling,  and  then  traverses  the  air  chamber  C  and  the  exit  shaft  D,  piercing 
the  sheet-iron  cowl  or  cap,  E,  of  the  latter,  and  being  itself  surmounted  by  a  similar 
cap.  This  plan  would  appear  to  combine  the  advantages  of  radiant  heat  from  open  fires, 
pure,  warm  air  supply,  and  thorough  distribution  of  the  fresh  air. 

The  fireplace  would  be  most  cheaply  constructed  of  cast-iron,  with  a  false  fire- 
back,  to  be  replaced  as  required ;  but,  on  many  accounts,  it  is  desirable  that  the  surface 
exposed  to  the  flame  should  be  of  boiler-iron.  A  vessel  for  holding  water  should  be 
arranged  in  the  air  chamber,  which  could  be  easily  done.  I  desire  here,  however,  to 
indicate  merely  the  principle  of  construction,  without  going  into  detail.  The  above 
plan  has  been  approved  for  hospital  use  by  the  honorable  Secretary  of  War,  and  I  shall 
again  have  occasion  to  refer  to  it  in  connection  with  the  subject  of  hospitals. 

The  effect  of  a  large  window  space  in  cooling  a  room  is  great,  and  must  be  taken 
into  account  in  providing  means  of  heating. 

The  formula  given  by  Hood*  is  that,  in  a  still  atmosphere,  one  square  foot  of  glass 
will  cool  1.279  cubic  feet  of  air,  as  many  degrees  per  minute  as  the  internal  temperature 
of  the  room  exceeds  that  of  the  external  air.  At  northern  posts  double  windows  will 
be  found  economical  and  desirable  for  this  reason. 

One  objection  has  been  made  to  good  ventilation  which  it  is  as  well  to  mention, 
as  one  of  the  strongest  arguments  in  its  favor.  Men  will  eat  more  when  they  have 
plenty  of  fresh  air  than  without.  Dr.  Reid  mentions  that  men,  in  large  manufacturing 
establishments,  have  struck  for  higher  wages  where  a  good  system  of  ventilation  had 
been  introduced,  as  their  former  wages  were  insufficient  to  procure  the  increased  amount 
of  food  demanded  by  their  improved  appetites.  There  is  little  doubt  that,  if  some  of 
our  barracks  were  what  they  should  be,  in  point  of  air  supply,  the  post  fund  would 
diminish  somewhat. 

Although  it  is  desirable  that,  for  scientific  purposes,  the  condition  of  the  atmos- 
phere in  barrack-rooms  should,  from  time  to  time,  be  tested  in  the  manner  employed 
by  Dr.  Craig,  the  simple,  practical  test  is  to  go  into  the  room  about  3  a.  m.,  after  fifteen 
minutes'  walk  in  the  fresh  air.  If  no  musty,  unpleasant  odor  is  perceived  under  such 
circumstances,  the  ventilation  is  probably  satisfactory. 

In  regard  to  fresh-air  supply,  it  appears,  from  the  following  reports,  that  our  bar- 
racks are  in  a  bad  condition,  many  of  them  being  overcrowded,  and  arrangements  for 
ventilation  being  either  totally  wanting  or  insufficient  and  unsatisfactory.  Of  the  151 
posts  described,  the  amount  of  overcrowding  is  shown  by  the  following  statement: 

Number  of  posts  having  less  than  251  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man  in  barracks 17 

Number  of  posts  having  over  250  and  less  than  301  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man  in  barracks.       C 

*  Hood  on  Warming,  &c.,  fourth  edition.    London,  18C9. 


REPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS.  XV 

Number  of  posts  having  over  300  and  less  than  401  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man  in  barracks.  20 

Number  of  posts  having  over  400  and  less  than  501  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man  in  barracks.  32 

Number  of  posts  having  over  500  and  less  than  C01  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man  in  barracks.  27 

Number  of  posts  having  over  COO  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man  in  barracks 39 

Number  of  posts  not  reported 10 

Number  of  posts  with  ridge  ventilation  in  barracks 19 

Number  of  posts  with  shaft  ventilation  in  barracks 4 

Number  of  posts  with  no  ventilation  in  barracks 72 

Number  of  posts  not  reported 55 

At  forty-six  posts,  therefore,  the  allowance  of  air  space  is  decidedly  insufficient;  at 
sixty -one  it  is  insufficient,  and  at  only  thirty-nine  can  it  be  called  satisfactory;  while, 
even  in  these  last,  the  ventilation  can  only  be  called  satisfactory  in  about  half  the 
instances. 

Our  military  posts  are  of  four  classes.  The  first  are  permanent  fortifications  for 
seaboard  and  harbor  defense.  These  are  the  oldest  posts;  in  many  of  them  casemates 
are  used  as  quarters,  and  in  such  the  problem  of  reform  is  difficult;  but,  being  at  present 
remote  from  the  scene  of  actual  military  operations,  they  are  usually  garrisoned  by  such 
force  only  as  is  necessary  to  keep  them  in  repair,  and  hence  the  evil  results  of  their  defects 
have  not  been  marked.  If  the  time  ever  comes  when  the  number  of  men,  considered 
the  full  garrison  for  these  forts,  should  be  crowded  into  them,  the  result  will  be  disas- 
trous in  the  extreme.  The  report  of  Dr.  Craig  may  be  consulted  with  especial  advan- 
tage with  regard  to  this  class  of  posts. 

Casemates,  if  constructed  with  a  view  to  their  greatest  efficiency  as  casemates, 
are  unfit  for  quarters,  by  reason  of  dampness,  darkness,  and  insufficient  ventilation  if 
kept  properly  warm;  and  it  would,  no  doubt,  be  good  economy  to  discontinue  their  use 
as  quarters  and  lodge  the  men  in  proper  barracks,  even  if  these  had  to  be  destroyed,  in 
case  of  actual  hostilities,  every  ten  or  fifteen  years  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  service. 

Posts  of  the  second  class  are  the  depots  for  recruits  and  moving  troops,  and  in  them 
the  danger  of  the  occurrence  of  overcrowding  is  greatest.  The  remedy  here  is  obvious ; 
either  more  barrack  room  should  be  provided,  or  the  movements  of  troops  and  recruits 
should  be  so  directed  that,  under  no  circumstances,  shall  the  garrison  of  the  post  exceed 
a  certain  fixed  number. 

Posts  of  the  third  class  are  frontier  posts,  intended  or  supposed  to  be  permanent. 
Although  called  "  forts,"  they  are  really  only  barracks  or  cantonments,  intended  to 
accommodate  from  two  to  six  companies.  At  these  posts  the  evils  of  insufficient  and 
improper  barrack  construction  are  the  most  frequent,  but,  at  the  same  time,  the  easiest 
remedied. 

The  last  class  are  the  temporary  posts  or  camps  established  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  Indian  hostilities;  usually  constructed  of  logs  or  adobe  by  the  labor  of  the 
soldiers,  and,  as  a  rule,  about  one-half  the  size  which  they  should  be,  if  intended  as 
permanent  quarters.  The  difficulties  in  the  way  of  remedying  the  evils  referred  to  in 
this  class  of  posts  are  great ;  but,  fortunately,  the  pure  air  and  active  exercise  obtained 
by  their  occupants  go  far  to  render  them  healthy,  although  uncomfortable.  A  very  little 
extra  labor,  however,  in  the  construction  of  ventilating  openings,  and  the  use  of  open 
fireplaces  as  means  of  heating,  would  vastly  improve  these  barracks. 

A  not  uncommon  error  in  the  construction  of  barracks,  otherwise  very  satisfactory, 
is  making  them  too  wide,  as  at  Ringgold  Barracks,  Texas;  Forts  Leavenworth,  Riley, 


XVI  EEPOET  ON  BAEKACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 

and  Larned,  Kansas ;  and  Fort  Fred  Steele,  Wyoming  Territory.  At  Fort  Larned  the 
dormitories  are  40  feet  square  and  10  feet  high ;  it  is  almost  impossible  to  ventilate 
them  properly.  A  dormitory  should  never  be  more  than  24  feet  wide.  The  barracks 
at  Fort  Sully,  Dakota  Territory,  are  disproportionately  narrow,  and  those  at  Fort  Wads- 
worth,  Dakota  Territory,  Figure  48,  are  especially  faulty  in  plan,  as  one  side  of  the  room 
is  a  dead  wall,  which  is  only  excusable  in  barrack  construction  on  account  of  military 
necessity.  The  engineer  barrack  at  West  Point,  Figure  8,  is  a  sample  of  a  badly  arranged 
barrack  on  the  corridor  plan.  Examples  of  barracks,  satisfactory  in  plan,  are  afforded 
by  the  new  barracks  at  Willett's  Point  and  those  at  Plattsburg  Barracks  and  Madison 
Barracks.  At  Fort  Griffin,  Texas,  the  barracks  are  small  huts — a  satisfactory  mode  of 
construction  in  a  sanitary  point  of  view;  in  this  case,  however,  they  are  greatly  over- 
crowded. Other  essential  points  to  be  borne  in  mind  in  barrack  construction,  which 
have  not  been  above  referred  to,  are  as  follows :  The  floors  should  be  raised  from  the 
ground,  with  arrangements  for  ventilation  underneath.  In  the  South,  and  in  malarious 
regions,  the  height  above  the  ground  should  be  at  least  2£  feet,  and  in  the  latter,  the 
dormitories  should  always  be  in  the  second  story.  There  should  be  a  wash-room  in 
immediate  connection  with  each  dormitory. 

There  are  one  or  two  other  points,  in  connection  with  barracks,  to  which  attention 
should  be  drawn.  Prominent  among  these,  as  being  a  point  in  which  our  service  is 
behind  the  age,  and  an  evil  which  should  be  put  an  end  to  with  the  least  possible  delay, 
is  the  use  of  the  double  bunk,  usually  aggravated  by  placing  it  in  two  tiers,  and  even, 
as  at  Fort  Buford,  in  three.  These  bunks  are  used  in  ninety-three,  or  over  one-half, 
of  our  posts.  It  is  certainly  time  that  the  use  of  such  bunks  should  be  absolutely  and 
imperatively  forbidden,  and  so  long  as  they  are  allowed  to  exist  in  dormitories,  so  long 
it  is  useless  to  hope  that  those  rooms  can  be  made  what  they  should  be.  No  one-acquainted 
with  the  first  principles  of  sanitary  science  will  approve  of  their  use.  They  have  long 
been  discontinued  in  the  service  of  European  armies,  and  the  following  sentence  from 
Parkes  shows  that  they  would  now  be  looked  on  as  curiosities:  "Formerly  two,  and 
even  three,  men  slept  together.  I  have  been  told  that,  as  late  as  1842,  one  of  the  old 
beds  with  two  tiers  was  to  be  seen  at  the  Guards'  barracks,  in  Portman  street,  London, 
though  it  had,  of  course,  been  long  disused."*  And  Dr.  Gordon  remarks  that  these 
bedsteads  have,  for  many  years,  ceased  to  be  used  in  English  barracks,  and  that  "  it  is 
consolatory  to  think  that,  however  tardy  may  have  been  the  progress  of  sanitation  with 
us,  there  do  exist  armies  in  which  it  has  been  still  more  so."f 

The  only  possible  argument  in  favor  of  their  retention  is  that  they  enable  more 
men  to  be  packed  in  a  given  space,  and  that  they  cost  a  little  less  than  single  bedsteads ; 
neither  being  worthy  of  consideration,  in  view  of  the  evils  to  which  these  relics  of  bar- 
barism give  rise,  and  for  which  the  supposed  necessity  for  their  use  is  now  considered  as 
a  sufficient  apology. 

A  great  deficiency,  at  the  majority  of  our  posts,  is  the  absence  of  proper  bathing 
facilities.  Like  fresh  air  supply,  while  the  necessity  of  personal  cleanliness  to  health 
and  personal  comfort  is  universally  acknowledged,  the  means  for  its  attainment  are 
rarely  furnished.  For  cleanliness  does  not  mean  the  washing  of  face  and  hands  alone; 

*  Parkes's  Hygiene,  third  edition,  page  305,  (foot  note.) 
t  Gordon's  Army  Hygiene. 


REPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS.  XVII 

At  least  once  a  week  every  man  should  thoroughly  cleanse  his  entire  person;  and  it  is 
economy  and  good  policy  to  make  the  facilities  for  this  purpose  such  that  the  men 
shall  consider  their  bath  a  pleasure  and  a  necessity. 

The  remarks  of  the  Barrack  Commissioners  are  worthy  of  repetition  here  : 

Where  barracks  are  within  an  easy  distance  of  the  sea  the  men  have  certainly  a  great 
advantage  as  regards  bathing  in  one  of  its  aspects,  but  not  in  others.  Sea  bathing  can  only  be 
resorted  to  in  certain  seasons,  and  the  sea  water  does  not  cleanse  the  skin  like  fresh  water.  Sea 
bathing  is  more  a  tonic  than  a  means  of  cleanliness,  and  cannot  be  considered  as  a  substitute  for 
fresh-water  bathing.  Where  men  sleep  in  one  common  room,  and  where  the  difficulties  in  the  way 
of  personal  cleanliness  are  so  considerable,  as  they  are  xinder  such  arrangements,  it  is  essentially 
necessary  to  provide,  in  some  suitable  locality,  for  the  observance  of  those  habits  of  personal  clean- 
liness which  cannot  be  attended  to  in  the  barrack-room. 

Bath  rooms  need  not  be  placed  so  close  to  barrack-rooms  as  ablution-rooms  should  be; 
neither  do  they  require  a  covered  communication  with  the  barrack.  Men  go  to  the  bath  room  at  any 
time  of  the  day  most  convenient  to  them,  with  their  clothes  on,  and  return  dressed,  and  they  are 
hence  not  exposed  to  the  same  risks  as  men  who  go  partly  dressed  to  an  ablution-room,  situated 
at  a  distance.* 

Bathing  facilities  of  some  kind  should  exist  at  every  post.  Where  the  supply  of  water 
is  plentiful,  the  good  example  set  at  the  Marine  Barracks,  in  this  city,  by  the  construc- 
tion of  a  swimming  bath,  should  be  followed.  The  bath  referred  to  is  a  tank,  20  by  20 
feet,  ami  5  feet  in  depth,  with  large  inlet  and  outlet  pipes,  and  constant,  abundant,  pure 
water  supply.  Where  the  supply  is  scanty,  less  water  must  be  made  to  answer  the  pur- 
pose, and  this  can  probably  be  best  and  easiest  done  by  a  combination  of  the  steam  and 
douche  bath,  which,  by  the  exercise  of  a  little  ingenuity,  could  be  furnished  at  any  post. 

While  it  may  be  perfectly  true  that  at  almost  every  post  the  bath-tub  should  be 
considered  as  important  an  article  of  equipment  as  the  cooking-stove,  it  is  still  no  good 
excuse  for  lack  of  bathing  facilities  that  regular  bath-tubs  and  circulating  boilers  have 
not  been  furnished. 

As,  at  the  majority  of  our  posts,  water-closets  cannot  be  furnished,  it  seems  desir- 
able that  the  attention  of  officers  should  be  drawn  to  the  desirability  of  the  systematic 
application  of  the  dry-earth  system,  as  the  evidence  in  regard  to  its  value  is  now  une- 
quivocal. Portable  commodes,  or  night-chairs,  on  this  plan,  have  been  furnished  to  the 
principal  hospitals,  and  have  been  found  to  fulfill  their  purpose.  At  two  or  three  posts 
the  system  has  been  applied  for  the  use  of  enlisted  men,  as  at  Forts  Adams  and  Hamil- 
ton ;  and  its  failure  at  Fort  Wadsworth,  New  York,  is  clearly  due  to  the  faulty  method 
of  application. 

A  very  full  report  on  the  subject,  by  Dr.  Buchanan,  is  contained  in  the  twelfth 
report  of  the  medical  officer  of  the  privy  council,  (London,  1869,)  in  which  he  refers  to 
the  use  of  this  process  at  Wimbledin  camp.  At  this  place  eight  blocks  of  latrines  are 
used,  containing  114  closets  and  46  urinals.  It  is  estimated  the  closets  are  used  each 
day  by  about  3,000  persons.  About  l£  pounds  of  earth  are  used  to  each  discharge,  and 
about  180  pounds  of  earth  per  day  to  each  urinal.  The  results  were  entirely  satisfac- 
tory. It  is  especially  desirable  that  this  system  should  be  employed  in  the  prison-rooms 
and  cells  of  all  post  guard-houses,  and  that  the  tubs  and  buckets  now  used  in  such  places 
be  done  away  with  at  once  and  forever. 

*  Sanitary  Report  on  Barracks  and  Hospitals,  page  47.     London,  1861. 


XVIII 


REPORT  OX  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 


G  U  A  R  D  -  H  0  U  S  E  S     AND     PRISONS. 

The  importance  of  proper  heating  and  ventilation  and  of  cleanliness  is  even  greater 
with  respect  to  these  buildings  than  to  barracks.  The  guard  are  liable  to  be  wet  and 
chilled  and  to  saturate  the  air  of  the  guard-room  with  moisture,  which  should  be  promptly 
removed;  and  the  prisoners  cannot  seek  fresh  air,  no  matter  how  foul  and  oppressive 
their  place  of  confinement  may  become. 

The  necessity  of  providing  fresh  air  for  prisoners,  if  they  are  to  be  kept  in  moder- 
ately good  health,  has  long  been  felt,  and  the  first  legislation  with  regard  to  air  space 
was  for  their  benefit.  In  1779  the  following  became  a  law  : 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  such  offenders  as  shall  be  sent  to  either  of  such  penitentiary- 
houses  shall,  during  their  hours  of  rest,  be  kept  entirely  separate  and  apart  from  each  other,  and 
be  lodged  in  separate  rooms  or  cells,  not  exceeding  12  feet  in  length,  8  feet  in  breadth,  and  11  feet 
in  height,  nor  less  than  10  feet  in  length,  7  feet  in  breadth,  and  9  feet  in  height,  and  without  any 
window  within  6  feet  of  the  respective  floors ;  which  rooms  or  cells  shall  be  dried  or  moderately 
warmed  in  damp  or  cold  weather.* 

This  gives  a  minimum  of  G30  cubic  feet  per  man. 

Major  Jebb,  of  the  Royal  .Engineers,  fixes  the  size  of  the  cell  at  a  minimum  of  9 
by  7  by  9  feet  high,  which  is  somewhat  less  than  the  above. f 

In  those  prisons  which  are  taken  as  models,  such  as  the  Prison  Mazas,  Pentonville, 
and  the  Philadelphia  Prison,  the  allowance  is  about  1,000  cubic  feet  per  man.  Cer- 
tainly, in  our  guard-houses,  the  allowance  should  not  be  less  than  in  barracks,  i.  e.,  600 
cubic  feet,  and  the  air  supply  should  be  the  same,  if  not  more. 

It  will  be  found,  by  the  following  reports,  that  the  guard-houses,  and,  especially, 
the  prison-rooms  and  cells  of  our  posts,  are,  in  many  cases,  unfit  for  their  purpose,  and 
form  one  of  the  most  frequent  subjects  of  remonstrance  on  the  part  of  medical  officers. 
Finding  the  complaint  with  respect  to  them  so  general,  I  thought  it  might  be  of  interest 
to  compare  them  with  the  lock-ups  and  prisons  of  civil  life.  Letters  of  inquiry  were 
accordingly  addressed  to  personal  friends  in  some  of  the  principal  cities,  with  the  result 
of  some  very  interesting  data,  which  will,  perhaps,  be  given  in  full  elsewhere.  From 
these  I  have  selected  the  figures  given  in  the  following  table : 

Table  showing  cubic  space  allowance  to  prisoners  in  the  cells  of  the  station-lwuses  of  some  large  cities. 


a 

'8 

1    » 

H 

U 

'S 

g   "a 

3      M 

Location. 

b 

Length,  breadth,  and  height. 

*>   8 

I  § 

a    ft 
•d    s 

a  s 

g     o 

I 

r§       0 

a 

• 

3 

V    ° 

a 

0 

1 

^-       ® 

WASHINGTON,   D.   C. 

First  precinct  station  

3 

5  feet  by  4  fuet  by  8  feet 

160 

2 

4 

1 

5i  feet  by  5  feet  by  8  feet 

220 

Fifth  precinct  station  

4 

13  feet  by  13  feet  bv  10  feet 

1  560 

4 

8 

7  feet  by  5  feet  by  10  feet  

350 

1 

6 

16  feet  by  13  feet  by  10  feet  

2,080 

4 

*  19th  of  Geo.  Ill,  chap.  74,  sec.  33. 

t  Construction  and  Ventilation  of  Prisons,  page  11.     London,  1844. 


REPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 

Table  showing  cubic  space  allowance,  &c. — Continued. 


XIX 


Location. 

Number  of  cells. 

Length,  breadth,  and  height. 

b 

'3 

Si 

s  1 

_« 
U 

Intended  number 
of  occupants. 

Maximum  num- 
ber of  occupants. 

WASHINGTON,   1>.    C. 

Fifth  precinct  station  .           

1 

7  feet  by  7  feet  by  10  feet 

490 

1 

Seventh  precinct  station  

4 

5  feet  by  2|  feet  by  8  feet  

100 

4 

1 

1 

5  feet  by  41  feet  by  8  feet  

170 

BALTIMOHK,   Ml>. 

Middle  police  station  

14 

7  feet  by  4-£  feet  by  9  feet  

283.5 

t 

BOSTON,   MASS. 

Police  station  No.  8  

12 

8  feet  by  6  feet  by  7  feet  9  inches  

372 

Middle  police,  station  

14 

7  feet  by  44  feet  by  9  feet  

283.5 

BUFFALO,   N.   Y. 

Station  No.  1  

1C 

8  feet  L>\"  <>^  feet  by  9  feet  5  inches  

483 

3 

Stat  ion  No.  2  

5 

357 

CINCINNATI,   OHIO. 

Olive  street  station-house*  

13 

6  feet  4  inches  by  5  feet  by  7  feet  6  iuche.i  .  .  . 

237.5 

Third  street  station-lionnet  

14 

7  feet  6  inches  by  5  feet  by  7  feet  

262.5 

I.OUISVII.I.K,    KV. 

Station-house   

2 

12  feet  by  t>  feet  by  11  feet 

792 

10 

(i  feet  by  (i  feet  by  11  feet  

396 

SAVANNAH,    HA. 

C'liatliam  County  jail  

375 

2 

NEW   OKI.KANS,   I.A. 

First  district  station-house 

13 

14  feet  by  12  i'eet  by  11  feet 

1,848 

g 

20 

SAN   FHANCISCO,  CAL. 

City  Hall  prison  

9  feet  by  t>  feet  by  7  feet  

378 

The  cells  of  no  guard-house  in  the  Army  have  been  more  overcrowded  than  those 
of  the  Seventh  precinct  police  station  in  the  city  of  Washington,  described  by  Assistant 
Surgeon  Charles  Smart,  United  States  Army,  as  follows : 

The  prison  is  a  small,  brick  house,  floored  with  wood,  and  with  cells  constructed  of  stout 
plank.  The  only  openings  in  the  brick  shell  are  a  door  in  the  front  and  a  grated  wiudow,  2£  feet 
by  2  feet,  in  the  rear.  Along  one  side  are  four  cells,  each  5  feet  by  2J  feet  by  8  feet,  and  furnished 
with  a  water-closet  seat.  A  fifth  cell,  for  women,  5  feet  by  ty  feet  by  8  feet,  is  partitioned  off  in  an 
opposite  corner.  The  remaining  portion,  or  hall  of  the  brick  shell,  is  used  as  a  lodgers'  room.  The 
only  apertures  in  these  cells  are  holes,  one  6  inches  by  8  inches,  in  the  upper  part  of  the  door,  and 
another,  1  foot  square,  in  the  wall  over  the  door.  Four  and  five  men  are  said  to  have  been  packed 
into  each  of  these  box-cells,  with  a  few  others  in  the  lodgers'  room. 

*  These  cells  are  of  open,  iron  lattice-work;  ten  are  contained  in  a  room,  47  feet  C  inches  by  25  feet  by  14  feot  6 
inches=l,72l  cubic  feet  to  each. 

t  These  are  iron  cells,  with  open  bar  tops  and  fronts,  in  a  room  42  feet  by  25  feet  by  13  feet=13,650  cubic  feet. 


XX 


REPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 


The  majority  of  the  following  reports  are  not  sufficiently  definite  with  regard  to 
the  guard-houses  to  be  of  much  value  in  a  statistical  point  of  view.  The  following 
table  shows  the  condition  of  those  in  which  the  figures  are  given : 

Number  of  cubic  feet  of  air  space. 


Under 
150. 

150  to 
200. 

200  to 
250. 

250  to 
300. 

300  to 
400. 

400  to 

500. 

500  to 
600. 

6CO  and 
over. 

Number  of  cells  .....  -.  -.  

9 

4 

3 

2 

12 

5 

4 

3 

6 

5 

3 

4 

5 

5 

18 

The  underground  cells  at  Fort  Craig  are  probably  the  most  discreditable  example 
of  prison  construction  to  be  found  in  the  Army.  Other  examples  of  faulty  construction 
are  presented  at  San  Antonio,  and  Forts  Richardson  and  Brown,  Texas;  at  Forts 
Leaven  worth  and  Riley,  Kansas;  at  Fort  Rice,  Dakota  Territory;  and  Fort  Stevens, 
Oregon.  Examples  of  overcrowding  are  given  in  the  reports  on  Carlisle  Barracks, 
Jackson  Barracks,  San  Antonio,  Fort  Richardson,  Fort  Fetterman,  &c. ;  in  fact  this 
condition  is  the  rule  and  not  the  exception. 

The  best  planned  guard-houses  appear  to  be  those  at  Willet's  Point,  Figure  5,  and 
the  one  proposed  for  Fort  Totten. 

The  remarks  relative  to  construction,  heating,  and  ventilation  of  barracks  apply 
equally  to  guard-houses ;  and  I  have  only  to  state  in  addition  that  when  practicable  it  is 
desirable,  for  many  reasons,  that  the  prison-room  and  cells  should  be  in  the  second 
story,  in  which  case  the  hot-air  supply  may  be  furnished  to  the  prison-room  by  connect- 
ing an  ordinary  stove-pipe  with  one  of  the  tubes  of  the  ventilating  fireplace.  Each 
cell  should  have  a  divided  tube  ventilator  upon  the  plan  of  Muir  or  McKinnel,  for 
description  of  which  see  Parkes's  Hygiene.  The  ordinary  urine  tubs  should  not  be 
allowed  in  the  prison-room,  the  dry-earth  system  of  dealing  with  the  excreta  replacing 
them  in  all  cases. 

HOSPITALS. 

As  the  evils  of  improper  plan  and  construction  are  more  directly  manifest  in  hos- 
pitals than  in  any  other  class  of  buildings,  with  the  exception,  perhaps,  of  prisons,  the 
attention  of  physicians,  engineers,  and  architects  has  long  been  turned  to  their  improve- 
ment. The  true  principle  of  hospital  construction,  as  at  present  understood,  was  at 
first  declared  by  a  committee  of  the  French  Academy  of  Sciences,  which,  in  1788,  made 
a  final  report  as  to  the  conditions  which  a  model  hospital  should  fulfill,  specifying  that 
the  wards  should  be  in  isolated  pavilions ;  that  each  ward  should  be  24  feet  wide,  from 
14  to  15  feet  high,  and  115  feet  long,  and  should  contain  from  thirty -four  to  thirty-six 
beds;  and  that  the  windows  should  extend  to  the  ceiling.  This  is  known  as  the  pavilion 
plan,  as  distinguished  from  the  dwelling-house,  block,  or  corridor  plans,  and  is  now 
recognized  as  the  one  best  suited  to  its  purpose,  the  experience  gained  during  the  late 
war  having  contributed  greatly  to  the  recognition  of  its  value  in  this  country.  Its 
essential  features,  as  stated  by  Miss  Nightingale,  the  Barrack  Commissioners,  and  other 
writers  of  authority  on  this  subject,  may  be  stated  briefly  as  follows : 


REPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS.  XXI 

The  important  part  of  a  hospital  is  the  ward,  which  should  be  so  arranged  as  to 
obtain  as  much  sunlight  and  fresh  air  as  possible.  It  should  be  about  24  feet  wide, 
and  15  feet  high,  and  have  windows  on  opposite  sides,  one  to  every  two  beds,  reaching 
nearly  to  the  ceiling.  The  length  of  the  ward  should  be  sufficient  to  allow  at  least  1,200 
cubic  feet  of  air  space  to  each  bed.  The  floor  and  walls  should  be  non-absorbent,  and 
without  cracks  or  crevices.  Each  ward  should  have  its  own  bath-room  and  water- 
closet.  The  ventilation  should  furnish  at  least  3,000  cubic  feet  of  fresh  air  per  man, 
per  hour.  The  kitchen,  laundry,  and  dead-house  should  be  at  a  distance  from  the 
ward — never  beneath  it  or  communicating  directly  with  it. 

Our  post  hospitals  are  all  small,  ranging  in  capacity,  in  most  cases,  from  five  to 
thirty  beds,  and  there  should  therefore  be  little  difficulty  in  their  proper  arrangement. 

Previous  to  the  year  1867  examples  of  a  properly  constructed  hospital  at  a  military 
post  were  very  rare,  those  at  Key  West,  Jackson  Barracks,  and  Fort  Vancouver  being 
the  best. 

Circular  No.  4,  dated  Surgeon  General's  Office,  April  22,  1867,  and  issued  by 
authority  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  embodied  the  true  principle  of  hospital  construction, 
and  was  a  great  step  in  advance.  For  plan  of  the  hospital  prescribed  by  this  circular 
see  description  of  that  at  Fort  Delaware,  Figure  11 ;  also  of  those  at  Forts  Independence, 
Brown,  and  Harker.  It  was  found  by  experience  that  there  were  a  few  defects  in  this 
plan,  but  more  especially  in  the  system  under  which  the  construction  of  hospitals  was 
to  be  obtained.  These  are  pointed  out,  to  some  extent,  in  the  reports  relating  to  Forts 
Adams,  Wayne,  Macon,  and  Concho;  and  especially  in  the  special  report  of  Surgeon 
J.  B.  Brown,  medical  director  of  the  Department  of  the  Platte. 

Even  after  the  construction  of  a  hospital  was  ordered  by  the  War  Department,  it 
was  very  possible  that  it  would  not  be  built,  as  at  Carlisle  Barracks,  Fort  Wayne,  and 
Fort  Davis.  The  case  of  Fort  Larned  is  a  good  instance  of  how  easily  any  one  of  the 
officers,  through  whose  hands  the  request  for  hospital  construction  or  repairs  must  pass, 
could  hinder  or  put  an  entire  stop  to  the  work,  no  matter  how  great  the  necessity. 
When  hospitals  were  built  it  was  usually  by  contract  without  intelligent  supervision, 
no  medical  man  being  consulted  either  as  to  the  specifications,  or  during  the  construc- 
tion, the  sole  object  being  cheapness,  and  the  results  appear  in  the  erection  of  such  hos- 
pitals as  those  at  Fort  Adams,  Taylor  Barracks,  and  Omaha  Barracks. 

As  no  separate  appropriation  was  made  for  the  erection  and  repair  of  hospitals,  it 
is  impossible  to  say  what  proportion  of  the  annual  appropriation  for  "barracks,  hospitals, 
and  stables"  was  applied  to  hospital  benefit.  The  cost  of  some  of  the  principal  hospitals 
of  the  plan  of  Circular  No.  4,  as  obtained  from  the  office  of  the  Quartermaster  General, 
was  as  follows: 


Fort  Adams $11,  731  00 

Fort  Delaware 21, 019  37 

Fort  Ontario 4,500  00 

Fort  Concho 56, 000  00 


Fort  Brown $20, 000  00 

Fort  Harker,  (estimated); *11,635  00 

Omaha 8, 127  00 

Angel  Island,  (coin)  7, 775  00 


When  repairs  or  alterations  were  required  at  a  hospital  at  least  two  applications 
had  to  be  made.  At  one  post,  after  two  applications  had  been  made  by  the  post  sur- 
geon for  some  very  necessary  repairs  to  the  hospital,  the  attention  of  the  department 

*  The  cost  of  such  a  bnildiug  at  the  present  time  is  estimated  at  $25,000. 


XXII  EEPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 

commander,  who  happened  to  be  at  the  post,  was  called  to  the  matter,  and  the  post 
quartermaster  was  directed  to  make  out  estimates.  As  his  stock  of  lumber,  &c.,  was 
small,  and  as  his  requests  for  workmen  and  materials  to  repair  the  other  buildings  at 
the  post  had  not  been  granted,  he  made  his  estimate  a  liberal  one.  It  was  approved, 
however,  and  workmen  and  materials  were  furnished.  Some  of  the  workmen  and 
part  of  the  materials  were  at  once  employed  in  repairing  the  commanding  officer's 
quarters,  and  in  fitting  up  the  store-houses,  guard-house,  &c.  The  work  on  the  hos- 
pital was  necessai'ily  delayed,  and  finally  the  surgeon  was  informed  that  the  amount 
authorized  was  nearly  expended,  and  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  wait  another  year. 
Since  the  commencement  of  this  report,  Circular  No.  4,  above  referred  to,  has  been 
revised,  and  an  order  has  been  issued  by  the  honorable  Secretary  of  War  which  puts 
the  whole  subject  of  hospital  construction  upon  a  very  satisfactory  basis.  This  order  is 
contained  in  Circular  No.  3,  dated  Surgeon  General's  Office,  November  23, 1870,  which 
also  gives  the  plans  and  specifications  for  the  various  classes  of  Army  hospitals.  The 
system  of  heating  and  ventilation  authorized  for  hospitals  is  shown  in  the  plate  opposite 
Page  XIII  of  this  report, 

The  majority  of  the  cuts  of  plans  of  hospitals  given  in  the  following  reports  are  simply 
inserted  as  samples  of  ingenious  modes  of  "how  not  to  do  it."  Special  comment  upon 
them  is  probably  unnecessary.  The  common  dwelling-house  plan  is  illustrated  by  the 
hospitals  at  Forts  Wood,  McHenry,  Monroe,  Madison  Barracks,  and  Fort  Leavenworth. 
The  hospital  at  Santa  Fe",  Figure  30,  is  the  only  one  with  a  completely  inclosed  court, 
That  at  Fort  Warren,  Figure  1,  shows  what  can  be  done  in  arranging  casemates  for  hos- 
pital purposes.  The  plan  of  the  hospital  at  Fort  Schuyler  is  in  most  respects  very 
satisfactory. 

Setting  aside  hospitals  of  what  is  known  as  the  pattern  of  Circular  No.  4,  the  best 
post  hospital  that  I  know  of  is  that  at  Willet's  Point,  Figure  6,  designed  and  built  by 
General  Abbott,  of  the  engineers.  In  location,  solidity,  and  thoroughness  of  construc- 
tion, convenience  of  administration,  and  in  the  amount  of  ventilation  of  the  wards,  it  is 
not  surpassed  by  any  Army  hospital.  The  prison-room  is  a  peculiar  feature  of  this  hos- 
pital, and  a  very  good  one.  The  marked  defect  in  the  plan  is  the  bringing  up  the 
staircase  and  the  dumb-waiter  shaft  from  the  kitchen,  in  the  center  of  the  main  ward, 
whereby  they  become,  practically,  ventilating  shafts.  Had  the  staircase  been  brought 
up  in  a  hall  at  one  end,  the  water-closets  been  separated  from  the  ward  by  a  ventilated 
passage,  and  separate  ventilation  provided  for  the  kitchen  and  mess-room,  it  would  have 
been  a  great  improvement.  It  is  manifestly  impracticable  to  plan  a  hospital  which 
shall  be  equally  suited  to  the  burning  mesas  of  Arizona  and  to  the  bleak  North  Atlantic 
coast.  Nor  can  it  be  expected  that  the  hospitals  of  a  temporary  post,  often  little  more 
than  a  camp,  shall  be  equal  in  structure  and  comfort  to  that  of  a  permanent  post.  But, 
even  a  log  or  mud  hut  need  not  be  built  in  absolute  and  direct  defiance  of  all  sanitary 
laws.  And  especially  to  be  deprecated  is  the  turning  over  of  old  barracks  or  officers' 
quarters  to  hospital  vise. 

Our  hospitals  approach  more  nearly  in  size  and  character  the  so-called  cottage  hos- 
pitals of  England  than  any  others.  They  are  satisfactory  in  one  respect — that  they  are 
almost  all  temporary  hospitals.  This  I  consider  a  decided  advantage,  as  I  believe  that 
no  hospital  should  be  constructed  with  a  view  to  its  being  used  as  such  for  more  than 
fifteen  years.  If  the  money  required  to  put  up  such  structures  as  the  New  York  civil 


REPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS.  XXIII 

hospitals,  the  Rhode  Island  hospital,  or  the  Cincinnati  hospital,  were  divided  into  two 
equal  parts,  one-half  being  used  to  erect  frame  hospitals  of  the  same  capacity  as  the 
stone  and  brick  hospitals  actually  built,  and  the  other  half  being  put  out  at  interest  at 
6  per  cent.,  a  complete  new  hospital  could  be  furnished  every  twelve  years  for  an 
indefinite  period  to  come.  It  is  therefore  good  economy  to  build  hospitals  in  this  man- 
ner, and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that,  as  stated  by  Sir  George  Ballingall,  "such  a 
measure  would  be  favorable  to  the  interests  of  the  sick." 

With  regard  to  Army  hospitals  it  is  necessary  to  consider  more  than  present  neces- 
sities. The  whole  system  of  military  organization  is  an  education  and  a  preparation  for 
emergencies  and  circumstances  which  may  never  occur.  And  as  troops  are  drilled  in 
the  use  of  arms,  though  no  enemy  be  present,  so  should  they  be  familiar  with  the  system 
which  is  necessary  on  the  part  of  the  medical  department  in  time  of  war  or  epidemics. 
And  to  refuse  to  furnish  the  necessary  accommodations  and  facilities  to  medical  officers  is 
very  much  like  refusing  to  allow  soldiers  to  use  muskets,  cannon,  or  horses  in  time  of  peace. 

Our  military  system  is,  or  should  be,  organized  on  the  theory  that  it  is  to  act  as  a 
nucleus  and  organizing  power  for  the  force  to  be  called  into  existence  in  time  of  war 
When  a  war  breaks  out  we  must  have  large  hospitals;  if  these  are  to  be  efficient  they 
must  be  thoroughly  organized.  The  knowledge  of  this  organization  is  best  obtained  by 
practicing  it  previously  on  a  small  scale. 

Again  I  quote  from  the  report  of  the  Barrack  Commission : 

The  contracted  space  and  want  of  ventilation  in  our  military  hospitals  do  not  give  to  the 
patients  the  same  chance  of  recovery  as  is  afforded  by  the  better  accommodation  of  the  naval  and 
civil  hospitals  of  this  country.  Nor  is  their  stinted  and  meager  appearance  without  its  effect  on  the 
medical  officers  themselves.  The  young  man  who,  on  joining  the  army,  arrives  fresh  from  the 
establishments  of  London,  Edinburgh,  or  Dublin,  where  he  has  seen  the  civilian  patient  tended 
with  every  appliance  which  can  alleviate  his  suffering  and  hasten  his  cure,  can  scarcely  fail  to  form 
a  low  estimate  of  the  value  attached  by  the  Government  to  the  health  and  comfort  of  the  soldier; 
nor  can  those  who  are  in  charge  of  our  army  hospitals  feel  that  pride  in  their  condition  which  is  so 
strong  an  incentive  in  similar  establishments  elsewhere  to  their  maintenance  in  the  highest  state 
of  efficiency,  while  they  keenly  feel  that  by  the  public  they  are  considered  responsible  for  a  state  of 
things  which  they  know  to  be  far  from  creditable,  but  which  they  have  neither  power  nor  authority 
to  remedy. 

We  have  already  shown  that  the  director  general  had  not  concealed  from  the  secretary  of 
state  the  opinion  he  had  formed  of  the  state  of  the  hospitals,  and  of  the  necessity  of  creating  a  new 
general  hospital  worthy  of  the  objects  to  which  it  is  to  be  directed,  and  of  the  nation  by  which  it  is 
to  be  provided.  It  is  but  just  to  the  medical  officers  to  state  that  the  evils  complained  of  in  the 
particular  hospitals  we  have  described  have  been  the  subject  of  constant  though  fruitless  repre- 
sentation on  their  part;  but  dependent  as  they  are  on  other  departments  which  have  duties  to  per- 
form to  which  the  efficiency  of  the  hospitals  is  necessarily  secondary,  it  is  not  a  matter  of  surprise 
that  their  remonstrances  should  frequently  have  been  unsuccessful.  (Report  of  the  Commissioners 
for  the  Organization  of  Military  Hospitals,  page  37.  London,  1858.) 

The  statistics  of  the  post  hospitals  of  the  Army,  in  time  of  peace,  are  interesting  as 
bearing  on  the  question  recently  discussed  as  to  the  relative  efficiency  of  small  and  large 
hospitals.  When  the  late  Sir  James  Simpson  denounced  all  large  hospitals  as  producing 
what  he  termed  hospitalism,  and  as  being  almost  necessarily  injurious,  he  relied  mainly 
on  the  statistics  of  amputations  to  prove  his  theory. 

The  following  table,  embodying  his  figures  and  those  adduced  by  his  opponents, 
together  with  those  furnished  by  the  records  of  our  post  hospitals  for  the  past  two 
years,  may  be  of  interest : 


XXIV 


EEPOET  ON  BAEEACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 

Table  sJioicing  mortality  rates  after  amputation. 


Authorities  and  periods. 

Amputations. 

| 

*  d 

f'l 
ft 

H 

h 
ft  o 
bC  0- 
3    ~ 

h 

v 
p,  o 

G     C^ 
E      r-T 

•^ 

Fore-arm 
per  1,000. 

1i 

1    *~ 
Q    ft 

Primary  

375 

214.2 

214  2 

125 

200 

Secondary  . 

333.3 

166.6 

333.3 

172  4 

Intermediate  .  . 

500 

250 

Total  

333.3 

205.2 

222.2 

103.1 

193.5 

258 

135 

40 

6 

109  9 

Secondary  

120 

123 

56 

103  3 

Intermediate  .. 

Total  

185 

131 

43 

5 

108 

644 

548 

401 

147 

479  4 

378 

314 

282 

200 

342 

Intermediate  .  . 

Total  

465  2 

440  4 

370  3 

163  9 

409 

Saint  Bartholomew's  Hospital;  compai'ison  of  death-rates 
by  G.  VV.  Cullender  ;    Saint  Bartholomew's   Hospital 

Primary  

Secondary 

304.3 
347  6 

434.7 
278.9 

60.6 
177  7 

51.2 
40 

219.8 

288 

report,  1889,  page  243. 

Intermediate  .. 

Total 

343  3 

316 

128  2 

46.8 

271  1 

Country  hospitals  in  Great  Britain  ;  comparison  of  death- 

491 

280  4 

156  4 

79  8 

252 

rates  by  G.  W.  Callender  ;  Saint  Bartholomew's  Hospi- 

Secondary 

204 

158.7 

228 

94.8 

173 

tal  report,  1869,  page  243. 

Intermediate  .. 

Total 

276  7 

210 

178  1 

85.3 

211.2 

-From  January  1,  1850,  to  January  1,  1860. 

At  Pennsylvania  Hospital  ;  statistics,  by  George  W.  Nor- 

Primary 

333.3 

348.8 

35.7 

95.2 

192 

ris  ;  Pennsylvania  Hospital  reports,  1868,  page  149. 

Secondary 

419.3 

370.3 

300 

200 

358.9 

Intermediate 

Total 

395.  3 

357.1 

105.  2 

115.3 

256.1 

From  January  1,  1860,  to  January  1,  1870. 

At  Pennsylvania  Hospital  ;   statistics  by  T.  G.  Morton, 

Primary 

444.4 

371.4 

317 

100 

301.7 

American  Journal  of  Medical  Sciences,  October,  1870, 
page  313. 

Secondary  

363.6 

187.5 

444.4 

125 

250 

Total 

413.7 

313.7 

340 

104.1 

288.2 

From  January,  1822,  to  January  I,  1850. 

Massachusetts  General   Hospital;    surgical  reports  and 
miscellaneous  papers  on  medical  subjects,  by  George 

>  Total 

275.3 

200 

90.9 

181.8 

226.9 

Hayward,  Boston,  1855,  page  142. 

IlEPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 


X  X  V 


The  usual  plan  of  our  posts  is  the  distribution  of  the  buildings  around  and  fronting 
on  a  rectangular  plot  of  ground,  vised  as  a  parade.  For  the  majority  of  posts,  which  are 
intended  for  from  one  to  four  companies,  this  arrangement  is  satisfactory.  For  1  In- 
larger  posts  a  very  good  plan  is  that  of  Fort  D.  A.  Kusscll,  (Plate  No  8.) 

We  are  fortunate  in  having  very  lew  specimens  of  the  closed  court,  or  Vauban 
system  of  barracks,  of  which  Charleston  citadel  is  a  good  example. 

A  peculiar  plan  was  proposed  for  Foil  Wingate,  (Figure  28,)  in  which  the  buildings 
radiate  from  a  common  center,  like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel.  This  was  disapproved,  on 
the  ground  of  economy,  and  the  post  is  being  constructed  on  the  usual  plan. 

As  there  is  no  law  or  regulation  with  regard  to  the  arrangement  of  a  post,  or  in 
what  manner  the  buildings,  the  hospital  excepted,  shall  be  constructed,  and  as  the  cadet 
receives  no  special  instruction  on  these  points,  an  officer  charged  with  the  establishment 
of  a  new  post  usually  copies  the  arrangement  of  one  of  the  older  posts  with  which  he  is 
most  familiar. 

It  appears  to  me  that  the  time  has  come  to  regulate  this  matter  by  an  order  from 
the  War  Department — an  order  which  shall  establish  the  general  principles  of  construc- 
tion, leaving  details  to  be  arranged  according  to  circumstances.  This  was  attempted, 
in  1858,  by  Don  Carlos  Buell,  Assistant  Adjutant  General,  then  on  duty  at  the  Wai- 
Department,  under  whose  supervision  plans  and  directions  for  the  construction  of  quar- 
ters, hospital,  guard-house,  and  for  the  arrangement  of  a  camp  were  drawn  up,  and, 
.with  minute  tables  of  estimates,  specifications,  &c.,  were  printed,  in  1860,  at  the  Gov- 
ernment Printing  Office,  forming  a  thick  quarto  volume,  which  was  declared  to  be  the 
authorized  regulations  for  the  construction  of  barracks  and  quarters,  by  John  B.  Floyd, 
Secretary  of  War.  This  book  was,  however,  never  issued,  and  its  existence  even  is 
known  to  but  few  officers.  The  plans  for  officers'  quarters  are  good;  for  the  men's  bar- 
racks, tolerable;  for  the  hospital,  bad. 

The  annexed  figure  shows  the 
proposed  ground  plan  for  a  hospital,  in 
which  the  small  wards,  shut  off  from 
the  open  air  on  one  side  by  a  hall,  the 
deficient  air  space,  and  the  presence  of 
the  water-closet  in  one  corner  of  the 
ward,  so  to  speak,  are  all  in  opposition 
to  the  first  principles  of  correct  hospital 
construction.* 

A,  wards,  21  feet  by  25  feet ;  B, 
bath  and  wash-rooms;  D,  dispensary ;  K, 
steward's  room ;  F,  mess-room  ;  II,  hall; 
K,  kitchen;  P,  verandas;  IS,  store- 
rooms; V,  ventilator  in  roof ;  W,  water- 
closets. 

*  This  plan  seems  to  be  based  upou  the  one  proposed  by  Dr.  Mann.     ( Firfc  Medical  Sketches  of  the  Campaigns  of 
1813-J13-'14,  Dedham,  1816,  page  238. 

IV 


J  I 

ix  I 
L 


XX  VJ 


REPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 


I 

a          rp          rr>          r 

t 

2_    _I 

s 

I 

s 

s 

S 

y 

D 

3    2 


a 


M 

D 


LH 


The  annexed  figure  shows  the  plan,  proposed  by  General  D.  C.  Buell,  for  arrange- 
ment of  a  garrison  for  four  companies,  in 
which  the  cardinal  principles  of. light  and 
air  supply  to  each  building  are  maintained. 
A,  company  quarters;  B,  laundresses; 
C,  commissary  store-house;  K,  sinks;  F, 
flagstaff;  (J,  bakery;  II,  hospital;  J,  chapel; 
K  L,  suttler's  store  and  quarters;  M, 
magazine;  N,  offices;  0,  officers'  quarters: 
C  ( ),  commanding  officer's  quarters;  P, 
work-shops  ;  Q,  quartermaster  store-house : 
S,  company  stables ;  B  S,  band  stable ; 
T,  guard -house;  1,  men's  sinks;  2,  cow- 
house; 3,  dead-house. 

The    sutler's    establishment   is    badly 

placed,  and  the  position  of  the   laundresses'  quarters   would  probably   be   found    not 
satisfactory. 

With  reference  to  the  brief  summary  statement  of  prevalence  of  certain  classes  of 
diseases  subjoined  to  the  description  of  each  post,  it  may  be  remarked  that  they  are 
made  up  from  the  monthly  reports  of  sick  and  wounded,  and  that  they  do  not  include 
accidents  and  injuries,  or  Ihe  mortality  therefrom.  They  do  not,  in  some  cases,  give  a 
fair  idea  of  the  relative  healthfulness  of  the  posts,  for,  on  account  of  movement  of  troops, 
a  large  amount  of  some  particular  disease  may  be  reported  which  has  been  contracted 
elsewhere. 

In  the  necessarily  brief  and  hasty  examination  made  of  these  reports,  I  have  been 
impressed  with  the  value  of  what  may  be  termed  the  "personal  equation"  of  a  medical 
officer,  in  attempting  to  draw  conclusions  from  his  reports. 

When,  at  the  same  post  and  with  the  same  troops,  the  accession  of  a  new  medical 
officer  is  followed  by  a  marked  increase  or  diminution  of  the  number  taken  on  sick 
report,  or  by  a  marked  change  in  the  nomenclature  of  diseases  reported,  while  the  gen- 
eral condition  of,  and  the  relative  mortality  at,  the  post  remains  Ihe  same,  it  seems  fail- 
to  presume  that  the  change  is  due  more  to  the  doctor  than  to  any  other  cause. 

When  a  new  physician  arrives  at  a  post  the  number  "taken  sick"  usually  increases 
at  first,  as  those  disposed  to  shirk  duty,  and  the  minor  chronic  cases,  will  usually  wish 
to  try  the  new  surgeon;  but,  after  this  temporary  increase  passes  off,  it  is  found  that 
the  ratio  of  sickness  may  vary  as  much  as  4<t  per  cent,  depending  on  the  physician. 
As  this  same  cause  of  error  must  exist,  more  or  less,  in  all  medical  statistics,  but  is 
seldom  thought  of,  and,  indeed,  can  only  be  determined  under  such  circumstances  as 
exist  in  the  Army,  I  have  thought  it  worth  mentioning. 

The  following  table  shows  the  ratio  per  1,000  of  mean  strength,  of  sickness,  and 


UK  PORT  OX  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 


XXVII 


mortality,  (accidents  and    injuries  excluded,)  by  departments,   for  the  calendar  yrar> 
1868  and  1869: 


Ratio  per  1,000  of  mean  strength. 

2 

Me;m 

£ 

i 

p 

•a 

4 

i 

Departments. 
^       strength. 

"Z   !i 

<a 

?.   >. 

h 

-       '- 

•d 

"•/. 

a: 
^ 

"3    ? 

=    = 

3 

~      £ 
.3       i. 

^    I 

2 

f. 

"r. 

1  .1 

X 

"   2 

fa 
"- 

™     !° 

z  ~ 

=    ' 
-, 

Z 

Ja 

'I 

I 

\ 
p 

0 

3 

5 

> 

en 

£ 

~ 

a 

Department  of  the  Kast 

1868 

5648.09 

2119.29 

293.  37 

377.  11 

165.  54 

107.82 

5.66 

299.56 

4.42 

1869 

4575.  20 

2105.  91 

315.  83 

353.  86 

158.  68 

100.  32 

4.76 

306.87 

3.93 

Department  of  the  Lakes  

1868 

1082.  38 

2605.  3-.' 

465.  63 

384.  33 

153.27 

241.  H2 

6.46 

367.  70 

7.34 

1869 

986.  55 

2053.  51 

518.95 

237.  17 

164.  20 

211.83 

9.12 

249.34 

7.09 

Department  of  the  South 

1868 

2241.48. 

2410.  20 

776.  33 

396.  19 

218.  17 

117.34 

10.70 

177.  5H 

13.  34 

1869 

1894.  12 

1854.17 

381.71 

365.87 

205.  37 

101.  89 

6.33 

212.  76 

17.  42 

Department  of  Texas  

1868 

4974.71 

2394.  31 

969.  30 

417.71 

121.  61 

9.'..  4H 

8.64 

130.25 

13.06 

1869 

5173.  67 

1868.  10 

648.27 

3:r7.  OH 

134.  13 

95.  i~ 

7.53 

125.  82 

8.89 

Depai  Intent  of  .Missouri  1868 

567i-.ii:. 

1  135.  81 

300.  75 

322.  41 

128.  36 

Tt-1  |>-( 

5.83 

173.  79 

8.27 

1869 

5065.  20 

1234.  50 

449.  53 

271.26 

97.33 

83.38 

143.92 

8.09 

Department  of  the  1'iatte               1868 

3355.  19 

1491.11 

181.21 

304.  89 

20.  59 

108.  49 

4.  17 

270.  62 

8.64 

1869 

2883.  63 

1442.29 

236.50 

197.32 

4H.  20 

108.  89 

3.81 

284.36 

5.89 

Department  of  Dakota.                 1868 

2622.  13 

1596.  13 

64.  07 

275.  73 

91.  14 

107.  16 

4.  19 

247.  05 

4.  19 

1869 

1791.03 

1556.  1  1 

99.94 

252.  92 

122.  27 

88.77 

2.79 

352.87 

3.  35 

Department  ot'  ('olnmhia                1868 

1  175.  16 

1699.  3d 

122.  53 

283.  35 

78.  28 

97.00 

1.70 

273  99 

1869 

970.  17 

170*.  92 

91.  72 

284.  47 

97.  91 

1  17.  :ut 

2.06 

270.04       2.06 

Department  of  California  ls(is 

1672.  79 

170S.  51 

194.28 

257.  05 

181.72 

161.99 

8.96 

242.70       7.17 

1869 

1645.  38 

1578.  :::'. 

218.  79 

210.  28 

238.84 

153.76 

10.  33 

221.  sii        4.86 

Department  of  Ari/,on;i  . 

l,~i;s 

1327.  36 

3550.  54 

2090.55 

482.  89 

132.  59 

119.  78 

,  10.54 

168.  75     15.  06 

1869 

1538.24 

2353.  40 

1172.79 

349.  75 

100.  76 

97.51 

3.90 

137.  82       5.  85 

To  furnish  means  of  comparing  the  present  ratio  of  mortality  in  the  United  Slates 
Army  with   that  of  form  or  years  and  of  other  services,  the  following  tables  have  been 

prepared: 

TABLE  A, 

Showing  ratio  per  1,000  of  mortality  in  the  United  States  Army  ax  compared  with  the  United  & 
Y<"7/  mill  tin1  military  service  of  other  countries,  and  with  riril  life. 


Scr\  ic-e  or  locality. 

Years. 

Deaths  from 
diseases. 

I  1  Is 

«  •=    -  .'- 

1  1  J  = 

If!  •=- 

0;        r~<         ^.    •  — 

=,   -1    « 

Total.               Remarks. 

1840  to  18J51 

22.  42 

1.38     i.o:: 

24.84 

1850  to  1H551 

lit  05 

H.  32     2.  46 

29.  86 

1855  to  1860- 

13  2H 

4.14      1.99 

19.43 

• 

Year  ending  .Inly  1,  1S67;'.  . 

..      19.56 

17.5S     3.77 

40.92      White  troops. 

1  Medical  Statistics  Uuitcil  States  Army,  by  K.  II.  Cooliil^c.  Assistant  Surgeon  Uuitcd  States  Aruiy,  I85S,  page  48.-. 
1  Medical  Statistics  Unitt-il  Stutra  Army,  by  14.  H.  Ciiolidg,-,  A^sistivnt  Surgeon  Uuite.l  Stuti-s  Ar.u.v,  IsO'i.  \m-i-  :«,'. 
3  Surgeon  (iciicral's  Report  for  the  year  1867. 


XXVIII  11EPOET  ON  BAKRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 

Table  A,  showing  ratio  per  1,000  of  mortality  of  the  United  States  Army,  &c. — Continued. 


Service  or  locality. 

Years. 

Deaths  from 
diseases. 

Deaths  from 
epidemics. 

Deaths  from 
injuries. 

Total. 

Remarks. 

United  States  Army  —  continued.  . 
United  States  Navy  

Year  ending  July  1,  18671  

38.32 
13.45 
26.81 
9.83 
12.66 
7.95 
14.96 

81.68 
12.50 
23.87 
.05 

120.00 
29.89 
56.13 
12.84 
17.  59 
12.88 
19.37 
11.53 
23.58 
23.53 
31.93 
11.92 
22.65 
10.28 
11.50 
8.98 
15.75 
17.2 
12.9 
60.9* 
60.8 
32.2 
9.30 
9.37 
9.19 
32.  38 
14.15 
26.77 
10.15 
10.10 
8.06 
25.28 
24.76 
23.  65 
19.4 
46.7 
9.11 
17.06 

Colored  troops. 
White  troops. 
Colored  troops. 
White  troops. 
Colored  troops. 
White  troops. 
Colored  troops. 

United  Kingdom. 
Canada. 
Gibraltar. 
Bombay. 
Jamaica,  white. 
Jamaica,  black. 
United  Kingdom. 
Canada. 
Gibraltar. 
East  Indies. 
Jamaica,  white. 
Jamaica,  black. 
United  Kingdom. 
Canada. 
Gibraltar. 
East  Indies. 
West  Indies,  white. 
West   Indies,  black. 
Home  service. 
In  Algeria. 
Home  service. 
In  Algeria. 

Year  ending  July  1,  186S: 

3.93 
5.  44 
2.96 
4.92 
4.30 
4.40 

Year  ending  July  1,  1868*. 

Year  ending  July  1,  1869-. 

Year  ending  July  1,  1869-  
Year  ending  July  1,  1870-  
Year  ending  July  1,  18702  
1856  and  1857''.  . 

.62 

English  navy  

Fiscal  year  18664  

18.76 
14.92 
10.86 
9.23 

1.58 
6.00 
16.20 
.92 

3.26 
2.61 

4.86 
1.76 

Fiscal  year  18674.  . 

Fiscal  year  18684. 

Fiscal  year  1869J. 

1856  and  I860". 

English  army  

18666. 

7.05 
10.11 
6.30 

.88 
.11 
.23 

2.34 
1.28 
2.44 

18677 

18688  

1837  to  1846"  . 

1837  to  1856"  

1837  to  1856"  

1838  to  18569  

1837  to  18559  

1837  to  1855"  

1860,  1861,  and  1862"'  
1860,  1861,  and  1862'"  
186*0,  1861,  and  1862'"  

8.43 
6.83 

8.16 



.87 
2.54 
1.03 
1.21 
1.08 
2.80 
1.15 
2.11 
1.09 
3.03 
.94 
2.91 

1860,  1861,  and  1862'°.    .  . 

20.03 
13.07 
23  97 

11.14 

1860,  1861,  and  1862'°  
1860,  1861,  and  18621'1.      . 

1867  and  1868"  

9.00 

1867  and  1868"  

7  99 

1867  and  1868"  

6.97 

1867  and  1868". 

19.62 
11.77 
20.74 

2.63 
12.051 

1867  and  1868"  

1867  and  1868"  
IKIti  and  1848'-  

is  1C  ;Mid  18481J  

1863  and  18641:i  

8  17 

.95 
1.19 

1863  and  18641:l  

15.  86 

1  Surgeon  freueral's  Report  for  tho  year  1867. 

2  Surgeon  Ueutral's  Reports  for  tlio  years  1«H  W".).  and  1*1". 

3  1856:  Ex.  Doc.,  1st  session.  ll."itli  Congress,  volume  -J.  part  :i.  page  IW'.i;  IrCjT:  Kx.  Doc.  :M  session.  :Gt1i  Congress,  volume  2,  part  I.  page  673. 

4  Data  furnished  by  Surgeon  William  M.  Wood.  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,  rniteil  States  Navy. 

5  British  and  Foreign  Medical  Chirurgical  Review,  volume  :i:i,  Mil.  page  'Kill. 


'  Statistical  Report 
7  Statistical  Report  i 
"Statistical  Report  i 
9  English  Army  Stati 

10  English  Army  Mod 

11  English  Army  Med 

12  Boudin.    Traite  de 


Enplisl 
Knglisl 
Knglisl 

tical.  Si 

•al  I)ep: 
il  Depi 

;(.ograpl 


Xavv,  l^iW.  page  Wlj. 
Navy,  IMIT.  page  :ir<4. 


Navy,  18<K  page  370. 


litary,  and  - 


p.mo  37 
edical 


Report  for  tfilo.    l,<in.lon,  lr<(a.    Page  i:i:i. 

" 


tment  Report  for  1«CO,  page  142  ;  1861,  page  137;  18C2,  pag(^  ir>.">. 
tinent  Rejiort  for  1867.  page  450  ;  1868,  page  386. 
ii'  i-t  ile  statistii|tie  Mcdicale.    Paris,  18571    Volume  2,  page  151. 
^0  pendant  1'Annee,  1803,  page  278  ;  1864,  page  272. 


13  Statistique  Mcdicalc  de  1'Ari 
*  Exclusive  of  those  killed  in  1 

t  The  only  epidemic  noted  among  British  troops  in  the  West  Indies  during  1867-'63  occurred  in  Jamaica  during  1867,  giving  a  mortality  of 
48.23  per  1,000. 


KEPORT  OX  BABRACKS  AXD  HOSPITALS.  XXIX 

Table  A,  showing  ratio  per  1,000  of  mortality  in  the  United  States  Army,  &c. — Coutiuued. 


Sri-vice  or  locality. 

Years. 

~     ~r 

Deaths  from 
epidemics. 

J  J 

?  '=' 

Total.              Remarks. 

186(5'                        .                            9  24 

1  04 

10  28     Home  service 

1866'  10.46 

1.49 

11.95     In  Algeria. 

Prussian  annv            

1857  and  1859s  

8.28 

1*60  and  18C22  '  

6.03 

1850  and  1800" 

17  5 

1862  and  18634.    . 

14  -I 

1867s                                                    7  25 

1  14 

44 

8.84 

1868s  7.  76 

.004 

.38 

8.15 

1869s.  .                       7.02 

.40 

7.42 

Portland,  Maine,  ami  vicinity,  in- 
cluding Falmonth.  Pownal,  and 

Yearendiu(r  May  31,  1870^              7  15 

52 

1.04 

8  72    1 

Kichniond,  Virginia  

.do  do  do  14.  54 

2.71 

17.26 

Key  West  and    Dry    Tortugas, 

do            do            do                   15  08 

26  39 

2.26 

43  74 

Springfield  City   and  township, 
Illinois  ...  

.do  do  do  3.  07 

.71 

3.78 

Leavenworth  City  and  Fort,  Kan- 
sas   

Buffalo  New  York  ... 

do  do  do  8.35 
do            do            do             .        8.  10 

.05 

1.29 

.78 

Males    at    soldiers 
9  65 

8.94 

do            do            do                    6.60 

3.67 

10.27 

do            do            do                  21  86 

1.74 

23.  61 

.Sacramento    City  and    County, 

.  .  .  do  do  do  7.  64 

1.32 

8.97  ! 

Portland  and  vicinity,  Oregon 

.do       .     do  do  '      6.43 

2.23 

8.67 

I                1 

1  Statistiime  Miklicalo  cle  I'Ariuro  peudaut  1'annC-e.  Inlii.  p;ii:i-  -234. 

2  Kirchncr.    Militiir-IIyxii-iio.    Erlnngen,  1869,  page  I'M. 

"Oesterlen.    Hmdbnoti der Uedicduiaoben Statlgtlk.    Tiiliiii!;i'ii.  ifi;:>.  piinoi!39. 

J  Kirchner.    Op.  cit.,  page  443. 

«  Stut iHtioa  Medicadcir  Esercito  Trli-iinii),  I«i7-n».     Filrnze,  1870.    Mean  stn-ngth,  1867,  206,452;  1868,  216,501;  1869,  187,149. 

"  Until  fumislii'd  by  Ccni-ral  F.  A.  Walker,  Siipijriiili>iuK>nt  XiuMi  Census. 


XXX 


REPORT  OX  BARRACKS  AXD  HOSPITALS. 


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KKI'ORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 


XXXI 


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W                       PM                             S 

Of  persons  in  civil  life,  at  soldiers'  ages: 
Portland,  Maine,  and  vicinity,  iucludii 
Faluioutb,  Pownal,  and  Pllilippi. 
Riclimond,  Virginia  
Key  West  and  Dry  Tortngas,  Florida 

<,,,;,.,.  II,  .1,1  f'it^niul  T/vtt-iisViii.  Tlliiin 

Leavenwortll  City  and  Fort,  Kansas 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  except  first  ward  
Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana  
Galveston,  Texas  
Sacramento  City  and  County,  Calil'orn 
Portland,  Oregon,  and  vicinity  

NOTE.—  The  data  for  Table  li  relative  to  t 
remaining  tigurcs  are  from  tho  several  sources  in( 
the  heading  "  alcoholimn  "  arc  included  delirium  t 

XXXII  REPORT  ON  BARRACKS  AND  HOSPITALS. 

It  will  be  seen  from  these  tables  that,  while  the  mortality  rate  of  our  Army  for 
the  past  two  years  has  been  low,  as  compared  with  that  of  former  periods,  or  of  other 
services,  it  still  remains  higher  than  that  of  men  of  the  same  ages  in  civil  life.  The 
reverse  of  this  should  be  the  case  were  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  soldier  as  good  as 
that  of  the  civilian;  for  it  must  be  remembered  Unit  the  former  is  selected  for  health 
and  strength,  and  that  the  mortality  of  the  Army  is  diminished  by  the  discharge  of  men 
affected  with  consumption,  &c.,  while  the  relative  mortality  in  civil  life  is  correspond- 
ingly increased. 

The  mortality  from  disease  (excluding  epidemics)  in  the  United  States  Army,  for 
the  last  three  years,  is  probably  50  per  cent  greater  than  it  should  be ;  in  other  words, 
it  has  been  increased  to  that  extent  by  causes  which  might  have  been  obviated. 

The  bad  sanitary  condition  of  barracks  is  one  of  the  more  important  of  these  causes, 
awd  gives  rise  more  especially  to  continued  fevers,  diseases  of  the  respiratory  organs, 
and  tuberculous  affections.  Within  the  last  year  the  result  of  the  .reduction  of  the 
Army,  and  the  consequent  diminution  of  overcrowding,  has  been  to  markedly  decrease 
the  mortality  from  these  diseases  among  white  troops. 

It  has  been  said  that  we  have  the  best-fed  and  the  worst-housed  Army  in  the 
world,  and  the  statement  seems  more  nearly  correct  than  such  generalizations  usually 
are.  The  ultimate  cause  of  the  defect  is,  of  course,  ignorance,  the  immediate  cause 
being  a  desire  for  economy,  praiseworthy  in  itself,  but  producing  results  which  are  the 
reverse  of  its  object ;  for  a  saving  in  boards  and  bricks,  at  the  expense  of  the  health  and 
life  of  the  soldier,  cannot  be  considered  a  commendable  thrift.  When  a  man  enlists  as 
a  soldier  it  is  with  the  understanding,  expressed  or  implied,  that,  as  his  food,  clothing, 
and  dwelling  place  arc  to  be  regulated  by  others,  they  shall  be  selected,  so  far  as  possi- 
ble, with  reference  to  his  health  and  comfort.  It.  is  clearly  both  the  duty  and  the 
interest  of  the  Government  to  reduce,  as  much  as  possible,  the  annual  loss  to  the  Army 
from  sickness,  invaliding,  desertion,  and  death ;  and  this  can  only  be  effected  by  a 
judicious  application  of  the  laws  of  sanitary  science. 

Many  of  the  evils  in  the  plan  and  construction  of  our  Army  buildings  have  long 
since  been  pointed  out  by  medical  officers,  and  continue  to  exist  in  spite  of  their  remon- 
strances ;4  but,  as  the  subject  of  hygiene  is  not  officially  and  necessarily  a  subject  of  daily 
consideration,  as  it  should  be,  the  surgeon  does  not  have  the  motive  to  bestow  that 
amount  of  study  and  labor  upon  it  which  must  be  given  if  good  results  are  to  be  attained. 
The  point  is  clearly  stated  by  the  Barrack  Commission  : 

There  being  no  regulation  on  these  subjects,  it  naturally  follows  that  the  degree  of  respect 
shown  medical  opinions  on  matters  affecting  the  health  of  the  troops,  whether  concerning  personal 
hygiene,  such  as  food  and  clothing,  or  the  larger  and  more  difficult  subjects  of  barracks,  hospitals, 
or  camps,  depends  solely  on  the  good  sense  and  capacity  of  the  officer  in  command,  and  on  the  tact 
and  ability  of  the  medical  adviser.  If  the  commanding  officer  be  inexperienced  and  not  sufficiently 
well  informed  to  be  conscious  of  his  ignorance  in  such  matters,  he  does  not  ask  for  the  opinion  of 
the  medical  officer,  and  considers  it  intrusive  if  offered.  On  the  other  hand,  the  best  and  most 
experienced  officers  in  the  service,  knowing  the  value  of  such  advice  and  assistance,  never  failed 
to  seek  it  and  to  be  guided  by  it,  unless,  indeed,  the  estimate  which  they  nifty  have  formed  of  the 
knowledge  and  good  seuse  of  the  medical  officer  be  such  as  not  to  inspire  confidence  in  his  opinion. 

But  if,  in  such  a  case  as  that  supposed,  it  is  for  the  interest  of  the  service  that  an  opinion  should  be 
tendered,  it  must  not  be  allowed  to  depend  on  the  character  and  disposition  either  of  the  command" 


EEPOET  ON  BAREACKS  AND  HOSPITALS.  XXXIII 

ing  officer  or  the 'medical  officer,  whether  the  opinion  on  which  the  lives  of  men  may  depend  should 
be  asked  or  offered.  The  duty  and  the  responsibility  of  both  should  be  defined  by  regulation.  The 
medical  officer  should  be  made  to  feel  that,  charged  as  he  is  with  the  care  of  the  troops  in  health, 
as  well  as  with  their  treatment  in  sickness,  he  is  responsible  for  any  act  or  any  omission  which  his 
advice  or  warning  would  have  prevented ;  and  the  commanding  officer  should  be  made  to  feel  that 
he  is  responsible  for  disregarding  that  warning  or  overruling  that  advice,  and  should  have  sound 
reasons  to  show  for  the  course  taken. — (Eeport  of  the  Commissioners  for  the  Organization  of  Mili- 
tary Hospitals,  page  19.  London,  1858.) 

The  defects  in  the  plan  of  a  barrack  are  often  so  far  compensated  by  faulty  con- 
struction that  evil  results  are  not  apparent ;  and  the  very  cracks  and  crevices  in  roofs, 
walls,  or  floors,  which  are  so  often  complained  of,  may  explain  why  destructive  lung 
affections  or  fevers  have  not  attended  overcrowding  to  a  greater  degree  than  they  have 
done. 

Hesitation  in  making  or  forwarding  requests  for  new  buildings,  or  for  repairs  involv- 
ing much  expense,  is  perfectly  natural ;  and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that,  sometimes, 
by  reason  of  successive  reductions  in  the  estimates  and  amount  recommended  to  be 
authorized  for  expenditure,  a  proposed  reform  is  practically  denied,  although  such  may  not 
have  been  the  wish  or  intention  of  any  one  of  the  several  officers  through  whose  hands 
the  request  has  passed. 

In  consideration  of  the  great  importance  of  proper  post  and  barrack  construction, 
and  in  order  to  consult  the  different  interests  involved,  it  would  probably  be  expedient 
that  this  subject  should  be  referred  to  a  competent  board  of  Army  officers  of  the  Engi- 
neer's, Quartermaster's  and  Medical  Departments  and  of  the  Line,  for  the  preparation  of 
plans  and  regulations  for  the  approval  of  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  War. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  S.  BILLINGS, 
Assistant  Surgeon  United  States  Army. 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


DEPARTMENT    OF    THE    EAST. 


POSTS  DESCRIBED. 


Fort  Sullivan,  Eastport,  Maine. 

Fort  Preble,  Portland,  Maine. 

Fort  Warren,  Boston  Harbor,  Massachusetts. 

Fort  Independence,  Boston  Harbor,  Massachusetts. 

Fort  Adams,  Newport,  Rhode  Island. 

Fort  Trumbull,  New  London,  Connecticut. 

Fort  Columbus,  Governor's  Island,'  New  York  Harbor. 

Fort  Wadsworth,  Staten  Island,  New  York. 

Fort  Hamilton,  Long  Island,  New  York. 

Fort  Wood,  Bedloe's  Island,  New  York  Harbor. 

Fort  Schuyler,  Throgg's  Point,  New  York  Harbor. 

Willet's  Point,  Long  Island,  New  York. 


West  Point,  United  States  Military  Academy,  New  York. 

Plattsburg  Barracks,  Plattsbnrg,  New  York. 

Fort  Delaware,  Delaware. 

Carlisle  Barracks,  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania. 

Fort  McHenry,  Baltimore,  Maryland. 

Fort  Whipple,  Virginia. 

Fort  Foote,  Maryland. 

Fort  Washington,  Maryland. 

Fortress  Monroe,  Virginia. 

Fort  Johnston,  Smithville,  North  Carolina. 

Raleigh,  North  Carolina. 


FORT  SULLIVAN,  EASTPORT,  MAINE. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  H.  C.  FESSENDEN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY, 
AND  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  W.  WILLIAMS,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Sullivan,  the  most  eastern  post  in  the  United  States,  and  the  most  northern  on  the 
Atlantic  coast,  is  located  on  Moose  Island,  Passamaquoddy  Bay,  in  the  town  of  Eastport,  Maine, 
latitude  44°  54'  north,  longitude  60°  56'  west  from  Greenwich. 

The  island  is  about  four  miles  long  by  two  wide;  the  surface  is  rocky  and  sterile. 

The  fort  is  on  a  rocky  eminence  on  the  southeastern  side  of  the  island,  about  150  feet  above 
tide-water,  and  overlooks  the  village,  the  harbor,  the  adjacent  islands  of  the  province  of  New 
Brunswick,  and  the  mouth  of  the  Saint  Croix  Eiver.  The  amount  of  reservation  is  about  nine 
acres.  • 

Troops  were  first  stationed  here  iu  the  spring  of  1808,  and  the  fort  was  built  during  the  same 
year,  probably  as  a  precautionary  measure  in  view  of  the  dispute  then  existing  concerning  the 
eastern  boundary  of  the  United  States.  In  July,  1814,  a  fleet  of  ten  armed  vessels  belonging  to 
the  British  navy  entered  the  harbor.  The  fort  was  surrendered,  and,  with  the  town,  remained  in 
British  possession  until  formally  surrendered  to  the  United  States,-  on  the  30th  of  June,  1818. 

The  rock  of  the  vicinity  is  a  porphyritic  metalliferous  trap.  OH  the  mainland  south  and  west, 
in  the  towns  of  Trescott  and  Lubec,  are  mines  of  iron  and  lead,  and  on  the  neighboring  islands  cop- 
per mining  has  been  carried  on.  The  lead  ore  is  argentiferous,  containing  from  $10  to  $50  worth 
of  silver  to  the  ton. 

The  climate  is  damp,  and  fogs  are  frequent  in  the  earlier  summer  months.  The  winters  are 
cold,  and  the  variations  in  temperature  are  often  sudden.  Average  temperature,  about  43°  F. ; 
extremes,  94°  and  19°. 

The  buildings  are  on  three  sides  of  the  parade,  which  slopes  from  west  to  east,  and  although 
for  the  most  part  old,  are  in  good  repair. 

The  barrack  is  a  frame  building  of  one  story  and  an  attic,  94  by  21  feet,  and  divided  into  three 
rooms :  No.  1,  28  by  20,  by  10  feet  high,  occupied  by  twelve  men,  giving  467  feet  air  space  per 
man;  No.  2,  of  the  same  dimensions,  containing  twenty  men,  giving  280  feet  per  man,  and  No.  3, 
35  by  20  by  10  feet,  occupied  by  twenty  men. 


4  .  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

Each  of  these  rooms  has  two  or  three  windows  in  front,  and  an  aperture  2  by  3  feet  in  the 
ceiling  communicating  with  a  similar  opening  in  the  roof.  The  bunks  are  of  wood,  and  double. 

The  mess-hall  communicates  with  room  No.  3,  and  a  bath-room  containing  six  tubs  is  at  the 
corner  of  the  building. 

The  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  occupy  as  quarters  two  one-story  frame  buildings,  which 
are  divided  into  four  tenements  each. 

Two  buildings  are  occupied  as  quarters  for  officers — one,  an  independent  building,  is  the 
residence  of  the  post  commandant;  the  other  is  occupied  by  the,  remaining  officers.  Both  are 
wooden  framed  structures,  of  a  plain,  cheap  character.  The  commandant's  residence  is  one  story ; 
the  other  building  is  of  two  stories,  and  is  divided  into  four  tenements.  These  quarters  are 
supplied  with  water  from  a  well  located  between  the  two  buildings,  and  from  a  reservoir.  There 
are  no  water-closets  or  bath-rooms. 

The  guard-house  is  southeast  of  the  hospital,  30  by  25  by  10  feet,  divided  into  one  room  for 
the  guard  and  four  cells.  The  guard-room  is  29  by  16  by  10  feet;  cubic  capacity,  4,640  feet;  has 
two  windows,  5  by  3  feet  each,  one  in  front  and  one  in  southeast  face ;  one  door  in  front,  6  by  3 
feet,  and  two  communicating  with  cells.  The  large  cell  is  18  by  9  by  10  feet ;  cubic  capacity, 
1,620  feet;  ventilated  by  a  grated  window,  2  by  2  feet,  in  southeast  face.  The  small  cells,  three  in 
number,  are  3  by  7  by  10  feet  each ;  cubic  capacity,  210  feet ;  ventilated  by  a  small  grating,  one 
foot  square,  in  the  door. 

The  guard-room  communicates  with  these  cells  through  a  passage-way  10  by  2  feet;  average- 
occupancy,  twenty-five  for  the  six  months  commencing  January  1, 1870.     Not  more  than  one  man 
has  been  put  into  a  small  cell  at  a  time,  and  then  but  for  a  few  hours. 

The  hospital,  erected  in  1808,  located  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  parade  ground,  fronting 
the  south,  is  a  -wooden  framed  building,  55  feet  in  length  by  20  feet  in  breadth,  and  two  stories 
high.  A  hall  7  feet  wide  runs  through  the  center.  The  basement  is  low  and  damp,  and  contains 
the  dispensary,  office,  kitchen,  mess-room,  and  two  small  bedrooms. 

The  second  story  contains  two  large  rooms,  the  one  on  the  eastern  side  occupied  by  the  steward, 
and  that  on  the  western  side  as  a  ward-room.  The  hospital  is  warmed  by  stoves,  and  ventilated 
imperfectly  through  the  roof. 

The  ward-room  has  a  capacity  of  six  beds,  giving  624  feet  air  space  per  man.  No  bath-room, 
water-closet,  or  dead-house  is  connected  with  the  hospital,  and,  owing  to  the  very  limited  number 
of  patients,  no  special  provision  is  made  for  the  storage  of  baggage. 

The  post  bakery  and  school-house  have  been  erected  within  two  years,  and  are  in  good  repair. 
The  stables,  located  east  of  the  parade-ground,  are  also  recently  constructed  buildings,  and  well 
adapted  to  their  purpose. 

The  library  is  kept  in  a  well-lighted  room  over  the  officers'  office,  a  wooden  framed  building 
of  two  stories,  on  the  north  side  of  the  parade-ground.  The  library  contains  about  120  volumes  of 
science,  history,  and  fiction.  The  post  is  supplied  with  water  from  a  well  about  40  feet  in  depth, 
sunk  in  the  ledge  near  the  commandant's  quarters,  and  from  a  reservoir  on  the  northern  side  of  the 
parade-ground.  The  well  affords  an  abundant  supply  of  very  fine  water,  and  never  fails.  The 
reservoir  does  not  fail  except  in  a  continued  summer  drought,  which  very  rarely  happens.  Means 
of  extinguishing  fire  at  the  post  consist  of  a  fire-engine  and  buckets. 

The  drainage  is  all  that  could  be  desired.  There  are  no  stagnant  waters  and  no  cess-pools 
to  infect  the  air  at  any  season. 

There  are  no  gardens  at  the  post.  Spare  land  is  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of  turnips  and 
potatoes  by  the  soldiers.  Rations  are  of  good  quality  and  ample  quantity;  the  vicinity  affords  as 
great  a  variety  of  food  as  can  be  procured  anywhere  in  the  United  States. 

During  the  winter  weekly  communication  is  had  by  steamboat  with  Portland,  Maine,  and 
Boston,  Massachusetts;  during  the  summer  there  is  tri- weekly  communication  with  the  same  cities 
by  boat.  The  nearest  railroad  station  is  Calais  on  the  River  Saint  Croix,  30  miles  north  of  Fort 
Sullivan.  Steamboats  communicate  between  the  post  and  Calais  during  the  summer  months  and 
until  the  Saint  Croix  is  closed  by  ice.  after  which  time  daily  stages  take  the  place  of  boats.  There 
is  a  daily  mail  by  land  transportation  and  one  by  every  steamboat;  ordinarily  they  go  and  come 
with  great  regularity,  though  occasionally  in  the  winter  time  blocking  snow-storms  have  delayed 
mails  for  several  days.  It  usually  requires  from  three  to  four  days  to  transport  a  letter  from  this 
place  to  New  York  City  and  Washington. 


FORT  FEEBLE,  PORTLAND  HARBOR,  MAINE. 


5 


The  prevailing  diseases  have  been  bronchial  and  rheumatic  affections,  owing  to  the  general  cold- 
ness and  humidity  of  the  atmosphere.  Pulmonary  and  bowel  diseases  are  more  rare  than  in  most 
parts  of  New  England;  but  rheumatism,  particularly  of  a  chronic  character,  prevails  extensively. 

The  population  in  the  vicinity  numbers  from  3,000  to  3,500.  Number  of  guard  posts,  1. 
Amusements  of  soldiers  are  cards,  checkers,  billiards,  ball  playing,  and  velocipede  riding. 

Statement  shoving  mean  xtrenytlt,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases,  at  Fort  Sulliran,  Maine,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


A 

1 

-  ^ 

50 
B 

s  , 

*  E? 

c; 

•5 

1 

1. 

X 

+3 

£ 

a    i 

tt 

—      V 

•g 

® 

Years. 

a    a 

"3 

§  "= 

9 

C«      OB 

a 

X 

~  = 

-r 

Remarks, 

•g 

^  « 

s 

S 

a 
S 

II 

•a 

4 

fl 
V 

B 

5 

1 

o 
o 

S 

* 

^ 

Q 

Q 

> 

| 

S 

6 

1868 

79  66 

60 

3 

10 

1 

11 

3 

i 

ll 

1 

1869  

37.91 

29 

6 

8 

1 

5 

4 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  PREBLE,  PORTLAND  HARBOR,  MAINE. 

REPORTS    OF    ASSISTANT    SURGEON    E.   COWLES,   UNITED    STATES    ARMY,   AND    ACTING    ASSISTANT 

SURGEON  SIMON  FITCH,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Preble  is  situated  on  a  small  peninsula  called  Spring  Point,  on  the  south  side  of  the 
harbor  of  Portland,  Maine,  and  distant  about  one  mile  from  that  city.  Latitude  45°  38'  55";  lon- 
gitude 70°  13'  18".  The  fort  was  first  established  in  1808,  and  then  consisted  of  a  small  barbette 
battery,  with  brick  scarp  wall,  with  wooden  buildings  for  quarters.  The  reservation  contains 
about  5£  acres.  The  rock  upon  which  the  fort  is  placed  is  a  talcose  schist  slate,  the  highest  point 
being  about  38  feet  above  the  sea.  The  natural  drainage  is  perfect,  and  the  supply  of  water,  from 
a  spring  and  two  wells,  is  abundant  and  of  good  quality.  Average  temperature,  40°  08'  F. ;  nraxi- 
mum,  80°  F.;  minimum,  2°  F. 

The  barracks  for  troops  are  four  two-story  wooden  buildings,  with  cellar  or  basement,  each 
being  52  by  37£  feet.  The  basements  are  used  for  post  bakery,  furnace-rooms,  coal-rooms,  &c. 
On  the  first  floor  are  four  rooms — mess-room,  33  by  17  feet;  dormitory,  34  by  17  feet,  and  two 
office  rooms.  On  the  second  floor  are  three  dormitories,  two  measuring  33  by  17  feet,  and  the 
third  34  by  17  feet.  The  height  of  rooms  on  the  first  floor  is  10  feet  10  inches;  on  the  second  floor, 
9  feet  8  inches.  Each  dormitory  is  lighted  by  three  windows,  and  is  intended  to  contain  twelve 
beds,  which  would  give  an  average  of  475  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man.  But  one  barrack  is  now 
occupied  for  dormitories. 

The  barracks  are  Avarmed  by  furnaces.  In  each  of  the  upper  dormitories  an  opening  8  by  12 
inches  and  7  feet  from  the  floor,  communicating  with  an  air  shaft  in  the  chimney,  furnishes  the 
only  special  means  of  ventilation.  The  beds  are  low  single  bunks  formed  of  boards  on  movable 
iron  supports.  A  small  room  in  an  unoccupied  barrack  is  used  as  a  bath-room,  having  two  bath- 
tubs and  a  large  caldron  for  heating  water. 

The  sinks  for  the  men  are  built  over  tide-water,  and  are  arranged  in  stalls,  each  for  one  man, 
and  instead  of  having  a  seat,  or  bar,  an  opening  is  cut  in  the  floor  20  inches  long,  5  inches  wide 
behind  and  2  inches  wide  in  front.  This  form  of  water-closet  has  proved  very  satisfactory.  The 
quarters  for  married  soldiers  are  two  frame  houses  in  good  condition. 

The  guard-house  is  a  one-story  wooden  building,  43  by  31  feet,  and  contains  the  guard-room, 
17  by  15  feet;  two  prison-rooms,  14  feet  10  inches  by  15  feet,  and  18 feet  4  inches  by  7  feet  4  inches; 
and  five  cells,  each  7  feet  10  inches  by  3  feet  10  inches.  The  height  of  all  these  rooms  is  12  feet  3 
inches.  There  are  two  windows,  4  feet  4  inches  by  2  feet  6  inches,  in  each  of  the  prison  rooms 


6 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


and  in  the  guard-room;  none  in  the  cells,  and  no  special  means  of  ventilation.  Cubic  air  space 
per  cell  is  about  370  feet. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  four  frame  cottages  of  one  story,  with  cellars  and  attics,  and  with 
verandas  in  front.  They  are  heated  by  stoves,  lighted  by  lamps  or  candles,  and  have  no  bath- 
rooms. Each  building  contains  four  rooms,  with  two  small  rooms  for  kitchens,  &c. 

The  hospital  is  a  two-story  frame  building,  G2  by  40£  feet,  with  basement  and  attic.  The 
kitchen  and  laundry  are  in  the  basement.  On  the  first  floor  are  two  wards,  each  25J  by  19  feet, 
and  11§  feet  high.  The  second  floor  contains  four  wards,  25i  by  19  and  7f  feet.  There  is  one 
small  ventilator  in  each  upper  ward  only,  opening  in  the  outer  wall;  it  is  10  inches  in  diameter, 
and  communicates  by  a  tin  flue  with  the  outer  air.  The  capacity  of  the  wards  is  reckoned  at  eight 
beds  each,  giving  70CJ  cubic  feet  per  man.  Only  one  ward  is  usually  used,  containing  four  beds. 
There  are  wash  and  bath-rooms  and  water-closets  for  both  first  and  second  floors. 

The  post  library  contains  about  350  volumes,  and  receives  the  principal  periodicals. 

The  natural  drainage  is  good,  all  surface  water  passing  rapidly  into  the  sea. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good,  and  the  general  police  is  excellent. 

There  are  no  prevailing  diseases. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases,  at  Fort  Preble,  Maine,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


4 

£ 

ac 
f- 

>ej 

rt 

f£ 

o 

CM 

o 

&o 

a 

•°  ^i 
a  -t, 

> 

*    {? 

>9 

£ 

6 

«  * 

Years. 

& 

X 

§ 
1 

Whole  nu 
taken  s 

Malarial  f 

Diarrhoea 
tlysente 

Epidemic 
tarrh 

Venereal 
eases. 

Elleumati 

Catarrhal 
tions. 

Number 
death 

1868  

76.91 

181 

7 

16 

5 

24 

20 

38 

1869...   . 

35.41 

80 

1 

8 

9 

G 

20 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneuinouia.  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  WARREN,  BOSTON  HARBOR,  MASSACHUSETTS. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  H.  KINSMAN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Port  Warren  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  Boston  harbor,  Massachusetts,  in  latitude  42°  19'  30"; 
longitude  70°  57'  6,"  on  George's  Island,  seven  and  one-quarter  miles  east-southeast  of  Boston; 
five  miles  east-southeast  of  Fort  Independence  and  Fort  Winthrop.  The  height  of  the  parade 
above  the  sea  is  38  feet. 

The  first  attempt  at  fortifying  the  island  was  made  in  the  autumn  of  1778,  by  throwing  up  an 
earthwork  on  its  eastern  extremity  for  the  protection  of  vessels  entering  the  harbor  against  English 
cruisers  hovering  in  the  neighborhood.  The  present  fort  was  commenced  in  1837,  and  was  first 
occupied  by  troops  in  November,  1SG1.  During  the  Avar  of  the  rebellion,  besides  being  garrisoned 
as  a  fort,  it  was  used  as  a  prison  for  confederates. 

The  island  is  an  irregular  oval,  the  longest  axis  being  1,800  feet,  the  shortest  1,200  feet,  and 
contains  about  28  acres.  It  originally  consisted  of  two  hills,  which  were  leveled  for  the  building  of 
the  fort,  and  the  only  land  at  present  not  thus  occupied  is  a  few  acres  on  the  northwest  and  south- 
Avest  points  of  the  island.  This  space  is  used  as  a  post  garden,  and  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
engineer  building,  laundresses'  quarters,  and  stables. 

The  geological  formation  of  the  island  is  diluvium;  of  the  surrounding  country,  argillaceous 
slate,  conglomerate,  and  diluvium.  The  soil  is  moderately  fertile. 


FORT  \VAKi;i<;X,  BOSTON  IIARBOK,  MASSACHUSETTS.  7 

The  mean  monthly  temperature  for  1809  was  47°  F.  The  hottest  clay,  July  4th,  the  thermometer 
indicated  77°,  and  the  coldest  day  was  January  22,  9°.  The  amount  of  rain-fall  during  the  year 
was  34.07  inches.  The  amount  of  snow  is  not  taken,  it  being  drifted  so  much  by  the  wind  that  in 
a  circle  of  100  feet  the  depth  sometimes  varies  from  nothing  to  10  or  12  feet.  The  average  monthlv 
dew-point  for  1869  was  44.  The  northwest  winds  prevail.  These,  with  the  west  winds  during  the 
winter,  are  the  cold,  dry  winds;  and  during  the  summer  they  are  the  warm,  dry  winds.  The  south- 
west, south,  and  southeast  winds,  during  both  winter  and  summer,  are  the  warm,  damp  winds, 
bringing  rain.  The  east  and  northeast  winds  bring  with  them  violent  storms  of  snow  in  winter, 
and  rain  in  summer,  which  have  a  general  duration  of  two  or  three  days.  A  true  north  wind  is 
comparatively  rare. 

The  winter  season  is  generally  long  and  rigorous,  lasting  from  the  1st  of  November  till  the 
middle  of  April.  Spring  commences  and  autumn  ends  abruptly.  Summer  is  short,  its  extreme  heat 
rarely  comprising  more  than  twelve  or  fifteen  days  in  all,  occurring  in  groups  of  two  or  three.  In 
comparison  with  the  temperature  of  the  city  of  Boston,  the  teat  is  about  10°  or  12°  less  in  summer, 
and  the  cold  the  same  amount  less  in  winter. 

Although  the  prevailing  winds  of  summer  are  westerly,  the  heat  is  much  mitigated  by  the 
frequent  occurrence  of  winds  from  the  east,  which  often  spring  up  early  in  the  afternoon,  and  last, 
unaccompanied  by  rain,  for  five  or  six  hours.  These  winds  are  piercing  and  chilly,  so  that  a  linen 
coat  at  10  o'clock  may  be  comfortably  replaced  by  a  thin  overcoat  at  3  or  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

The  fort  is  built  of  granite,  and  contains  about  18  acres.  The  casemates  are  used  as  quarters, 
averaging  in  dimension  30  by  18  by  15  feet,  with  hard-finished  walls  and  floors  of  concrete,  covered 
with  hard  pine,  accommodating  nine  men  to  each.  The  casemates  are  warmed  by  stoves,  and 
lighted  and  ventilated  by  three  embrasures  looking  outward  and  two  windows  looking  upon  the 
parade. 

The  beds  are  single  iron  bunks,  with  the  usual  bedding.  A  water-closet  for  winter  use  is 
within  the  fort — the  excreta  passing  into  the  main  sewer  running  under  the  ditch.  It  requires  to 
be  flushed  with  water  every  day,  and  is  inadequate  to  the  wants  of  the  command,  the  arrange- 
ment being  very  imperfect,  and  it  is  only  used  when  the  weather  is  too  inclement  to  make  use  of 
the  summer  water-closet,  which  is  a  wooden  building  outside  the  fort  upon  the  sea-wall,  overhang- 
ing the  water. 

Three  of  the  casemates  are  used  as  kitchens  and  mess-rooms  combined ;  they  are  well  furnished 
and  adapted  for  the  purpose. 

The  quarters  for  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  consist  of  three  wooden  buildings  outside 
the  fort.  They  are  one  story  high,  175  feet  long,  25  feet  broad,  and  divided  into  5  sets  of  quarters, 
each  containing  about  four  rooms.  They  are  mere  shells  of  the  most  ordinary  description. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  the  casemates  forming  the  northwest  side  of  the  fort.  They  are 
hard-finished,  with  plain  white  walls,  and  comprise  twelve  sets  of  one  story,  with  basements  below 
the  level  of  the  parade,  and  two  sets  of  one  story  without  basements.  The  number  of  rooms  to  a 
set  is  either  four  or  six.  The  average  size  of  the  rooms  is  16  by  18  feet.  The  two  sets  without 
basements  are  single  sets,  and  contain  each  four  rooms.  Two  of  the  sets  contain  six  rooms, 
including  basements.  All  the  quarters  with  basements,  except  one  set,  are  double  sets,  having  a 
common  entrance,  but  separated  by  a  wall  running  from  front  to  back.  They  are  heated  by  grates, 
and  lighted  by  embrasures  on  one  side  and  by  windows  looking  upon  the  parade  on  the  other, 
which  also  afford  ventilation.  Water  is  supplied  from  a  pump  in  the  kitchen,  leading  to  a  cistern 
below  each  set  of  quarters.  A  water-closet  and  bath-room  is  in  common  for  each  double  set  of 
quarters,  and  is  situated  at  the  end  of  the  hall  which  separates  the  quarters.  The  two  single 
quarters  have  water-closets,  but  no  bath-rooms. 

The  offices  and  storehouses  are  in  casemates,  principally  in  the  north  bastion  of  the  fort. 

The  guard-house  is  of  stone,  at  the  entrance  of  the  road  leading  to  the  sally-port,  between  the 
cover-face  and  the  wall  of  the  fort.  It  is  one  story  high,  40  by  18  feet,  and  contains  two  rooms 
and  a  hall.  The  building  is  warmed  by  stoves,  and  ventilated  principally  by  windows.  It  is  not 
any  too  large  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  guard,  and  it  ought  not  to  contain  prisoners. 

The  hospital  is  situated  in  casemates  on  the  western  side  of  the  fort,  and  is  contained  in  a 
space  of  202  by  39  feet.  The  walls  are  hard-finished,  and  the  floor  is  of  hard  pine.  The  rooms  are 


8 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


wanned  by  grates  ;uul  stoves,  ami  ventilated  by  windows  and  embrasures  and  by  tubes  passing 
up  from  the  ceilings.     The  arrangement  and  division  of  the  space  are  shown  in  Fig.  1.     The 

massive  lines  represent  stone ;  the  fine  lines,  wood 
en  partitions.  A,  wards,  39  by  25  feet;  B,  bath 
and  wash-room;  D,  dispensary ;  E,  steward's  room ; 
F,  clothing  room  ;  K,  kitchen;  L,  cook's  room;  M, 
surgeon's  quarters ;  N,  commanding  officer's  quar- 
ters ;  O ,  well ;  S,  store-rooms ;  W,  water-closet. 

The  ward  is  intended  to  contain  thirty  beds, 
giving  to  each  a  cubic  air  apace  of  1,226  feet. 
The  bath-room  contains  a  large  sink  with  pump, 
and  three  bath-tubs.    Hot  water  is  furnished  by 
a  small  perpendicular  boiler  in   the  coal-room. 
The  ceiling  of  the  hospital  is  arched,  the  height 
from  the  floor  to  the  center  being  16  feet  4  inches. 
The  post  bakery  is  a  casemate  containing  two  ovens, -situated  in 
the  north  bastion.    It  is  commodious,  and  well  adapted  for  that 
purpose. 

On  the  eastern  side  of  the  fort  is  a  casemate  used  as  a  chapel 
and  furnished  with  plain  wooden  benches.  Adjoining  the  chapel 
is  the  school-room — also  a  casemate — and  furnished  with  benches 
and  blackboards. 

The  library  is  contained  in  a  casemate  on  the  east  side  of  the 
fort,  near  the  chapel.  It  comprises  about  1,000  volumes  of  all 
branches  of  literature. 

The  fort  is  abundantly  supplied  with  water  from  wells  and  cis- 
terns, located  at  convenient  points  in  and  around  the  fortifica- 
tions, whose  water  is  supplied  by  the  rain  which  percolates  through 
the  earth  which  covers  the  parapet.    Beneath  the  parade  are  four 
Fig.  i.  wells  and  two  large  cisterns ;  beneath  each  set  of  quarters  is  also 

a  large  cistern;  a  Avell  and  two  cisterns  are  situated  near  the  middle  of  the  parade;  and  in  each 
of  three  of  the  bastions  is  a  well  and  pump.  There  are^also  several  wells  located  outside  of 
the  fort.  Although  the  water  contains  a  considerable  amount  of  lime  and  soda  salts,  the  quality- 
is  good.  In  case  of  fire  at  the  post,  the  only  available  means  of  water  supply  would  be  the  pumps. 
The  drainage  of  the  fort,  which  is  entirely  artificial,  is  effected  by  drains  and  sewTers  con- 
structed of  masonry,  which  run  in  all  necessary  directions  beneath  the  parade,  and,  ex  tending  under 
the  ditch,  discharge  into  the  sea. 

lu  summer  the  men  bathe  in  the  sea,  but  there  are  no  special  arrangements  providing  bathing 
accommodations  for  them  within  the  fort. 

The  post  garden  contains  about  one  and  a  half  acres  of  ground,  which  is  cultivated  by  a  detail 
from  the  command.  The  following  articles  and  quantities  were  produced  in  1869:  80  bushels  pota- 
toes, 71  bushels  beets,  75  bushels  tomatoes,  14  bushels  green  peas,  16£  bushels  green  beans,  146 
bushels  turnips,  650  heads  cabbage,  4  barrels  squash,  20  bushels  green  corn;  parsley,  radishes, 
and  lettuce  enough  to  supply  the  command. 

The  means  of  communication  with  Boston  is  the  steam-tug  General  Humphreys,  belonging  to 
the  engineer  department,  but  under  orders  to  call  at  the  fort  three  times  a  week.  It  is  regular  in 
summer,  but  liable  to  occasional  interruptions  in  winter  from  ice  and  violent  storms. 

The  prevailing  diseases  during  the  past  year  have  been  rheumatism,  pneumonia,  and  general 
affections  of  the  air  passages,  due,  probably,  to  the  peculiarly  sudden  changes  of  temperature. 
There  are  no  endemic  malarial  diseases  at  the  post  or  in  the  vicinity. 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE,  BOSTON  HARBOR,  MASSACHUSETTS. 


9 


Statement  xhuirhui  iiicaii  xln-iit/tlt,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  dineases  at  Fort  Warren,  Button,  Mas- 

or  the  years  1808  and  1809. 


Years. 

t 

I 

a 

1 

Whole  munber 
taken  sick. 

Typhoid  fever. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrlltt'il  and 
dysentery. 

Venereal  dis- 
ewee. 

Rheumatism. 

I'atarrhalatliv- 
tions.* 

Deatli.-. 

1868 

192.  :i:s 

54 

15 

3 

C 

1  S(i<) 

140.  33 

101 

1 

8 

4 

13 

5 

29 

Include  laryngitis,  l.rr.nchitis.  pnenmonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE,  BOSTON  HARBOR,  MASSACHUSETTS. 

HISTORY  BY  SURGEON  J.  P.  WRIGHT,  i:\ITED  STATES   ARMY.— ACCOUNT  OF  THE    POST    BY   SURGEON 
WRIGHT  AND  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  \V.  H.  GARDNER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

LOCALITY   AND   HISTORY   OF   THE   POST. 

Fort  Independence  is  situated  on  Castle  Island,  in  Boston  Harbor,  and  from  India  Wharf,  in  a 
southeast  direction,  is  distant  two  miles  and  three  furlongs  ;  from  City  Point  (Rochester  Point)  it 
is  distant  about  900  yards;  and  from  Governor's  Island,  (Fort  Winthrop,)  from  which  it  is  separated 
by  the  main  channel,  1,100  yards.  The  surface  will  measure  perhaps  twelve  acres  at  high  water 
but  the  dimensions  of  the  island  on  the  north,  east,  and  west  are  known  to  have  decreased  prior 
to  the  erection  of  the  sea  walls.  The  southern  extremity  of  the,  island,  a  level  plain  but  a  few  feet 
above  water-mark,  embraces  less  than  one-fourth  of  the  island,  and  is  doubtless  a  gift  from  the  sea. 

Fort  Independence  is  the  oldest  fortified  place  in  the  United  States.  In  the  spring  of  1634, 
and  but  four  years  subsequent  to  the  incorporation  of  the  town  of  Boston,  Governor  Winthrop,  with 
the  council  ministry,  visited  the  island,  where  they  were  detained  by  the  ice,  without  shelter,  a  day 
and  a  night.  So  much  pleased  were  these  gentlemen  with  the  commanding  site  of  the  place,  that 
they  each  subscribed  £5  towards  the  erection  of  two  platforms  and  a  fort,  and  in  July  following 
made  a  report  to  the  legislature  which  induced  that  body  to  consent  to  the  fortifying  of  the  place. 
This  first  fort  has  been  described  as  a  "  castle  with  mud  walls ;"  the  masonry  was  of  lime  made 
from  oyster  shells. 

In  1044  the  arrival  of  a  French  man-of-war  in  the  harbor  so  alarmed  the  citizens  of  the  province 
of  Massachusetts,  that  the  fort,  which  had  gone  to  decay,  was  rebuilt  at  the  expense  of  six  neigh- 
boring towns.  The  fort  was  now  constructed  of  piue  trees,  stone,  and  earth  ;  it  was  50  feet  square 
inside,  with  walls  10  feet  thick. 

In  1005  the  fort  was  repaired  and  enlarged,  and  furnished  with  a  small  castle  with  brick  walls 
three  stories  high.  There  was  a  dwelling-room  on  the  first  floor;  a  lodging-room  above;  a  gun- 
room over  the  latter,  furnished  with  "six  very  good  saker  guns;"  upon  the  roof  were  mounted 
three  lesser  guns.  On  the  loth  of  July,  1005,  Captain  Richard  Davenport,  the  commanding  officer, 
was  killed  by  lightning  in  an  apartment  separate  from  the  magazine  only  by  a  wooden  partition  ; 
the  powder  was  not  exploded. 

March  21, 1073,  the  fort  was  burned  by  accident ;  and  in  the  year  following  a  new  fort  of  stone  was 
erected  with  four  bastions,  and  armed  with  thirty-eight  guns  and  sixteen  cnlverins;  there  was  also 
a  small  water  battery  of  six  guns.  This  fort  was  built  by  an  able,  engineer  and  was  considered  a 
strong  work. 

In  the  year  1089  the  people  of  Boston,  favoring  the  revolution  in  England,  confined  Sir  Ed- 
mond  Andross,  the  governor  sent  by  King  James,  and  took  possession  of  the  castle.  Mr.  John 
Fairweather  was  appointed  commander,  and  succeeded  Captain  John  Pipon,  who  delivered  up  the 
stores  on  the  19th  of  April. 


10  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  fort  was  probably  first  known  under  the  appellation  of  "  the  Castle."  During  the  admin- 
istration of  Sir  William  Phipps,  who  was  appointed  by  King  William  in  lf>92,  it  was  first  called 
"  Castle  William."  The  Crown  contributed  about  this  time  toward  the  erection  of  a  citadel,  and 
the  furnishing  of  it  with  ordnance ;  the  new  bastions  were  long  known  by  the  names  of  the  "  Crown," 
the  "Rose,"  the  "Royal,"  aud  the  "Elizabeth"  bastions;  the  ordnance  were,  twenty-four  0-ponnd- 
ers,  twelve  24- pounders,  eighteen  32 -pounders  and  48-poundcrs.  This  augmentation  of  strength 
was  the  more  necessary,  as  a  French  invasion  of  the  New  England  colonies  was  apprehended  in 
1697. 

On  the  10th  of  October,  171(5,  Lieutenant  Governor  William  Duinmer  assumed  command  of 
Castle  William,  agreeably  to  orders  from  the  Crown  ;  it  is  thus  evident  that  the  King  asserted  his 
prerogative  in  the  appointment  of  the  commandant,  and  the  general  court,  it  is  stated,  felt  much 
injured  at  the  assumption. 

A  few  years  afterwards  a  complaint  was  made  by  the  governor  that  the  pay  of  the  soldiers 
here  stationed  was  less  than  that  of  the  troops  at  the  other  provincial  posts.  It  is  true  that  the 
latter  were  exposed  in  the  Indian  wars  to  more  hardships,  but  Castle  William  was  then  considered 
the  first  fort  in  British  America,  and  the  garrison  was  commanded  by  the  second  official  in  the  gov 
eminent,  who  officially  held  the  rank  of  a  field  officer.  A  storm  in  17-','?  did  great  damage  to  the 
castle,  the  town,  and  also  the  light-house. 

Boston  light-house  was  first  illuminated  September  1-1,  171G.  It  was  burnt  and  rebuilt  in  1720 ; 
dismantled  to  distress  the  enemy  during  the  revolutionary  war,  1775  ;  destroyed  by  the  enemy  in 
1770 ;  and  was  finally  established  in  1783.  It  is  noteworthy  that,  though  three  times  struck  by 
lightning  during  the  first  forty  years  of  its  erection,  it  has  enjoyed  immunity  since  the  introduction 
of  electrical  conductors. 

On  the  llth  of  September  John  Larrabee  succeeded  John  Gray  as  lieutenant  of  Castle  William. 
The  lieutenant  was  the  senior  resident  and  had  the  immediate  command  of  the  fortress.  After  this 
date  he  was  styled  "  captain  lieutenant." 

A  committee  of  the,  general  court  visited  Castle  Island  February  1,  1734,  and  on  their  report 
funds  were  supplied,  and  Lieutenant  Governor  Phipps,  John  Qnincy,  and  Benjamin  Bird  were  ap- 
pointed to  superintend  the  necessary  repairs.  Ten  thousand  pounds,  (old  tenor,)  or  $4,444,  were  ap- 
propriated toward  fortifying  the  town.  William  Barnsdell,  who  had  for  thirty  years  been  governor 
of  the  Castle,  died  February  0,  1734. 

During  the  year  1740,  Castle  William  was  again  repaired  in  anticipation  of  a  French  war ;  a 
bastion,  named  in  honor  of  the  governor  "  Shirley  Bastion,"  was  constructed,  and  twenty  42-pounders 
mounted  there. 

The  ordnance,  presented  by  the  King,  arrived^in  1744.    A  second  maga/.inc  or  arsenal  was 
built  in  1747,  and  a  third  added  during  the  latter  part  of  Shirley's  administration.     On  the  18th  of 
November,  1747,  a  riot  occurred  in  Boston,  on  account  of  the  impressment  of  some  of  the  inhabit- 
ants, and  the  governor  retired  to  the  castle ;   but  upon  the  assurance  of  the  legislature  and  the  citi- 
zens that  his  authority  would  be  sustained,  the  governor  returned  on  the  20th  of  November. 
In  1740  there  were  at  Castle  William,  according  to  Douglass,  104  cannon,  besides  mortars. 
A  commodious  barrack,  3CO  feet  in  length,  was  erected  in  1753,  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
regular  and  provincial  troops.    In  1758  it  was  occupied  by  a  detachment  of  "loyal  Americans," 
not  being  used  by  the  permanent  garrison,  which,  seldom  exceeding  fifty  in  ^number,  was  lodged 
in  the  citadel. 

Ou  the  15th  of  August,  1757,  Governor  Pownal  arrived  to  assume  the  government  of  the 
Province.  The  conqueror  of  Lewisburg,  Sir  William  Pepperell,  who  was  also  the  senior  counsel- 
lor, held  command  of  Castle  William.  At  that  time  the  military  commissions  were  vacated  on 
a  change  of  the  chief  magistrate.  Sir  William  Pepperell,  on  presenting  to  the  governor  the  key  of 
the  fortress,  observed  that  "  the  Castle  was  the  key  of  the  Province."  Former  services  werere  called, 
and  his  excellency  replied:  "  Sir,  the  interests  of  the  Province  are  in  your  heart.  I  shall,  therefore, 
always  be  glad  to  see  the  keys  of  it  in  your  hands."  Sir  William  Pepperell  died  in  July,  1759. 
Captain  Lieutenant  John  Larrabee  died  on  the  15th  of  February,  in  the  seventy-sixth  year  of  his 
age.  He  had  resided  for  fifty  years  on  the  island,  and  had  risen  from  the  ranks.  On  his  death, 
Governor  Bernard  fulfilled  a  promise  before  made  to  Governor  Pownal,  and  appointed  to  the 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE,  BOSTON  HARBOR,  MASSACHUSETTS.  H 

vacancy  the  chaplain,  Mr.  John  Philips.     Governor  Bernard  made  Castle  William  his  summer  resi- 
dence, and  one  of  his  daughters  was  buried  here. 

In  the  early  part  of  1704  the  barracks  were  occupied  for  the  purpose  of  inoculation  for  small 
pox,  which  disease  at  this  time  prevailed  to  a  great  extent  in  Boston,  carrying  with  it  all  the  hor- 
rors of  the  plague. 

The  stamps,  by  which  a  revenue  was  intended  to  be  raised  from  the  British  colonies,  arrived  * 
iii  the  harbor  of  Boston  in  September,  17G5,  and  were  lodged  for  security  at  the  castle.  The  vigor- 
ous opposition  in  America  to  this  act  having  prevented  its  enforcement  in  any  instance,  it  was 
soon  repealed,  and  in  the  course  of  the  following  summer  all  the  stamps  were  returned  to  England. 
In  the  contest  between  Britain  and  America,  Boston  was  the  center  of  attack,  and  Castle  William 
a  key  to  be  grasped  by  the  strongest  hand. 

During  the  year  1708,  while  the  public  was  agitated  by  a  misunderstanding  between  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  province  and  the  legislature,  a  vessel  belonging  to  Mr.  John  Hancock  was  seized  by 
custom-house  officers,  and  placed  under  guard.  The  commissioners  of  the  revenue,  whose  charge 
was  very  offensive  to  the  people,  with  their  subordinates,  took  shelter  at  the  castle.  They  assem- 
bled all  the  King's  vessels  around  the  island,  and  caused  them  to  be  moored  in  situations  to  resist  a 
regular  attack.  These  officials  did  not  return  to  the  town  until  they  had  obtained  protection  from 
the  military  arm.  Before  the  expiration  of  the  year  several  men-of-war  arrived  from  Halifax,  and 
four  or  five  regiments  of  regular  troops  took  post  in  Boston.  Of  these,  the  Sixty-fifth  was  quar- 
tered at  Castle  Island.  These  warlike  movements  greatly  augmented  the  discontent  of  the  prov- 
inces, and  the  assumption  by  the  Crown  of  the  full  control  of  the  castle  was  no  less  offensive  to  the 
province  of  Massachusetts;  it  was  often  stated  as  a  grievance,  but  found  no  immediate  remedy. 
On  the  lOtli  of  September  Lieutenant  Governor  Hntchiuson,  in  obedience  to  instructions,  formally 
withdrew  the  company  of  the  provincial  establishment  and  delivered  up  the  command  to  Colonel 
Dalrymple,  to  be  garrisoned  by  regular  troops.  There  had  been  an  annual  perquisite  of  £120  ster- 
ling to  the  lieutenant  governor,  as  commandant  of  the  fortress.  Captain  Lieutenant  Philips  was,  in 
1772,  appointed  to  the  sinecure  office  of  fort  major,  with  an  income  of  £200;  he  soon  afterward  lost 
his  office  from  his  attachment  to  the  American  cause.  Captain  Sir  Thomas  Adams,  of  the  Boston 
frigate,  who  died  on  board  the  Romney  man-of-war,  was  buried  on  Castle  Island  on  the  8th  of 
October,  1772.  His  obsequies,  as  well  as  those  of  Governor  Bernard's  daughter,  were  conducted 
with  great  pomp;  but  there  the  distinction  ceased.  In  removing  the  earth  to  Fort  Independence, 
thirty  years  later,  their  corpses,  inclosed  in  double  coffins,  highly  ornamented,  but  upon  which  the 
inscriptions  were  illegible,  were  dug  out  of  the  arches  which  inclosed  them,  and  it  not  being  dis- 
covered at  the  time  to  whom  they  had  belonged,  the  coffins  were  committed  to  the  common  bury- 
ing place  at  the  south  point  of  the  island,  where  their  graves  were  soon  not  to  be  distinguished 
from  those  of  the  private  soldiers  which  surrounded  them.  With  these,  other  bodies  were  neces- 
sarily removed,  and  one  was  favored  with  a  memento  which  displayed  either  British  sarcasm  or 

Yankee  simplicity.    The  stone  was  inscribed:  "Here  lies  the  body  of  John ,  aged  fifty  years, 

a  faithful  soldier,  and  a  desperate  flood  Gardner!" 

The  Fourteenth  regiment  remained  at  Castle  William  during  the  year  1771.  The  repeal,  in 
1770,  of  the  larger  part  of  the  act  authorizing  a  revenue  from  the  colonies,  lulled,  during  this  and 
the  following  year,  the  animosity  of  political  parties;  but  the  duty  on  tea,  not  indeed  levied  but 
held  in  terrorem,  and  other  causes  of  irritation  still  remained,  one  of  which  was  the  standing  army 
in  Massachusetts,  comprised  in  the  regiment  at  the  island. 

On  the  22d  of  July,  1772,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Dalrymple  was  relieved  by  the  Sixty-fourth  regi- 
ment and  a  detachment  of  artillery.  The  commanding  officer  at  this  time  is  unknown. 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  force  quartered  on  the  island  was  engaged  in  the  first  two  battles 
of  the  Revolution.  The  commandant  of  the  castle  had  been  sent  in  February,  1770,  to  seize  pow- 
der and  other  military  stores  at  Salem ;  but  he  was  delayed  at  the  ferry  by  the  militia  until  the 
objects  of  depredation  were  removed  beyond  his  reach,  and  he  returned  peaceably  to  the  island. 
The  same  officer  was  ordered  from  Castle  William  at  this  time  with  five  hundred  men  to  draw,  by 
a  false  attack,  the  Americans  from  their  posts  at  Roxbury.  The  attack  did  not  succeed,  and  the 
burning  of  five  or  six  houses  in  Dorchester  was  the  only  result.  In  the  meantime  a  formidable 
force  of  Americans  was  concentrated  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston  under  Washington,  and  General 
Howe,  the  successor  of  General  Gage,  evacuated  the  town  March  17,  and  the  British  fieet  with 


12  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

them  dropped  below  the  castle.  The  embarkation  had  been  a  scene  of  confusion  and  distress,  and 
it  was  the  27th  of  March  before  the  transports  were  able  to  put  to  sea.  At  their  departure  the 
British  troops  threw  into  the  water  the  iron  balls  and  shot,  broke  off  the  trunnions  of  the  ordnance 
given  to  Castle  William  in  17-10,  destroyed  all  the  military  stores  and  battery  apparatus  which  they 
could  not  take  with  them,  and  finally  blew  up  the  citadel  and  the  two  magazines,  and  left  the 
island  a  mass  of  ruins.  Part  of  the  British  fleet  lay  in  the  lower  harbor  until  June,  when  they 
were  annoyed  by  the  American  troops  under  General  Lincoln,  and  raised  the  blockade  of  Boston 
after  the  exact  duration  of  two  years.  With  the  British  troops  the  seat  of  war  was  removed  from 
Massachusetts,  and  Castle  Island  was  thenceforth  unmolested  during  the  American  contest. 

Colonel  John  Turubull  was  the  officer  sent  by  General  Washington  to  take  possession  of  the 
island  after  the  evacuation.  During  the  larger  part  of  the  interregnum  of  government  in  Massa- 
chusetts, this  place  was  garrisoned  by  detachments  from  Colonel  Marshall's,  Colonel  Whitney's, 
and  other  regiments  of  militia,  but  more  particularly  from  Colonel  Craft's  artillery.  The  duty  of 
garrisoning  the  island  was,  in  1777,  performed  by  roster,  and  a  regular  succession  of  commanding 
officers  cannot  be  traced.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Paul  Revere  was  stationed  on  the  island  from  1777 
until  1779. 

The  Americans  soon  began  to  move  the  rubbish  into  a  defensible  state.  Epanleinents  were 
thrown  up  on  the  remains  of  Shirley  bastion ;  the  mutilated  42-pounders  were  repaired  by  affixing 
to  them  new  trunnions,  clasped  by  strong  iron  hoops;  and  by  the  shipwreck  of  the  man-of-war 
Somerset,  at  Cape  Cod,  in  1778,  twenty-one  handsome  cannon  of  32-pound  calibre  were  added.  A 
resolution  was  passed  by  the  provincial  assembly  of  Massachusets  on  the  6th  of  October,  1779,  to 
raise  a  company  of  artillery,  whose  services  should  not  extend  beyond  the  Castle ;  it  consisted  of  a 
captain,  captain-lieutenant,  one  first  lieutenant,  one  gunner,  one  gunner's  mate,  six  quarter-gun- 
ners, three  sergeants,  three  corporals,  and  eighty-eight  men.  General  John  Hancock  was  ap- 
pointed captain.  The  same  resolution  directed  that  one  company  of  militia  from  Charlestown,  two 
from  Dorchester,  and  one  from  Weymouth  should  be  liable  to  do. duty  six  days  in  the  year,  at  the 
fort  on  the  island.  In  1780,  upon  the  election  of  the  lieutenant  governor,  lie  received  a  commis- 
sion as  captain  of  the  company  at  the  Castle.  During  the  year  considerable  labor  was  bestowed 
upon  the  works,  and  it  was  accomplished  by  a  day's  fatigue  from  each  male  inhabitant  of  Boston. 

On  the  4th  of  November,  1785,  it  was  enacted  by  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts  that  all 
criminals  of  the  State,  under  sentence  of  confinement,  should  be  removed  to  Castle  Island. 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Burbeck,  for  a  long  period  "  captain-lieutenant"  and  in  immediate  command  of 
the  Castle,  died  in  1783,  and  was  succeeded  by  Major  William  Perkins. 

Soon  after  the  appointment  of  Major  Perkins,  the  convicts,  pursuant  to  the  1  -\v  above  men- 
tioned, arrived  at  the  island ;  although  tlieirjuunbcr  never  exceeded  ninety,  their  audacity  exercised 
the  vigilance  of  the  garrison;  they  made  several  bold,  but  fruitless  atttempts  to  rise  and  effect 
their  escape,  and  in  their  mutinies  some  were  wounded,  others  killed,  and  others  met  their  death 
while  endeavoring  to  form  subterraneous  passages.  Stephen  Burroughs,  of  famous  memory,  whose 
extensive  forgeries  gave  him  a  great  notoriety,  here  learned  the  art  of  a  nailer,  and  in  liis  published 
memoirs  has  publicly  boasted  of  his  Castle  Island  exploits. 

Lieutenant  Governor  dishing,  captain  of  the  fortress,  died  during  the  year  178S,  and  General 
Benjamin  Lincoln  was  chosen  as  lieutenant  governor.  Governor  Hancock  did  not,  as  had  been 
the  custom,  bestow  upon  the  lieutenant  governor  the  emolument  of  captain  of  the  Castle.  In 
"  Fleet's  Massachusetts  Register"  the  governor  is  placed  at  the  head  of  the  officers  of  the  Castle 
from  1788.  The  appendage  of  this  post  added  somewhat  to  the  dignity  of  the  chair,  and  henceforth, 
until  conceded  to  the  general  government,  the  office  of  captain  of  the  fortress  was  exercised  by  the 
governor. 

During  the  year  1789,  a  detachment  of  invalids,  under  Lieutenant  Bartlett  Hinds,  did  duty 
here.  Governor  John  Hancock  was  commander  of  the  fortress  from  this  time  continuously  until 
his  death,  October  12,  1793.  He  was  succeeded  by  Governor  Samuel  Adams. 

It  was  with  great  reluctance  that  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts  could  bring  themselves  to 
the  cession  of  the  Castle  to  the  United  States  government,  as  it  had  from  the  first  been  an  insignia 
of  sovereignty ;  but  the  State  was  nevertheless  willing  to  sacrifice  partial  advantage  to  the  general 
welfare,  and  October,  1798,  passed  the  following  act : 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE,  BOSTON  HARBOR,  MASSACHUSETTS.  13 

AN  ACT  providing  fur  the  cession  of  Castle  Island,  in  the  Harbor  of  Boston,  to  the  Uuited  States,  &c. 

SKCTIO.N  1.  lie  il  <-n<i"l«l  by  the  senate  and  hounc  of  representatives  in  general  mart  awtembled,  and  by  the  authority  of  the 
same,  That  an  island  in  the  harbor  of  Boston,  culled  Castle  Island,  be,  and  hereby  is,  granted  and  ceded  to  the  United 
States,  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  forts,  magazines,  arsenals,  dock-yards,  and  other  useful  buildings  thereon  for  the- 
defense  of  the  United  States;  reserving  the  ordnance  and  all  the  warlike  stores  now  on  said  island,  which  arc  the  prop- 
erty of  this  Commonwealth.  Provided  aliray»,  (and  the  cession  and  consent  aforesaid 
were  granted  upon  the  express  condition.)  That  this  Commonwealth  shall  retain  a  concurrent  jurisdiction  with  the 
United  .States  iii  and  over  the  island.  So  far  as  that  all  civil  and  criminal  processes  that 
may  issue  under  the  authority  of  this  Commonwealth  against  any  person  or  persons  charged  with  crimes  within  the 
said  island  maybe  executed  therein,  in  the  same  way  and  manner  as  though  this  cession  had  not  been  made  and 
granted:  Provided  aim.  That  the  officers  and  soldiers  stationed  on  Castle  Island  shall  remain  there  for  the  purpose  of 
guarding  the  convicts,  and  for  the  defense  of  this  Commonwealth,  under  command  of  the  governor  thereof,  until 
the  United  States  shall  accept  the  cession  herein  made  and  shall  take  possession  thereof  for  the  purposes  expressed  in 
this  act.  (Laws  of  Massachusetts,  page  823,  printed  in  1801.) 

Pursuant  to  this  act  tbe  troops  of  the  Commonwealth  were  discharged,  and  the  convicts  dis- 
persed to  the  strongholds  of  the  several  counties. 

Oil  the  2d  of  October  the  arrangements  for  the  transfer  of  the  island  were  completed,  and  the 
following  receipt  was  given  : 

CAMTLK  ISLAND,  October  2,  1798. 

Received  of  the  Commonwealth  of  .Massachusetts,  by  Amasa  Davis,  esquire,  Quartermaster  General,  Castle 
Island,  with  the  fortress  thereon,  agreeable  to  an  act  of  the  general  court,  passed  at  their  last  session  ;  and  the  articles 
of  ordnance,  military  stores,  boats  and  other  appendages  now  on  said  island  as  particularly  stated  in  the  following 
schedule. 

Signed  for  and  in  behalf  of  the  United  States. 

DANIEL  JACKSON,  Major. 

The  public  buildings  given  with  the  fort  were  twenty  in  number.  The  military  apparatus  and 
appendages,  which  were  charged  to  the  account  of  the  United  States,  were  valued  by  General 
Davis  and  Major  Perkins  at  $35,995.  But  a  new  appraisal  was  taken  on  the  3d  of  September,  1803, 
which,  by  leaving  out  the  mutilated  ordnance,  reduced  the  sum  received  by  the  Commonwealth  to 
$21,330.  The  guns  saved  from  the  man-of-war  Somerset  were  retained.  Major  Jackson  and  the 
officers  on  duty  at  Castle  Island,  previous  to  April,  1802,  were  attached  to  the  second  regiment  of 
artillerists  and  engineers.  Major  Jackson  commanded  the  district,  and  had  his  headquarters  at 
Newport,  Rhode  Island.  Captain  Lemuel  Gates  was  in  immediate  command. 

Dr.  Thomas  Welsh,  of  Boston,  was  employed  as  acting  surgeon  of  the  garrison.  A  hospital 
for  disabled  seamen  of  the  Uuited  States  Navy  was  established  on  the  island,  under  Doctor 
Welsh's  charge,  in  the  spring  of  1799,  and  remained  until  removed  to  Charlestowu  in  1803.  The 
island  was  also  made  the  residence  of  French  prisoners  from  July,  1799,  until  March,  1801,  when 
they  were  released.  The  greater  number  of  the  latter  were  captured  with  the  prize  brig  Berceau, 
and  embraced  two  hundred  and  forty-eight  persons. 

In  August,  1799,  the  President  of  the  United  States,  John  Adams,  visited  the  island  and  was 
received  with  due  honors.  The  general  government  had  at  this  time  in  contemplation  the  erection 
of  a  new  fortress  ;  and  it  was  on  the  occasion  of  this  visit  of  the  President  that  the  name  of  the 
fort  was  changed  to  Fort  Independence.  A  large  part  of  the  necessary  materials  were  collected 
during  this  and  the  following  year,  under  the  direction  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Louis  Tousard, 
second  regiment  artillerists  and  engineers,  who  had  the  position  of  inspector,  general  of  all  the 
posts  of  the  Eastern  States.  With  regard  to  the  name  of  Fort  Independence,  bestowed  as  above, 
Captain  Nehemiah  Freeman  remarks,  "  as  Boston  was  the  cradle  of  the  American  Revolution  this 
baptism  was  not  indecorous,  and  the  godfather  is  certainly  unexceptionable ;  but  Fort  Independ- 
ence must  count  some  years  before  he  can  entirely  divest  his  elder  brother  of  his  birthright ;  and 
though  the  pottage  might  have  been  sold  in  1776,  yet  the  title  of  '  the  Castle'  is  rather  endearing 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Massachusets,  and  is  still  bestowed  by  the  greater  part  as  the  only  proper 
appellation.'1 

A  general  order,  dated  November  12,  1800,  assigned  Major  Jackson  the  special  command  of  the 
harbor,  and  Colonel  John  Toncin  was  appointed  engineer  to  construct  the  work. 

The  first  stone  was  laid  May  7,  1801,  at  the  foundation  of  the  salient  angle  on  the  north,  and 
the  whole  superstructure  was  raised  from  an  original  design,  without  any  advantage  being  derived 
from  the  remains  of  former  skill. 

On  the  23d  of  June,  1802,  the  national  colors  were  first  displayed  at  Fort  Independence.    The 


14  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 

workmen  wore  dismissed  in  Jauuary,  1803,  though  tit  this  time  the  work  had  not  quite  been 
completed.  The  work  was  a  barbette  fortification,  and  its  dimensions  were  not  materially  different 
.from  those  of  the  present  one.  The  barracks  for  officers  and  men  were  inside  the  work. 

On  the  5th  of  February,  1805,  the  five  bastions  of  the  new  work  were  named  as  follows: 
First,  "  Wintbrop,"  after  Governor  Winthrop,  under  whose  auspices  the  first  fort  wtis  built; 
second,  "Shirley,"  after  Governor  Shirley,  who  repaired  Castle  William,  erected  other  works,  and 
made  it  the  strongest  fort  in  British  America  ;  third,  "  Hancock,"  after  the  first  governor  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  under  whose  administration  new  works  were  thrown  up;  fourth, 
"Adams,"  after  John  Adams,  who  bestowed  its  present  name  upon  the  fort,  and  collected  materials 
for  its  construction;  fifth,  "Dearborn,"  after  General  Dearborn,  Secretary  of  War,  under  whose 
auspices  Fort  Independence  was  actually  rebuilt. 

In  April,  1800,  Dr.  .Fames  II.  Sargent,  garrison  surgeon's  mate,  reported  for  duty  at  Fort 
Independence,  and  was  probably  the  first  commissioned  medical  officer  of  the  United  States  Army 
on  duty  at  the  post. 

After  the  year  1833,  the  garrison  at  Fort  Independence  was  withdrawn,  and  the  [tost  given 
up  to  the  Engineer  Department  for  the  construction  of  the  present  work.  During  the  succeeding 
eighteen  years  the  erection  of  the  present  fortification  was  prosecuted  at  intervals,  and  the  aspect 
of  the  northern  part  of  the  island  was  greatly  changed. 

The  earliest  record  of  the  post  being  regarrisoned  is  .January  4,  1851,  on  which  date  Brevet 
Major  George  11.  Thomas,  captain  Third  Artillery,  assumed  command  of  Fort  Independence,  and 
Second  Lieutenant  Chauncey  McKeever  was  appointed  post  adjutant. 

GEOLOGY   OF   BOSTON   HAKBOR   AND   VICINITY. 

The  many  islands  scattered  over  the  face  of  Boston  Harbor  are  doubtless  the  remains  of  one 
continuous  diluvial  formation,  and  the  rock  and  minerals  of  these  islands,  where  such  exist,  are 
identical  in  character  with  those  of  the  mainland.  It  has  been  surmised  that  the  entire  harbor, 
and  even  Massachusetts  Bay,  were  formed  by  the  attrition  of  the  ocean  through  countless  ages; 
the  diluvial  and  soft  conglomerate  rocks  of  this  locality  giving  way  before  the  breakers,  while 
Cape  Ann  and  the  shores  of  Cohasset  and  Scituate  maintain  their  position.  The  formation  of 
Castle  Island  is  diluvial  drift;  that  is,  a  deposit  of  gravel,  boulders,  sand,  and  loam  mingled 
confusedly  together  by  powerful  currents  of  water;  it  differs  from  tertiary  in  not  having  the 
arrangement  of  horizontal  strata  superimposed.  Many  other  islands,  viz,  Thompson's,  Spectacle, 
Long  Island,  Gallop's,  George's,  Lovell's,  Deer  Island,  Apple  Island,  and  Great  Brewster,  are 
likewise  diluvial.  Moore  Island  is  of  conglomerate;  Hangman's  Island,  syenite;  liainsford  Island, 
Boston  Light,  Egg  Hock,  Green  Island,  and  Governor's  Island  are  of  argillaceous  slate.  The  pre- 
dominant formation  throughout  the  eastern  portion  of  the  State  is  the  graywacke.  It  occupies 
generally  extensive  plains  and  undulating  ground,  and  is  abundantly  covered  with  drift  or  dilu- 
vium. The  peninsula  of  Boston  has  a  foundation  of  argillaceous  slate,  which  rock  is  observed  both 
at  the  north  and  south  of  the  city.  This  rock  is  intimately  connected  with  the  graywacke  forma- 
tion, and  is  either  a  variety  of  the  latter  or  belongs  to  the  inferior  stratified  or  non-fossiliferous 
rocks.  As  we  pass  beyond  the  graywacke  and  argillaceous  slate  which  encircles  Boston,  green- 
stone is  the  predominant  rock,  and  this  passes  into  syenite.  Large  masses  of  porphyry,  which, 
from  its  resemblance  to  that  used  by  the  ancients,  has  been  called  "antique  porphyry,"  exist  in 
this  vicinity.  Two  ranges  of  porphyry  have  been  discovered,  one  north  and  the  other  south 
of  Boston.  The  "Blue  Hills,"  the  most  elevated  land  in  this  vicinity,  rising  seven  hundred  feet 
above  the  ocean,  consist  largely  of  porphyry  and  syenite. 

Rochs  nnd  Minerals  found  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Post. — Nbvacaulite,  a  variety  of  argillaceous 
slate  known  in  the  arts  as  "hone  or  whetstone,"  is  found  in  Charlestown,  as  is  also  argillaceous 
slate  variegated.  Argillaceous  slate,  curved  lamina',  and  rhomboidal,  is  found  on  Kainsford  Island 
and  in  South  Boston.  Common  greenstone  in  argillaceous  slate,  and  slate  traversed  by  veins  of 
crystallized  quartz  and  calcareous  spar  and  greenstone,  are  found  in  Charlestown;  greenstone 
passing  into  syenite  at  Blue  Hills;  compact  feldspar,  somewhat  brecciated,  at  Dorchester  and 
Blue  Hills;  compact  feldspar  passing  into  porphyry,  and  porphyry  (dark  gray)  polished,  at  IJliiv 
Hills;  porphyry,  reddish  brown  crystals  of  feldspar,  and  quartz,  polished,  at  Blue  Hills;  porphyry, 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE,  BOSTON  HARBOR,  MASSACHUSETTS.  15 

variegated  feldspar,  aud  quart/-  crystals,  at  Blue  Hills;  syenite,  (feldspar  and  hornblende,)  on 
Hangman's  Island.  The  syenite  existing  in  the  vicinity  is  a  granite-form  mixture  of  feldspar, 
hornblende,  and  quart/,  and  is  intimately  associated  with  greenstone.  Specimens  of  argillaceous 
slate  have  been  found  at  Rainsford  Island  and  South  Boston  which  contain  a  double  set  of  seams 
oblique  to  the  strata  seams;  and  thus  the  rock  is  divided  with  great  regularity  into  tables  with 
rhombic;  faces.  On  Rainsford  Island  the  slate,  though  unusually  fissile,  is  bent  so  as  to  form  a 
semicircle  within  the  radius  of  a  few  inches.  A  coarse  conglomerate,  or  plum-pudding  stone 
formation,  exists  at  Roxbury  and  Dorchester.  It  consists  of  rounded  nodules,  from  the  si/e  of 
u  pea  to  two  feet  in  diameter,  consisting  of  granite,  syenite,  compact  feldspar,  porphyry,  quartz, 
argillaceous  slate,  and  flinty  slate.  The  cement  seems  to  be  the  same  materials  in  a  comminuted 
state;  it  is  semi-crystalline  and  adheres  firmly  to  the  nodules.  The  term  "  gray  wacke,"  in  the 
above,  is  meant  in  a  general  sense  to  apply  to  every  conglomerate,  sandstone,  and  fragmentary 
or  arenaceous  rock  of  transition  formation  anterior  to  red  sandstone  and  coal  formation.  It  varies 
in  texture  from  the  finest  argillaceous  slate  to  the  coarsest  conglomerate. 

The  climate  is  cool  and  moist,  and  the  temperature  is  as  variable  as  the  tide,  though  not  nearly 
as  certain  in  its  changes.  The  light  westerly  or  southwesterly  wind  which  frequently  prevails  in 
the  morning  during  the  summer,  commonly  gives  place  in  the  evening  to  a  cold  wind  from  the  north- 
west, or  a  cold  moist  wind  from  the  northeast.  Easterly  winds  prevail  exclusively  at  some  seasons 
of  the  year,  particularly  in  the  spring  and  fall,  and  come  up  from  the  sea  loaded  with  moisture, 
and  often  a  dense  fog  that  renders  objects  invisible  across  the  parade  ground. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  is  about  48°  F. ;  mean  summer  temperature,  09°;  mean  winter 
temperature,  27°.  The  greatest  rain-fall  is  during  the  summer  and  autumn — the  average  fall  each 
year  being  about  44  inches. 

DESCRIPTION   OP  FORT   INDEPENDENCE. 

The  fort  is  a  pentagonal,  flve-bastioned  fortification,  occupying  the  northern  portion  of  the 
island.  The  casemates  contain  the  squad-rooms  and  dormitories,  the  dining-room  and  kitchen  of 
the  men,  the  married  soldiers'  quarters,  laundresses'  quarters,  storehouses,  bakery.  &c.  These 
casemate  rooms  are  all  about  the  same  size,  averaging  21  feet  long,  17  feet  broad,  and  11  feet  high; 
they  are  finished  oft'  inside  floored  with  jointed  pine  flooring,  and  the  walls  and  ceilings 
plastered;  each  room  looks  out  internally  on  the  parade  ground,  and  externally  is  separated 
by  a  wooden  partition  of  folding  doors  from  the  general  gun  gallery  and  outer  wall.  Six  of 
these  casemate  rooms  are  assigned  as  squad-rooms  and  dormitories  of  the  men ;  they  are  each 
the  size  above  given,  and  contain  from  ten  to  thirteen  men  each.  Dividing  the  cubic  contents  of 
each  room,  3,927  cubic  feet,  by  the  lowest  number  of  men  intended  to  sleep  in  each — ten — we  will 
have  392.7  cubic  air  space  per  man — hardly  one-third  enough  if  there  were  any  proper  ventilation; 
but  in  these  casemate  rooms  no  ventilation  is  provided  for  save  by  a  movable  transom  over  the 
door,  w'hich,  opening  over  the  beds  of  those  furthest  from  the  stove,  is  diligently  kept  closed 
by  them. 

Each  room  has  been  heated  during  the  winter  by  one  cast-iron  coal  stove,  placed  in  the  corner 
furthest  from  the  door,  and  during  the  winter  was  alternately  heated  to  redness  by  those  who  slept 
furthest  from  it,  or  allowed  to  go  out  entirely  by  those  whose  beds  were  nearest  to  it ;  the  air  in 
these  rooms  is  always  foul  and  offensive,  and  is  rendered  still  more  hurtful  by  dampness  and 
moisture,  the  walls  and  ceiling  being  constantly  wet,  sometimes  dripping,  from  the  water  that  soaks 
through  from  the  terreplein  above. 

The  married  soldiers  and  laundresses,  of  which  there  are  four,  have  each  one  of  these  case- 
mates similar  to  the  squad-rooms,  and  to  them  the  same  remarks  will  apply,  save  that  they  are 
not  so  overcrowded. 

All  of  these  casemate  rooms  are  damp,  illy  ventilated,  badly  lighted,  and  worse  heated;  they 
are  a  constant  and  prolific  source  of  catarrh,  bronchitis,  rheumatism,  and  neuralgia,  and  I  am 
under  the  impression  that  they  increase  the  sick  report  constantly  from  ten  to  fifteen  per  cent. 
A  proper  regard  for  the  health  of  the  men,  as  well  as  economy  in  the  service,  if  the  number  of  days 
each  soldier  loses  by  sickness  is  computed  in  dollars  and  cents,  would  seem  to  demand  that  some 


16  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

radical  change  be  made  in  these  casemate  quarters,  regarding-  especially  their  crowding,  ventilation, 
lighting,  and  heating;  as  they  were  designed,  however,  for  purposes  entirely  different  from  dwell- 
ing rooms  or  dormitories,  it  would  probably  be  more  expensive  and  difficult  to  make  them  com- 
fortable and  healthy  quarters  than  it  would  to  erect  suitable  now  barracks.  The  furniture  of 
these  squad-rooms  is  little  beside  the  stove,  bunks,  and  bedding,  the  clothing,  arms,  and  accoutre- 
ments of  the  men.  The  bunks  are  each  composed  of  two  iron  trcssels,  connected  by  slats;  each 
bunk  is  intended  for  one  man,  and  is  furnished  with  a  bedsack  filled  with  hay  or  straw,  and  two  or 
three  blankets. 

The  kitchen  department  is  admirably  conducted,  the  food  is  good,  plentiful,  and  well  prepared, 
the  company  fund  affording  ample  means  of  gratifying  more  epicurean  palates  than  soldiers  usually 
possess. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  situated  without  the  walls,  on  the  south  of  the  fortification,  and  con- 
sist of  three  almost  similar  double  houses,  and  one  isolated  set  of  quarters  immediately  west  of  the 
southwest  bastion ;  the  isolated  set  of  quarters  is  but  one  story  high ;  it  has  seven  rooms  on 
the  lower  floor,  and  a  basement;  and  is  occupied  by  the  commanding  officer.  The  other  sets  of 
quarters  are  each  one  story  and  a  half  high;  they  have  each  three  rooms  on  the  lower  floor,  and 
two  low  attic  rooms  on  the  upper.  All  the  officers'  quarters  are  finished  off  nicely,  and  are  each 
provided  with  a  range  in  the  kitchen,  and  grates  for  coal  in  the  other  lower  rooms;  they  are  all 
supplied  with  water  from  a  tank  filled  by  a  forcing  pump  from  the  general  cistern.  The  only  draw- 
back to  these  quarters  is  the  size  of  the  rooms,  they  being  but  fifteen  feet  square. 

One  of  the  casemates  is  used  for  a  guard-house,  which  is  quite  damp  when  no  fires  are  kept  up. 
Ventilation  is  procured  by  two  shafts;  air  and  daylight  are  admitted  through  the  embrasures;  stoves 
are  used  for  warming;  the  average  occupancy  of  the  guard-house,  for  two  years,  is  three  per  day. 

On  the  extreme  southern  point  of  the  island  is  the  post  hospital ;  this  is  a  commodious  brick 
building,  fronting  the  north,  and  consisting  of  a  central  administration  building,  and  two  wards 
arranged  as  wings,  in  conformity  with  Circular  No.  4,  Surgeon  General's  Office,  series  of  1SG7.  The 
work  was  commenced  July  1C,  1867;  the  building  was  finished  in  October,  and  was  first  occupied 
on  the  28th  of  that  month.  The  expense  of  its  construction,  outside  of  extensive  arrangements 
for  the  water  supply,  the  portico,  fence,  stable,  and  woodshed,  was  $11,400.  The  total  expendi- 
ture on  the  building,  with  improvements,  was  $13,530  82. 

The  central  or  main  building  is  two  stories  high  and  30  feet  square ;  the  wings  or  wards 
are  each  one  story  high,  and  45  feet  long  by  25£  feet  broad.  All  the  roofs  are  of  slate,  and  all 
the  walls  are  of  brick,  those  of  the  main  building  and  wings  being  double,  with  air-chambers  be- 
tween the  inner  and  outer  courses ;  but  from  some  cause,  either  from  having  no  substance  inlaid 
near  the  ground  course  to  prevent  the  dampness  from  rising,  or  from  the  improper  manner  in  which 
the  inner  and  outer  walls  are  bound  together,  the  inner  walls  are  continually  wet,  and  the  white- 
wash constantly  discolored.  The  flooring  is  of  good,  well-matched,  yellow  pine,  but  the  baseboards 
have  so  shrunken  away  from  the  floor  that  a  current  of  air  enters  so  forcibly  in  many  places  as  to 
extinguish  a  candle.  Ridge  ventilation  is  provided  for  in  the  wards,  and  in  all  the  other  rooms 
there  are  ventilators  connecting  with  the  air-chamber  between  the  walls.  Ventilation  proper  has 
been  unnecessary  during  the  past  winter;  even  the  adventitious  entrance  of  pure  air  has  been  in 
such  great  quantities  as  to  keep  the  rooms  uncomfortably  cold.  Theoretically,  no  building  is  a 
proper  habitation  for  human  beings,  sick  or  well,  unless  a  practically  unlimited  supply  of  pure  air 
is  provided  for  by  ventilation.  Actually,  enlisted  men  prefer  the  unknown  (to  them)  evils  of  im- 
pure warm  air  to  the  known  evils  of  cold  pure  air;  and  so,  where  they  are  concerned,  no  ventilation 
will  be  of  benefit  unless  the  air  admitted  be  warmed,  for  when  unobserved,  they  will  close  every 
ventilator  they  have  access  to,  more  especially  when,  as  a  general  thing,  bad  carpentry  or  bad  ma- 
terial used  in  the  construction  of  these  hospitals  frequently  renders  ventilation,  as  such,  superflu- 
ous. Each  ward  proper  is  33  by  24  feet,  and  14  feet  high,  to  the  eaves ;  they  are  each  calculated 
for  twelve  patients,  which,  if  full,  would  allow  924  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  The  average 
occupancy,  however,  will  not  reach  so  high  a  proportion  as  even  six  patients  in  hospital  at  one  time. 

The  wards  and  dining-room  are  heated  by  large  sheet-iron  coal  stoves,  with  furnaces  of  fire- 
brick ;  the  other  rooms  by  cast-iron  coal  stoves.  Each  ward  contains  eight  large  windows,  and  is 
lighted  at  night  by  candles. 


FORT  INDEPENDENCE,  BOSTON  HARBOR,  MASSACHUSETTS.  17 

The  bath-rooms  and  latrines  are  supplied  with  water  from  the  common  tank ;  the  waste  water 
and  sewerage  being  carried  off'  by  a  drain  emptying  in  the  bay.  No  room  is  especially  used  as  a 
dead  room.  • 

In  the  rear  of  the  hospital,  and  surrounded  by  a  fence,  is  a  small  lot  of  about  half  an  acre, 
containing  a  shed,  stable,  and  an  attempt  at  a  hospital  garden. 

There  is  at  the  post  hospital  a  library  consisting  of  130  well  selected  volumes,  for  the  use  of 
patients. 

WATER   SUPPLY. 

There  are  six  wells  and  an  equal  number  of  cisterns  on  the  island.  Four  of  the  cisterns  are 
connected  with  the  officers'  quarters  in  the  casemates;  one  cistern  connected  with  the  commanding 
officer's  quarters,  and  one  with  the  hospital.  Water  for  culinary  purposes  is  obtained  from  two 
wells.  The  water  from  the  well  but  a  few  yards  from  the  sea-wall  contains  a  larger  quantity  of 
saline  impurities  than  the  other  wells,  the  principal  salts  being  chloride  of  sodium,  chloride  and 
bromide  of  magnesium,  with  traces  of  chloride  of  potassium  and  sulphate  of  lime.  This  well  is 
doubtless  subject  to  tidal  impregnations.  It  has,  until  recently,  furnished  the  water  required  for 
culinary  purposes  by  the  company — its  proximity  to  the  kitchen  being  the  recommendation.  The 
water  of  the  well  near  the  soldiers'  barracks,  is  not  so  strongly  impregnated  with  earthy  and 
alkaline  salts  as  the  formed.  Two  quarts  of  water  from  this  well  gave,  on  evaporation,  five  grains 
of  solid  residue,  one  and  a  half  grains  of  which  was  combustible  organic  matter,  and  the  remain 
der  earthy  and  alkaline  salts,  principally  chloride  of  sodium  and  carbonate  of  lime.  Water  from 
the  other  wells  does  not  differ  materially  from  the  latter,  the  prevailing  impurity  being  in  each  in- 
stance chloride  of  sodium.  In  but  a  single  instance  is  the  water  of  any  of  the  wells  brackish  to 
the  taste.  I  am  not  aware  of  any  instance  in  which  the  impurities  above  indicated  have  exercised 
a  prejudicial  influence  upon  the  health  of  the  command.  1  would  rather  be  disposed  to  attribute 
a  salutary  influence  to  the  water  of  the  island.  During  the  extreme  heat  of  summer,  the  wells  have 
become  quite  low,  necessitating  economy  in  the  use  of  water,  but  at  the  other  seasons  the  supply 
is  more  than  sufficient  for  all  ordinary  purposes.  The  expediency  and  practicability  of  obtaining 
the  water  supply  of  the  post  from  the  city  water- works,  by  laying  pipes  from  South  Boston  to  the 
island,  has  been  discussed.  The  pipes  would  necessarily  be  exposed  every  twelve  hours,  and  thus 
be  subject  to  injury  from  the  frost. 

Cisterns. — The  four  cisterns  connected  with  the  casemate  quarters  are  not  now  in  use.  The 
cistern  connected  with  the  quarters  of  the  commanding  officer  supplies  water  for  baths,  laundry, 
&c. ;  that  attached  to  the  hospital,  of  capacity  of  seven  thousand  gallons,  supplies  all  the  water  used 
therein.  It  is  believed  that  the  water  of  this  cistern  was  somewhat  contaminated  by  the  collection 
(in  the  gutters  and  spouts  of  the  building)  of  innumerable  gnats.  During  the  prevalence,  in  hot 
weather,  of  land  breezes  or  high  winds  from  the  westward,  vast  numbers  of  these  gnats  were  pre- 
cipitated, in  an  apparently  disabled  condition,  against  the  building,  and  some  of  them  were  doubt- 
less carried  into  the  cistern. 

The  insular  position  of  the  fort  makes  drainage  simple  and  easily  effected.  The  sink  or  latrine 
of  the  enlisted  men  is  a  deep  pit  or  vault  under  the  northeast  bastion ;  it  is  connected  by  a  covered 
way  or  large  drain  with  the  bay.  This  pit  is  now  filled  with  excrement  and  is  closed;  either  the 
drain  is  stopped  up,  or  some  other  such  accident  prevents  its  proper  use.  In  addition  to  this 
latrine,  the  Engineer  Department  last  summer  erected  four  large  earth  closets  near  the  same  locality. 
In  these  the  earth  was  thrown  from  a  hopper  upon  each  dejection,  by  the  weight  of  the  body  upon 
the  seat ;  but  as  a  sentinel  was  not  stationed  there  constantly  to  see  that  the  apparatus  was  not 
abused,  the  men  made  water-closets  of  the  earth  closets,  the  urine  overflowing  the  receptacles, 
thus  making  them  perfectly  useless.  Within  the  past  few  days  a  privy  has  been  built,  projecting 
over  the  eastern  sea-wall,  and  this  is  probably  the  only  correct  method  of  abating  the  nuisance. 

The  prevailing  diseases  are  those  incident  to  the  insular  situation  of  the  post,  and  the  damp 
and  unhealthy  quarters;  such  as  catarrh,  pharyngitis,  bronchitis,  pleuritis,  pneumonia,  rheumatism, 
and  neuralgia,  and  probably  also  phthisis  pnlmonalis.  To  these  may  be  added  gonorrhoea,  chan- 
croid, and  syphilis,  always  prevalent  among  soldiers  stationed  near  large  cities. 

Fort  Independence  is  doubtless  as  free  from  such  conditions  and  influences  as  are  prejudicial 
to  health  as  any  spot  in  the  United  States.    The  surface  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  is  flooded  at 
3 


13 


DESCRIPTION  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


stated  intervals  by  the  tide,  and  sewerage  is  thus  thoroughly  removed.  The  only  source  of  atmo- 
spheric contamination  is  from  an  establishment  on  an  island  three  miles  to  eastward,  a  receptacle 
for  dead  animals.  Occasionally  in  summer  the  east  wind  bears  from  thence  a  very  offensive  odor, 
but  not  sufficiently  concentrated  or  continued  to  be  prejudicial  to  health. 

Statement  shoti-iny  mean  xtrength,  number  of  sicl;  and  principal  diseases,  at  Fort  Jntlciicndencc,  Bott- 

ton  harbor,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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phthisis. 

Inrluilc  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumouia,  ami  pleurisy. 


FORT    ADAMS,  NEWPORT,    RHODE    ISLAND. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  J.  F.  HEAD,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Adams  is  situated  iii  latitude  north  41°  28',  longitude  west  71°  22',  about  three  miles  from 
the  mouth  of  Narraganset  Bay,  upon  Brenton's  Point,  the  southern  boundary  of  the  entrance  to 
the  harbor  of  Newport,  Rhode  Island.  It  is  distant  west  from  that  city  one  mile  across  the  harbor, 
and  about  three  miles  by  land. 

Goat  Island,*  upon  which  is  Fort  Wolcott,  (now  unoccupied,)  lies  half  a  mile  north  of  the 
point;  and  Conanicut  Island,  between  which  and  the  fort  runs  the  channel  leading  to  Providence, 
is  distant  about  a  mile  to  the  westward. 

On  the  east  of  the  point  is  Brenton's  Cove,  a  narrow  indentation  of  the  south  shore  of  the 
harbor  near  its  mouth.  An  easy  drainage  is  thus  afforded  on  one  side  into  the  cove,  and  on  the 
other  into  the  outer  bay,  the  greatest  distance  between  the  two  being  about  half  a  mile. 

The  geological  formation  of  the  site  is  thus  described  by  Professor  0.  T.  Jackson,  in  his  report 
to  the  legislature  of  Rhode  Island,  in  1839 : 

At  Fort  Adams,  iu  Newport  Harbor,  we  again  see  the  outcroppings  of  tin-  altered  slate  rocks,  and  imbedded  in 
their  strata  occur  several  important  beds  of  limestone.  The  slate  within  the  fortress  and  beneath  the  parade-ground  is 
distinctly  stratified,  and  dips  to  the  eastward  15°.  Near  the  fort,  on  the  shore,  are  the  limestone  beds,  which  are  found 
to  run  N.  50°  E.,  and  S.  50°  W.,  and  dip  to  the  S.  E.  40°  or  50°.  One  of  these  beds  is  45  feet  wide,  the  other  is  15  feet ; 
the  easternmost  bed  contains  the  lime  rocks.  This  limestone  is  of  the  most  compact  kind,  and  is  variegated  in  its  color, 
being  tinged  red,  green,  brown,  or  buff,  hy  the  presence  of  variable  proportions  of  foreign  matters,  principally  oxides  of 
manganese  and  iron.  There  are  evident  appearances  of  mechanical  and  chemical  disturbance  in  this  rock ;  for  the  lime- 
stone is  broken  up  and  again  united  into  a  breccia,  and  frequently  iutiudes  fragments  of  the  slate  strata.  Numerous 
veins  of  quartz  traverse  the  limestone  and  slate,  checking  it  up  in  a  curious  manner,  and  presenting  the  quartz  in  relief 
where  the  softer  rocks  have  bse:i  worn  away  by  the  action  of  the  water. 

Brenton's  Point  is  believed  to  have  been  occupied  by  defensive  works  during  the  revolutionary 
war.  A  fort,  completed  in  1799,  Avas  first  garrisoned  and  named  "  Fort  Adams,"  with  much  cere 
inony,  on  July  4th,  of  that  year.  The  present  work  was  first  garrisoned  on  August  9,  1841. 

The  area  of  the  reserve  is  138J  acres,  of  which  the  fort  proper  covers  21£.  The  parade-wall 
incloses  a  space  of  about  6^  acres,  most  of  which  is  turfed.  The  parade  is  about  30  feet  above  low- 
water  mark. 

The  quarters  for  both  officers  and  enlisted  men  are  in  casemates,  arched  with  brick  covered 
with  sheet-lead ;  the  valleys  between  the  arches  being  tilled  with  earth,  surmounted  by  a  thin  layer 
of  concrete,  and  a  brick  pavement  over  all.  This  arrangement  has  been  found  defective,  allowing 


*  Now  (July,  1870)  occupied  by  the  Navy  Torpedo  Corps. 


FORT  ADAMS,  NEWPORT,  RHODE  ISLAND.  19 

leakage  into  the  quarters.  Some  experiments  have  been  tried  with  asphalt  covering,  which  prom- 
ise better  protection.  But  quarters  built  in  this  way,  practically  cellars,  are,  of  course,  except  in 
winter,  excess!  \  ely  damp ;  more  than  ordinarily  so  in  this  climate,  which,  as  will  be  seen  below,  is 
a  peculiarly  humid  one.  Fires  are  necessary  during  a  part  of  almost  every  day,  even  in  midsum- 
mer, to  make  the  quarters  at  all  habitable.  Arms  and  instruments  rust,  and  clothing  and  equip- 
ments decay  rapidly.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  such  dwelling-places  are  unhealthy.  Bad  as  they 
are  in  a  sanitary  point  of  view,  the  men's  quarters  are  made  worse  by  overcrowding.  The  dormi- 
tories for  enlisted  men  measure  54  by  18  or  19  feet,  with  an  average  height  of  11  feet. 

The  number  of  occupants  of  such  a  room  varies  from  12  to  38  at  this  time,  giving  in  the  last 
case  280  cubic  feet  per  man.  Were  the  estimated  full  garrison  for  this  fort  ever  packed  into  it,  the 
result  would  most  certainly  be  a  pestilence. 

Three  circular  apertures,  each  20  inches  in  diameter,  in  the  roof  of  each  dormitory,  open  Jnto  a 
space  between  the  arched  roof  and  the  flat  ceiling,  from  the  outer  end  of  which  space  is  a  communi- 
cation with  the  external  air  by  the  smoke-hole,  5  by  H  feet,  the  shaft  opening  on  the  parapet  12 
feet  above  the  ceiling. 

Beside  the  quarters  within  the  fort,  three  frame  buildings,  one  story  high,  erected  on  the  glacis 
a  year  or  two  since  by  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  afford  temporary  quarters  for  a  portion  of 
the  officers.  These  are  less  damp  than  the  casemates,  and  will  probably  be  more  or  less  habitable 
for  several  years.  Tuey  are  singularly  inconvenient,  and,  perhaps,  their  best  feature  is  their  tem- 
porary character. 

The  cells  for  prisoners  are  four  in  number;  average  dimensions  7£  byC  feet,  and  9  feet 5  inches 
high;  ventilation  by  two. loop-holes,  3£  by  20  inches. 

In  these  cells,  and  a  hall  in  front,  giving  a  total  cubic  space  of  less  than  5,000  cubic  feet,  thirty 
prisoners  have  been  confined  at  one  time,  giving  each  man  about  170  cubic  feet. 

On  the  27th  of  August,  18G9,  the  casemate  which,  notwithstanding  the  oft-repeated  protests  of 
the  medical  officers,  had  for  twenty-eight  years  been  the  only  hospital  at  Fort  Adams,  was  aban- 
doned to  other  uses,  and  the  patients  transferred  to  a  new  temporary  hospital  outside  the  work, 
which,  though  far  from  being  perfectly  adapted  to  its  purpose,  is  a  great  improvement  on  the  old 
dungeon. 

The  new  building  stands  on  the  crest  of  land  between  Brenton's  Cove  and  Narraganset  Bay, 
au  airy  site,  with  dry  soil.  The  space  was  selected  at  some  distance  from  the  main  work,  both  for 
free  circulation  of  air,  and  in  view  of  the  contingency,  deemed  not  impossible,  of  an  enlightened 
policy  rescuing,  not  only  the  sick,  but  the  well  from  imprisonment  in  the  damp  casemates.  When 
the  men  are  quartered  outside  the  work,  as  they  should  be,  it  will  be  more  conveniently  accessible. 

The  building  itself,  erected  by  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  is  upon  the  plan  given  in  Cir- 
cular No.  4,  Surgeon  General's  Office,  April  27,  1807,  for  a  hospital  of  twenty-four  beds,  with  the 
addition  of  a  porch  at  each  end.  The  structure  originally  contracted  for  would  have  been  unin- 
habitable, but  the  timely  interposition  of  the  Surgeon  General  prevailed  so  far  as  to  have  a  coat  of 
"back  plastering"  put  upon  the  inside  of  the  mere  shell  of  weather-boards  provided  for  the  outer 
walls. 

The  finish  of  the  whole  is  of  an  inferior  character ;  the  wall  plaster  soft ;  the  floors  of  soft  pine, 
ill  joined,  and  so  roughly  planed  that  cleaning  is  difficult,  and  a  bare  foot  would  be  pierced  by 
splinters;  the  outer  doors  admitting  beneath  them  strong  draughts  into  the  wards;  in  short,  one 
sees  almost  at  a  glance  that  the  hospital  M'as  built  by  contract,  and  infers  that  the  work  was  not 
superintended  by  a  competent  architect. 

The  ward's  allow  ample  space  for  twelve  beds  in  each,  with  superficial  area  of  94j*  square  feet, 
and  air  space,  of  1,421^  cubic  feet  per  bed.  Each  ward  is  warmed  by  a  large  base-burner  stove. 
The  light  is  sufficient,  and  the  ventilation  ample  and  satisfactory.  The  water-closets,  one  to  each 
ward,  measuring  11  by  9  feet,  contain  but  one  seat  each,  (the  contract  not  specifying  any  number,) 
and  one  urinal.  There  is  no  stench-trap,  and  no  separate  ventilating-shaft  for  the  closets.  Each 
bath-room  has  a  good  planished. copper  fixed  tub  and  two  basins,  supplied  with  hot  and  cold  water. 

Both  water-closets  and  bath-rooms  are  at  the  outer  ends  of  the  wards — those  furthest  from 
the  boiler  and  supply  tank.  There  being  no  passage  with  cross  ventilation  between  them  and  the 
ward,  nothing  is  gained  by  this  position ;  by  placing  them  at  the  inner  end  there  would  be  a  sav- 
ing of  many  feet  of  lead  pipe  and  packing,  beside  lessening  the  risk  of  freezing — an  accident 


20  DESCRIPTION  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

which,  in  spite  of  special  precautions,  has  occurred  twice  during  this  unusually  mild  winter.    There 
are  no  "circulating  pipes"  for  the  hot  water. 

The  bath-tubs,  sinks,  fixed  basins,  water-closets,  &c.,  are  led  by  a  tank  in  the  attic,  with  capacity 
of  580  gallons,  filled  by  a  force-pump  in  the  kitchen.  The  flow  from  the  tank  can  be  cut  off,  and  all 
the  pipes  emptied  ;  but  there  are  no  means  of  cutting  off  the  supply  from  either  wing  iudepend- 
ently,  consequently,  in  winter,  both  wards  must  be  kept  well  warmed,  night  and  day,  though  but 
one  has  as  yet  been  occupied ;  this  is  not  economical. 

The  water  is  taken  from  a  well ;  it  is  potable,  though  too  hard  for  washing  or  bathing.  The 
want  of  soft  water  was  foreseen,  and  a  suggestion  made  by  the  surgeon  that  a  cistern  for  rain  from 
the  roof  should  be  included  in  the  contract  for  brick  work.  He  was  informed  that  "  suitable  water 
supply  would  be  provided,"  but  there  is  yet  no  cistern,  while  more  than  35,000  gallons  of  rain- 
water have  run  to  waste  from  the  hospital  roof. 

The  kitchen  is  hardly  large  enough,  and  there  is  no  laundry.  The  only  access  to  the  second 
story  is  by  one  staircase,  only  two  feet  and  three  inches  in  clear  width.  It  seems  superfluous  to 
say  that  this  is  too  narrow.  Ladders  have  recently  been  fixed  to  the  front  and  rear  as  fire-escapes, 
and  twenty-four  buckets  stand  always  filled  with  water  in  the  hallways. 

The  chief  defects  of  this  hospital  (except  those  attributable  to  the  looseness  of  the  speci- 
fications) seem  to  be  due  to  the  regarding  of  Circular  No.  4,  above  mentioned,  as  a  rigid,  unvary- 
ing rule  for  all  cases.  It  cannot  be  doubted  that  in  this  instance,  had  certain  modifications,  which 
would.have  suggested  themselves  to  any  medical  officer  on  the  spot,  been  submitted  to  the  Surgeon- 
General,  he  would  have  recommended  their  adoption.  As  it  stands,  the  hospital  is  a  product  of 
the  contract  system,  'applied  without  consulting  any  officer  of  the  department  most  directly 
interested  and  best  instructed  in  the  means  of  adapting  the  building  to  its  purpose. 

That  the  intelligent  officers  of  the  Quartermaster's  Department  have  failed  to  attain  the  most 
desirable  results,  can  no  more  be  considered  evidence  of  incapacity  than  would  be  the  inability  of 
a  medical  officer  to  plan  and  superintend  the  building  of  an  arsenal  or  a  fortification. 

The  natural  supply  of  water  is  sufficient,  and  the  well  water  of  reasonably  good  quality, 
though  rather  hard.  There  are  in  use  one  well  within  the  main  work,  and  seven  outside.  The 
best  water  is  that  of  a  spring  near  Brenton's  Cove.  It  is  soft,  and  is  used  by  the  laundresses. 
No  analysis  of  the  water  has  been  made.  In  addition  to  the  wells  several  large  cisterns  afford  a 
supply  of  rain-water,  to  which  may  be  added  the  mine-galleries,  which  in  a  moderately  wet  season 
are  nearly  filled. 

With  so  abundant  a  supply  of  water,  there  is  not  a  bath-room  at  the  post  for  officer  or  soldier, 
except  in  the  new  hospital.  The  men  have  no  lavatories.  A  shed  in  the  ditch,  with  a  simple 
pump  and  basins,  would  greatly  add  to  their  comfort.  For  sea-bathing  during  the  warm  months, 
the  facilities  are  very  good. 

Ever  since  the  first  occupation  of  this  fort  the  proper  provision  of  sinks  appears  to  have  been 
a  problem,  to  solve  which  many  efforts  have  been  made  and  great  expense  incurred  without  any- 
thing like  commensurate  results.  The  cost  of  ineffectual  appliances  during  this  period  is  estimated 
at  not  less  than  $15,000. 

The  water-closets,  occasionally  without  water  supply,  were  frequently  out  of  order — those  used 
by  the  enlisted  men  were  often  maliciously  or  wantonly  injured — and  at  best,  the  resulting  filth 
was  only  stored  in  holes  in  the  ground,  its  removal  from  which  was  a  periodic  nuisance.  The  state 
of  things  in  regard  to  privies,  both  for  officers  and  their  families  and  for  the  men,  is  stated  in  my 
special  sanitary  report  of  December  31,  1808. 

After  an  entirely  satisfactory  preliminary  trial  of  the  portable  earth-closet,  in  some  of  the 
officers'  quarters,  it  was  determined  to  provide  for  the  enlisted  men  a  system  of  permanent  closets 
on  this  plan.  Early  in  August  last  these  were  completed,  and  have  since  been  in  constant  daily  use. 

The  closets,  with  a  furnace  for  drying  the  earth,  are  in  one  of  the  casemates.  The  material 
now  used  in  them  is  a  sifted  mixture  of  dry  earth  and  ashes.  The  requisite  earth  is  obtained  from 
the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  fort ;  and  the  trifling  labor  of,  procuring,  drying,  and  sifting 
it  is  more  than  repaid  by  the  value  of  the  product  as  a  fertilizer. 

The  result  is  a  complete  success.  In  the  closed  casemate  there  has  never  (with  a  temporary 
exception)  been  any  perceptible  odor  from'  the  closets,  and  the  removal  of  their  contents  is  no 


FORT  ADAMS,  NEWPORT,  RHODE  ISLAND. 


21 


more  offensive  than  the  cartage  ol'  ordinary  earth  or  ashes.  The  exception  above  indicated  was  a 
period  of  some  days  during  which — owing  to  an  obstruction  of  the  neighboring  urinal — the 
closets  were  used  in  its  place,  as  well  as  for  their  legitimate  purpose.  Of  course  dried  clay  will 
not  act  as  a  filter  for  urine,  though  the  small  quantities  voided  with  thefseces  are  readily  absorbed 
and  deodorized.  A  suitable  urinal  should  always  be  provided  in  connection  with  the  earth-closets. 
The  trial  at  this  post  has  demonstrated  the  superiority  of  the  earth-closet  over  any  form  of  water- 
closet. 

The  reports  of  sick  give  cheering  evidence  of  the  extent  to  which  picked  men  in  the  prime  of 
life  and  in  favorable  conditions  of  climate  can  withstand  the  deleterious  influences  of  their 
artificial  surroundings.  The  record  fully  justifies  the  observation  of  the  late  Assistant  Surgeon 
R.  F.  Simpson,  United  States  Army,  in  his  report  of  December,  1858,  that  "  if  the  quarters  for 
officers  and  men  wrcre  any  other  than  miserably  damp  casemates,  Fort  Adams  would  be  more  salu- 
brious than  any  other  permanent  post  in  the  United  States." 

I  can  find  no  record  of  any  epidemic  at  the  fort.  In  the  city  of  Newport,  at  long  intervals, 
dysentery  and  diarrhoea  have  prevailed  in  the  summer  and  autumn,  and  influenza  in  the  colder 
months.  It  is  stated  on  the  verbal  authority  of  M.  de  Montesquieu,  aide-de-camp  to  General 
Chastellux,  of  the  French  auxiliary  force  stationed  at  Newport  in  the  year  1780-'81,  that  during 
the  eleven  months  of  their  stay,  (including  a  memorably  mild  winter,)  out  of  the  five  thousand 
troops  only  about  eighty  were  sent  to  hospital,  most  of  whom  were  returned  to  duty. 

The  climate  of  the  southern  part  of  this  island  is  in  some  respects  an  exception  to  that  of  the 
region  in  which  it  is  classed.  Its  peculiarities,  which,  with  the  facilities  for  seabathing,  have 
made  Newport  a  favorite  summer  resort,  are  due  to  its  insular  position,  its  general  slope  toward 
the  south,  and  doubtless  to  the  nearness  of  the  western  edge  of  the  Gulf  Stream.  The  winter 
temperature  is  much  milder  than  that  of  Providence,  and  the  summers  are  remarkably  cool  and 
equable.  The  same  cause,  however,  -which  produces  these  results,  occasions  in  spring  and  early 
sumrner  the  heavy  fogs  for  which  this  vicinity  is  famous.  The  influence  of  the  dampness  upon  the 
health  of  the  inhabitants  is  less  unfavorable  than  might  reasonably  be  expected. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  of  Fort  Adams,  deduced  from  observations  for  ten  years,  as 
given  in  the  Army  Medical  Statistics  of  I860,  is  49.96°;  of  spring,  45.55°;  summer,  69.40°;  autumn, 
53.48°;  winter,  31.34.  February  is  usually  the  coldest  month.  The  average  fall  of  rain  and  snow 
by  the  above-named  statistics  was  52.46  inches  per  annum. 

For  the  year  1868  the  mean  temperature  has  been  48.46°.  The  maximum  on  July  5,  at  12  in., 
was  registered*  as  102°;  the  minimum  at  9  p.  in.  on  March  3  was  2°;  average  difference  of  ther- 
mometer and  hygrometer,  1.06° ;  quantity  of  rain  and  snow,  40.72  inches. 

By  the  kindness  of  Mr.  R.  J.  Taylor,  of  Newport,  who  has  placed  at  my  disposal  an  abstract 
of  observations  by  himself  and  his  father,  the  late  Mr.  James  Taylor,  for  forty  years,  from  1817  to 
1856,  and  by  personal  examination  and  comparison  of  the  reports  as  originally  published  in  the 
Newport  Mercury,  I  am  enabled  to  give  the  following  results.  The  original  reports  contain  many 
notes  and  comparisons  with  former  observations,  which  are  of  great  interest,  but  cannot  In- 
embodied  here.  The  mean  annual  temperature  by  these  tables  is  49.32°. 

The  mean  of  monthly  temperatures  is  as  follows : 

Degrees. 

July  . .-. ' 70. 14 

August 69.  77 

September 63. 44 

October , 53. 48 

November 43. 17 

December  . .                                                 .  33.  46 


January  

February 29.  84 

March 36. 14 

April 44. 51 

May 53.  88 

June  . .  64. 11 


The  coldest  month  recorded  is  February,  1817,  the  mean  temperature  of  which  was  22.95°. 
At  sunrise  on  the  15th  of  the  same  month  the  mercury  stood  at  13°,  the  lowest  ever  recorded. 

"In  Newport  on  the  above  day  the  temperature  did  not  rise  above  96°,  which  is  the  highest  known  ever  to  have 
been  observed  in  the  town.  I  suspect  that  the  high  temperature  noted  at  the  fort  was  partly  due  to  radiation  from 
the  heated  mass  of  masonry. 


22 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


During  this  mouth  every  harbor  from  Boston  to  the  Chesapeake,  except  Newport,  was  dossed  by  ice. 
The  wannest  month  in  this  record  was  July,  1825,  with  a  mean  of  75.83°. 

The  maximum  attained  during  the  forty  years  observed  by  the  Messrs.  Taylor  was  04°,  and  in 
only  seven  of  these  years  does  it  appear  to  have  reached  90°. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sic/;,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Adams,  Rhode  Inland, 

for  the  years  18G8  and  1869. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

5 

1 

'3 
g< 
K 

Malarial  fever. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsilitis. 

Epidemic  catarrh. 

Venereal  diseases. 

Rheumatism. 

. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions.* 

j 

c 

1868     .    . 

252.  91 

219 

3 

51 

4 

fi 

8 

14 

29 

2 

1869 

197  75 

195 

3 

33 

21 

3 

3 

29 

4 

2 

12 

2 

*  Include  laryngitis,  lirnnrliitis.  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  TRUMBULL,  NEW  LONDON,  CONNECTICUT. 

RKPORT  OF  SURGEON  JOHN  CAMPBELL,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  sources  of  information  as  to  the  earlier  history  of  Fort  Trnmbull  are  but  few  and  scanty. 
Before  the  revolutionary  war  a  small  battery  seems  to  have  been  erected  within  the  limits  of  the 
city  of  New  London ;  but  none  on  the  site  of  the  present  fort.  Early  in  the  year  1775  a  small 
redoubt  was  commenced  by  order  of  the  governor  and  council  of  Connecticut,  to  which  the  name 
of  Fort  Trumbull  was  given,  which  was  not,  it  would  seem,  completed  or  armed  until  the  latter 
part  of  1777.  It  appears  to  have  been  a  very  primitive  work  of  earth  and  stone,  facing  to  the 
north,  east,  and  south,  and  open  to  the  westward,  and  to  have  proved  of  little  service. 

When  New  London  was  attacked  by  Arnold  in  1781,  Fort  Trumbull  was  occupied  by  only 
twenty-three  men,  who,  in  obedience  to  orders,  retired  across  the  river  to  the  stronger  work, 
Fort  Griswold,  when  the  enemy  approached  to  attack  the  fort  in  the  rear.  After  the  revolutionary 
war  this  work  fell  into  decay. 

In  the  year.  1812  the  old  redoubt  was  entirely  demolished,  and  a  more  powerful  one  erected  on 
its  site.  I  can  find  no  description  of  this  second  fort.  Whatever  was  its  character,  it  seems  to 
have  been  sufficient,  with  its  fellow,  Fort  Griswold,  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  the  British  fleet 
into  the  harbor,  although  that  fleet  lay  off  the  mouth  of  the  river  during  nearly  the  whole  continu- 
ance of  the  war. 

This  second  fort  remained  in  existence  until  the  year  1839,  when  its  demolition  took  place,  in 
order  to  make  way  for  a  fortress  which,  though  not  a  large  work,  was  to  possess  all  the  latest  im- 
provements in  the  science  of  defense  and  gunnery.  The  natural  ground,  which  had  been  left 
almost  undisturbed  by  its  two  predecessors,  was  a  rugged,  irregular  ledge  of  granite,  some  25.  feet 
above  the  surface  of  the  harbor.  This  was  carefully  graded  for  the  walls,  glacis,  and  outworks. 

To  the  north  of  the  fort,  however,  remains  a  portion  of  the  original  ledge,  to  show  the  native 
roughness  of  the  surface.  Incorporated  in  one  of  the  outworks  is  a  block-house  of  stone,  which  is 
said  to  have  formed  part  of  the  original  defenses  erected  in  1775. 

Fort  Trumbull,  as  it  now  stands,  is  a  beautiful  structure.  Its  walls,  inside  and  out,  are  of  cut 
granite,  quarried  a  few  miles  distant.  Its  arches  are  of  brick.  It  was  completed  in  1849,  the  entire 
cost  being  $250,000. 

Fort  Trumbull  lies  in  latitude  41°  20'  33",  longitude  72°  0'  8"  west  from  Greenwich.  It  occu 
pies  the  extreme  southeast  point  of  a  peninsula  or  neck,  formerly  called  "Mamacock,''  now  Fort 


FOKT  TRUMBULL,  NEW  LONDON,  CONNECTICUT. 


23 


Neck,  which  projects  into  the  harbor  of  New  London.  It  is  half  a  mile  below  the  city,  and  a  mile 
and  a  half  above  the  mouth  of  the  river  Thames.  The  government  grounds  are  of  a  very 
limited  extent,  embracing  but  a  small  portion  of  the  "Neck.''  The  consequence  is  that  the  quar- 
ters and  other  buildings  are  crowded  into  very  uncomfortable  proximity  to  each  other. 

A  few  of  the  officers  occupy  very  comfortable  casemates  in  the  fort.  The  remainder  of  the 
garrison  occupy  quarters  outside  the  fort. 

In  parallel  lines  at  a  short  distance  from  the  sally-port,  and  running  west  therefrom,  lie  the 
officers'  quarters,  the  men's  barracks,  and  the  hospital,  a  space  of  not  more  than  ."SO  feet  separating 
the  buildings.  The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  a  block  of  four  two-story  buildings  of  granite,  com- 
fortable, and  in  good  repair.  The  soldiers'  quarters  consist  of  one  building  of  granite,  one  story, 
with  kitchen  and  offices  underneath,  and  one  frame  building,  continuous  with  the  other,  which  has 
just  been  been  converted  from  a  quartermaster's  storehouse  to  its  present  purpose.  One  company 
occupies  each  of  the  buildings.  To  the  rear  of  these  lies  the  hospital.  Its  main  building,  erected 
many  years  before  the  present  fort,  is  a  one-story  granite  building,  with  a  central  hall,  on  one  side 
of  which  is  the  surgery,  on  the  other  a  ward;  beneath  are  a  kitchen  and  mess  room,  the  fall  of  the 
ground  making  two  clear  stories  in  the  rear.  Toward  the  end  of  the  war  two  frame  wings  were 
affixed  to  the  hospital,  the  eastern  one-of  which  is  now  used  as  a  ward,  while  the  western  one  has 
been  lately  converted  into  a  quartermaster's  and  commissary  storehouse. 

The  garrison  is  supplied  with  water  from  four  wells  sunk  into  the  granite  which  underlies  the 
whole  tract.  The  water  is  pure,  pleasant,  and  wholesome.  It  is  carried  by  hand,  by  the  police  party, 
to  the  quarters,  hospital,  &c.  The  river  Thames  runs  directly  southward  past  the  fort  and  opens 
upon  Long  Island  Sound.  The  harbor  is  one  of  the  finest  on  the  coast,  by  reason  of  its  depth  of 
water,  its  easiness  of  access,  its  freedom  from  obstructions  of  all  sorts,  and  its  good  anchorage. 
In  threatening  weather  many  vessels  take  refuge  in  it.  At  the  lowest  tides  its  channel  carries  25 
feet  of  water.  It  is  very  seldom  closed  by  ice,  and  never  troubled  by  floating  ice.  The  climate  is 
salubrious  to  a  wonderful  degree — not  very  cold  in  winter,  though  subject  to  severe  storms  from 
the  eastward,  and  generally  free  from  extreme  heat  in  summer.  The  garrison  has  always  enjoyed 
extraordinary  exemption  from  severe  disease  and  epidemics.  A  large  population  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  neighboring  country  reach  a  great  age,  and  the  climate  seems  remarkably  favorable 
to  the  rearing  of  children.  It  was  remarked  by  Humboldt,  that  the  region  from  the  Connec- 
ticut to  Narraganset  Bay  was  remarkably  free  from  malaria  and  the  extremes  of  heat  and  cold, 
wet  and  drought,  which  has  since  been  confirmed  by  meteorological  observations.  Wounded 
patients  sent  here  during  the  war  recovered  with  great  rapidity. 

This  whole  region,  in  its  geological  formation,  is  purely  primitive,  presenting  no  other  rock 
than  amorphous  granite,  composed  of  quarts!,  feldspar,  and  mica,  generally  in  equal  proportions, 
and  sometimes  in  distinct  strata,  with  small  crystals  of  short  and  minute  cubes  of  bright  magnetic 
iron.  The  soil,  composed  principally  of  disintegrated  granite,  is  strong,  and  adapted  to  the  raising 
of  maize,  potatoes,  and  vegetables  of  all  kinds.  The  native  trees  are  different  varieties  of  oak  and 
maple,  hickory,  fir,  cedar,  &c. 

Fish  of  every  variety  and  excellent  quality  are  found  in  the  river  and  in  the  sound — shad,  cod, 
buss,  blue-fish,  mackerel,  eels,  flat-fish,  black-fish,  tautog,  with  oysters,  clams,  muscles,  crabs,  &c. 
In  fact,  this  is  reputed  one  of  the  finest  fish  markets  and  harbors  in  the  country,  and  is  the  head- 
quarters for  the  sporting  yachts  in  the  blue-fish  and  mackerel  season. 

Statement  slwirhif/  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Truinbitll, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


,q 

u 

L 

./ 

- 

A 

^ 

1 

,0  ^ 

I 

S 

f 

Years. 

§ 

•& 

~    'x 

a  fl 

3 

1 

B     S 
|| 

1 

1  »; 

I 

• 

1   3 

1 

Kt'iiiark.s. 

S  -S 

«M 

a 

OD 

~,     : 

0 

9 

.=    Z 

>. 

• 

2  "** 

S 

r  '•- 

8 

-e  «a 

e 

* 

£• 

S 

S 

5 

H 

> 

a 

fc5 

1868 

119  58 

385 

a 

I 

31 

27 

13 

17 

144 

76.66 

246 

30 

26 

24 

8 

17 

57 

2 

company  just  from  Kort  Brown,  Texas. 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


24  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT  COLUMBUS,  GOVERNOR'S  ISLAND,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR,  NEW 

YORK. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  CHARLES  PAGE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Governor's  Islaud,  situated  in  New  York  Harbor,  at  the  junction  of  the  North  and  East  Rivers, 
in  latitude  40°  42'  north,  and  longitude  74°  09'  west,  lies  1,000  yards  southeast  from  the  city  of 
New  York.  It  is  separated  from  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  which  encircles  it  almost  one-half,  lying  in 
an  easterly,  southeasterly,  and  southerly  direction,  by  the  Buttermilk  Channel,  an  arm  of  the  bay, 
formerly  narrow  and  very  shallow,  now  of  sufficient  depth  for  the  largest  ships,  and  measuring 
about  one-half  of  a  mile  in  width. 

The  island  lies  in  a  northeasterly  direction  about  six  miles  from  the  Narrows,  the  entrance  to 
the  bay.  It  is  about  22  feet  above  low-water  mark,  and  contains  02J  acres.  Pagganck,  the  Indian 
name  of  Governor's  Islaud,  is  all  that  survives  which  could  call  to  our  minds  the  fact  that  not 
many  centuries  ago  the  Indians  here  held  undisputed  sway. 

The  first  place  ever  occupied  in  New  York  by  the  Dutch  was  Governor's  Island.  (  Vide  Journal 
of  a  Voyage  to  the  American  Colonies  in  1679-'80,  by  Jasper  Daukers  and  Shiyter,  of  Wiiward,  in 
Frusland,  page  374.)  It  is  thus  described : 

In  its  mouth,  (East  Kiver,)  before  the  city,  between  tbe  city  ami  Red  llook,  on  Long  Islaud,  lies  Noteu  Island, 
(Governors  Island,)  opposite  the  fort,  the  first  place  tbe  Hollanders  ever  occupied  in  the  bay.  It  is  now  only  a  farm, 
with  a  bouse  and  a  place  upon  it  where  the  governor  keeps  a  parcel  of  sheep. 

In  1037,  Wouter  Van  Twiller,  a  former  clerk  in  the  company's  warehouse  at  Amsterdam,  who 
had  been  appointed  director  of  New  Netherlands  in  1633,  secured  for  his  own  private  use  the  island 
of  Pagganck,  which  had  now  become  popularly  known,  from  the  abundance  of  excellent  nuts  that 
grew  there,  as  Nooten  or  Nutten  Island.  Dining  the  English  colonial  period,  Nutten  Island 
became  by  common  consent  a  perquisite  attached  to  the  office  of  governor,  becoming,  in  conse- 
quence, familiarly  known  as  Governor's  Island,  a  name  it  has  borne  ever  since.  From  a  dreary 
and  neglected  plantation,  it  now  became  a  smiling  garden.  At  a  council  hcUl  at  Fort  William 
Henry,  on  the  2Gth  of  September,  1091,  it  was  decreed  that  Nutten  Island,  as  it  continued  to  be 
officially  termed,  and  three  so-called  Oyster  Islands — i.  <>.,  Bedloe's  Island,  Ellis  Island,  the  third 
a  smaller  island,  now  submerged — be  added  to  the  county  of  New  York.  (Journal  of  the  Legis- 
lative Council  of  the  Colony  of  New  York,  1091-1743.) 

The  first  immigrants  were  assigned,  by  the  council  of  New  York,  on  the  13th  of  June,  1710,  to 
Nutten  Island,  where  due  provision  was  made  for  them,  because  just  fears  were  entertained  that 
contagious  diseases  existed  among  them.  These  immigrants  were  Palatines,  homeless  and  desti- 
tute, who  had  been  driven  from  their  country  in  the  war  between  Louis  XIV,  on  the  one  hand,  and 
Austria  and  Holland,  and  subsequently  Spain,  Denmark,  and  Savoy,  on  the  other. 

In  1708,  about  fifty  Palatines  passed  over  to  Kngland,  where  they  were  temporarily  main- 
tained, at  the  instance  of  Queen  Anne,  at  public  expense,  being  allowed  one  shilling  a  day  until 
they  were  transported  to  New  York,  whither,  soon,  ten  thousand  of  the  unfortunate  exiles  followed 
them.  Thus  it  was  that  Governor's  Island  became  the  first  place  of  quarantine  for  New  York. 
(New  York  Documents,  vol.  iii,  p.  550,  et  passim.)  The  Palatines  were  detained  on  Governor's 
Island  until  September  of  the  same  year,  when,  no  further  apprehension  of  contagion  being  enter- 
tained, they  were  transferred  to  Columbia  and  Greene  counties. 

From  the  revolution  in  1688  to  the  treaty  of  Utrecht,  in  1713,  during  which  period  of  time 
the  great  warfare  concerning  the  succession  of  a  grandson  of  Louis  XIV  to  the  crown  of  Spain 
was  carried  on,  the  British  colonies  in  North  America  were  in  constant  apprehension  lest  a  French 
navy  should  assail  them.  Under  these  impressions,  the  successive  governors  of  the  province 
(Slaughter,  Fletcher,  and  Cornbury)  urged  upon  the  people,  again  and  again,  the  defense  of 
New  York,  by  the  erection  of  batteries  at  the  Narrows,  at  Red  Hook,  and  at  Governor's 


FORT  COLUMBUS,  GOVERNOR'S  ISLAND,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR.  25 

Island.  Notwithstanding  the  apprehended  danger  and  the  oft-repeated  importunities  of  the  gov- 
ernors, no  measures  of  defense  were  taken,  other  than  the  appropriation  of  £15,000,  during  the 
governorship  of  Cornbury,  for  fortifying  the.  "Narrows."  How  much  of  sincerity  there  was  in  the 
patriotic  appeals  of  Governor  Cornbnry  may  he  estimated  by  the  fact  that  the  £15,000  so  appro 
priated  were  applied  by  him  to  building  a  pleasure-house  on  Governor's  Island  for  himself  and 
succeeding  governors,  to  which  to  retire  when  inclined  to  free  himself  from  business.  "There  has 
been  a  mighty  clamor  at  all  times,  made  in  general  terms,  of  the  misapplication  of  public  money 
by  governors ;  but  when  they  were  called  upon  to  give  particular  instances,  I  never  heard  of  any, 
except  of  £15,000,"  &c.— (The  Golden  Letters,  1759.)  Though  the  fortifying  of  Governor's  Island 
was  looked  upon  as  a  most  important  means  of  defense  for  the  city  of  New  York,  it  still  continued, 
for  a  long  time,  to  be  the  garden  of  the  sovereigns  of  the  province.  Governor  Clark,  perhaps 
not  altogether  unmindful  of  the  fact  that  Governor's  Island  afforded  him  a  place  of  quiet  retire- 
ment from  business,  in  a  special  message,  in  the  year  1738,  writes  as  follows:  "There is  a  great 
cause  to  apprehend  a  speedy  rupture  with  France.  Your  situation  ought,  therefore,  to  awaken 
you  to  a  timely  provision  against  that  event,  in  fortifying  this  town  in  a  better  manner  than  it 
is  at  present,  by  erecting  batteries  at  proper  places,  upon  the  wharves  facing  the  harbor,  upon 
the  side  of  the  Hudson  River  adjoining  the  town,  and  at  Red  Hook,  upon  Long  Island,  to 
prevent  the  enemy  landing  upon  Nutten  Island."  Governor  Clinton,  in  his  speech  of  the  17th 
of  April,  1744,  uses  language  of  a  similar  import  in  reference  to  the  proper  measures  to  be 
taken.  From  the  year  1750,  when  the  arrival  of  Lord  Londown  with  a  large  fleet  allayed 
all  fears  of  foreign  invasion,  until  the  extinction  of  the  royal  authority,  by  the  meeting  of  the 
Continental  Congress  071  the  15th  of  September,  1774,  nothing  of  greater  importance  concerning 
Governor's  Island  can  be  recorded  than  that  it  was,  successively,  the  perquisite  of  Governors 
Hardy,  Delancy,  Colden,  Moore,  Dinsmore,  and  Tryon — made  profitable  by  some  of  them  by 
leasing  it. 

Though  the  probable  expense  of  erecting  fortifications  had  been  estimated,  it  was  not  until 
Congress  had  decreed,  on  the  fith  of  October,  1775,  that  the  provincial  convention  be  directed 
immediately  to  render  New  York  defensible,  that  works  of  fortification  were  thrown  up  on  the 
island.  (English  MSS.,  ut  supra,  p.  45.)  But  of  very  little  avail  did  these  works  prove ;  for,  on 
the  25th  of  Juno,  General  Howe  arrived  at  Sandy  Hook  from  Halifax,  and  landed  on  the  12th  of 
July  at  Staten  Island,  having  been  joined  by  his  brother,  Admiral  Lord  Howe,  from  England, 
making,  with  the  forces  of  Clinton  from  the  South,  in  all  a  force  of  twenty-four  thousand  of  the 
best  disciplined  troops  in  England,  besides  the  large  re-enforcements  that  flocked  to  his  standard  and 
rendered  him  invaluable  aid  by  their  knowledge  of  their  country.  To  oppose  this  formidable  array 
Washington  had  gathered  together  a  force  of  twenty  thousand  raw  militia.  To  protect  New  York  he 
was  compelled  to  hold  Kingsbridge,  Governor's  Island,  Paulus  Hook,  and  the  heights  of  Brooklyn. 
Two  regiments,  one  of  which  was  Prescott's,  were  all  that  could  be  spared  to  garrison  Governor's 
Island.  (Bancroft,  vol.  ix,  p.  82.)  But,  on  the  morning  of  the  22d  of  August,  1776,  the  English, 
protected  by  men-of-war,  landed  at  Gravesend,  Long  Island.  This  movement  of  the  English  was 
so  contrary  to  expectation,  that  it  was  first  supposed  that  the  enemy  was  making  a  feint  upon 
Long  Island,  the  real  design  being  to  fall  directly  upon  New  York.  But  soon  the  main  body  of  the 
British  army  spread  itself  out  upon  the  plain  which  stretches  from  Gravesend  Bay  toward  the 
east.  On  the  27th  of  August,  1776,  the  battle  of  Long  Island  was  fought,  "  a  day  that,  though  so 
full  of  sorrow  for  tin?  Americans,  shed  little  glory  on  British  arms."  The  retreat  from  Long 
Island,  thus  necessitated,  was  safely  effected  on  the  30th.  On  the  same  day  Admiral  Howe  sailed 
.iip  the  bay  and  anchored  near  Governor's  Island.  On  the  approach  of  the  fleet  the  little  garrison 
on  the  island,  in  command  of  Colonel  Prescott,  withdrew  to  New  York,  with  the  loss  of  one  man 
wounded,  who  lost  an  arm  by  a  ball  from  a  British  ship  just  as  he  was  embarking.  From  this 
time,  in  consequence  of  the  necessary  abandoning  of  New  York  by  the  American  forces,  Gov- 
ernor's Island  remained  in  possession  of  the  British,  who  fortified  and  garrisoned  it,  until  the 
restoration  of  peace  in  1783  and  the  retreat  of  the  enemy. 

The  fortifications  on  Governor's  Island  were  now  neglected  and  undervalued,  and  continued 
to  be  so  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  French  Revolution ;  so  much  so,  that  Governor  George 
4 


26  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

Clinton,  in  1784,  leased  the  islaud  to  a  certain  Dr.  Price,  who  built  on  it  a  hotel  and  laid  out 
a  handsome  race-course,  on  which  races  were  run  in  1785  and  1786,  and  that  quarantine  was 
located  here  from  1794  to  1797. 

It  was  not  until  1797,  after  Washington  had  retired  from  the  presidency,  that  the  irritation 
between  the  United  States  and  France  grew  serious.  Great  apprehension  was  felt  at  New  York 
lest  it  should  be  attacked  by  a  French  squadron.  Pressing  remonstrances  were  made  to  Congress, 
that  the  city  be  protected  in  its  helpless  condition.  The  State  having,  by  the  Constitution,  ceded 
the  power  of  providing  for  the  common  welfare  and  the  general  defense,  the  people  became  clam- 
orous for  protection.  The  general  government  contended  that  it  had  not  the  power  to  pass  any 
law  impairing  the  obligations  of  contracts;  that  a  balance  of  $2,075,846,  due  from  the  State  of 
New  York  to  the  United  States,  by  an  award  of  the  "  Commissioner  of  Accounts,"  dated  Philadel- 
phia, December,  1793,  must  first  be  paid,  that  thereby  Congress  might  be  enabled  to  make  the 
necessary  appropriations.  At  length,  after  much  altercation,  Congress  declared,  by  a  law  passed 
May  3, 1798,  "that  where  any  State,  which  was  found  indebted  to  the  United  States, by  the  report 
of  the  commissioners  for  settling  accounts  between  the  United  States  and  the  individual  States, 
should,  with  the  President's  approbation,  proceed  to  finish  or  complete  any  fortifications  heretofore 
commenced  by  such  State,  for  the  defense  of  any  port  or  harbor  within  the  same,  or  shall,  under 
the  direction  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  make  and  erect  any  additional  fortifications, 
pursuant  to  the  act  entitled  'An  act  to  provide  for  the  further  defense  of  the  ports  and  harbors  of 
the  United  States,'  providing,  that  no  expenditures  exceeding  the  balance  found  and  reported 
against  the  respective  States,  shall  be  allowed  as  aforesaid  ;  and  provided,  that  the  fortifications, 
for  which  the  whole  or  any  part  of  the  expenditure  shall  be  allowed  and  credited  as  aforesaid,  with 
their  privileges  and  appurtenaces,  shall  be,  and  shall  be  declared  and  established  as  the  property 
of  the  United  States,  while  maintained  by  them."  Under  the  provisions  of  this  act  the  State  was 
duly  credited  witli  the  several  amounts  of  money  it  had  expended,  by  authority  of  legislative  acts, 
in  the  erection  of  fortifications  on  Governor's  Island.  By  the  authority  of  an  act  passed  March 
26,  1794,  £30,000  had  been  so  appropriated.  This  sum  had  been  expended,  under  the  supervision 
of  George  Clinton,  Matthew  Clarkson,  James  Watson,  Richard  Varick,  Nicholas  Fish,  Ebenezer 
Stevens,  and  Elijah  Hammond.  A  further  sum  of  £20,000  had  been  granted  April  6,  1795,  to 
complete  certain  works  on  this  island  and  on  Ellis  Island.  The  general  government  had  given  but 
little  attention  to  the  fortifying  and  improvement  of  the  island.  In  a  communication  to  the  House, 
dated  February  28,  1794,  the  committee  directed  to  report  on  such  of  the  ports  and  harbors  of  the 
United  States  as  required  to  be  put  into  a  state  of  defense,  with  an  estimate  of  the  expenses  thereof, 
made  the  following  estimates  for  the  fortifications  of  Governor's  Island.  The  expenses  of  con- 
structing batteries,  embrasures,  and  platforms  for  twenty-four  pieces,  $1,727  52;  a  redoubt  with 
embrasures,  $810;  magazine,  $200;  block-house  or  barracks,  $500;  contingencies,  $500;  making  a 
total  of  $3,727  52.  The  committee  furthermore  recommended  that  the  parapets  of  the  batteries 
and  redoubts  should  be  made  of  earth,  and  that  the  island  be  garrisoned  by  troops  in  the  pay  of 
the  United  States. 

The  Secretary  of  War  reported,  December  19,  1794,  that  one  bastion,  commanding  two  low 
batteries,  had  been  undertaken  and  was  in  considerable  forwardness,  but  observed  that  the  works, 
being  only  sodded,  would  not  stand  very  long.  On  January  18, 1796,  the  Secretary  reported  to  the 
Senate  that  Governor's  Island  had  been  fortified  with  a  fort,  made  of  earth,  and  two  batteries, 
under  its  protection,  partly  lined  with  brick  masonry;  that  there  had  been  erected  two  air-furnaces, 
a  large  powder-magazine,  and  a  barracks  for  the  garrison ;  on  February  10,  1797,  that  no  alter- 
ations had  been  made  since  January,  1796,  except  in  the  repairs  and  such  additions  as  could  be 
made  by  the  garrison.  During  this  time  there  had  been  expended  by  the  general  government 
on  the  fortifications  of  the  island  as  follows:  in.1794,  $1,327;  in  1795,  $6,866  54;  in  1796,  $1,124. 
But  now  the  apprehension  of  a  French  invasion  caused  such  clamor  for  protection  among  the 
people  that  immediate  attention  by  the  general  government  was  bestowed  upon  properly  fortifying 
Governor's  Island.  Thirty  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventeen  dollars  were  at  once  appropriated 
to  be  expended  on  the  fort,  which  now  became  known  as  Fort  Jay.  Such  was  the  fervor  of  the  day 
that  the  professors  and  students  of  Columbia  College  went  in  a  body  to  Governor's  Island  and 
worked  on  the  fortifications  with  shovels  and  wheelbarrows ! 


FORT  COLUMBUS,  GOVERNOR'S  ISLAND,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR.  27 

Liberal  appropriations  were  made  by  Congress  iu  the  three  succeeding  years  for  completing 
and  improving  the  fort.  In  1799  Congress  appropriated  $30,110  18;  in  1800,820,124;  in  1801, 
$10,338  05.  No  further  improvements  were  made  until  T800,  when  Fort  Jay,  with  the  whole  of  its 
buildings,  was  demolished,  except  the  walled  counterscarp,  the  gate,  the  sally-port,  the  magazine, 
and  two  barracks;  all  the  rest  was  removed  as  rubbish,  to  give  place  for  a  work  composed  of 
durable  materials.  On  the  site  of  the  old  fort  a  new  one,  Fort  Columbus,  was  erected,  an  inclosed 
pentagonal  work  with  four  bastions  of  masonry,  calculated  for  one  hundred  gnus,  being  of  the  same 
shape  on  three  of  its  sides  as  Fort  Jay,  with  the  addition  of  14  feet  on  each  side,  and  on  the  north 
side  of  a  ravelin,  with  two  retired  casemated  Hanks.  Such  was  Fort  Columbus  when  it  was  com- 
pleted in  1809.  (Report  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  laid  before  Congress  by  President  Jell'erson  on 
the  Gth  of  January,  1809.)  Castle  William,  (named  after  General  William,  of  the  New  York 
militia,)  situated  on  the  extreme  westerly  point  of  the  island,  on  a,  bed  of  rocks,  which  previously 
had  much  endangered  navigation,  as  this  point  was  totally  submerged  except  at  a  very  low  water, 
was  begun  iu  1807  and  completed  in  1811.  No  additions  were  made  to  the  foregoing  works,  and 
few  repairs  undertaken,  until  1832,  when  thorough  repairs  were  instituted  and  prosecuted  iu  the 
most  efficient  way,  and  continued  without  interruption  until  the  month  of  August,  when  the  work 
was  abandoned,  iu  consequence  of  the  alarm  created  by  the  cholera,  which  was  at  that  time  raging 
with  considerable  violence  among  the  workmen.  The  necessary  measures  having  been  taken  to 
insure  the  health  of  the  laborers,  the  interruption  was  of  short  duration,  and  on  the  4th  of  Septem- 
ber the  work  was  progressing  with  the  usual  vigor. 

The  post  was  again  evacuated,  the  troops  in  garrison  being  ordered  to  Florida,  in  the  year 
1830.  From  the  time  of  its  reoccupation  in  the  following  year  until  November  1.3,  1852,  when  by 
General  Order  No.  38  Fort  Columbus  became  a  recruiting  depot,  it  was  an  artillery  post,  though, 
from  time  to  time,  detachments  of  recruits  were  sent,  for  want  of  accommodation,  from  Fort  Wood, 
the  principal  recruiting  depot,  to  be  here  temporarily  quartered ;  indeed,  it  was  by  reason  of  the 
frequent  conflicts  of  disputed  authority  between  the  commandants  of  Fort  Columbus  and  the  super- 
intendents of  the  recruiting  service,  resulting  from  the  assignment  for  quarters  of  such  recruits, 
that  Fort  Columbus  was  exclusively  appropriated  as  a  recruiting  depot.  It  was  at  once  made  the 
principal  depot  of  the  general  recruiting  service,  in  place  of  Fort  Wood  on  Bedloe's  Island,  and  it 
has  continued  to  be  such  until  the  present  time. 

The  post  of  Fort  Columbus  comprises  all  of  Governor's  Island,  except  about  six  acres  to  the 
north,  which  is  reserved  for  the  New  York  arsenal. 

The  island  is  irregular  in  form,  but  approaches  nearly  the  segment  of  au  oblate  spheroid,  its 
longest  diameter  being  from  north  to  south  and  about  800  yards  in  length.  The  transverse 
diameter  is  about  500  yards.  It  has  an  elevation  above  high-water  mark  of  20  feet.  Its  face  is 
smooth  and  green,  with  a  rich  carpet  of  grass. 

The  basis  rock  of  Governor's  Island  is  gneiss,  composed  of  quartz,  feldspar,  and  mica,  arranged 
in  lamime,  the  rock  being  stratified  and  hypozoic.  It  is  covered  everywhere  with  alluvial  and  drift 
deposits.  The  general  direction  of  the  strata  is  from  north  to  south,  and  the  dip,  generally  to 
the  west,  averages  within  10°  of  vertical.  That  the  strata  are  almost  vertical  or  dip  at  a  high 
angle  is  worthy  of  consideration  in  relation  to  the  practicability  of  successfully  boring  artesian 
wells.  The  water  now  iu  use,  derived  from  shallow  wells,  is  hard  from  calcareous  and  magne- 
siau  salts,  and  contains  a  great  quantity  of  organic  matter.  The  desirability  of  artesian  wells  is 
therefore  apparent,  but,  as  these  are  most  likely  to  be  successful  where  the  strata  are  slightly 
inclined  and  gradually  dip  toward  the  place  of  boring  from  higher  ground,  in  at  least  one  direc- 
tion, whereas  the  strata  here  dip  a't  a  high  angle,  and  deep  channels  surround  the  island,  no  water, 
therefore,  could  be  expected,  except  that  flowing  through  the  gravel  beds  in  the  depressions  along 
the  edges  of  the  stratum,  parallel  to  the  line  of  bearing.  (See  Geological  Survey  of  New  York 
State,  passim.)  The  alluvial  deposits,  consisting  of  loam,  clay,  sand,  and  gravel,  with  the  drift 
deposit — a  mixture  of  abraded  materials  (boulders,  gravel,  and  sand) — blended  confusedly  together, 
cover  everywhere  the  underlying  primitive  rock.  These  alluvial  and  diluvial  deposits  must  be, 
iu  the  northern  and  southern  parts  of  the  island,  more  than  100  feet  in  depth,  growing  thinner  and 
thinner  toward  the  center. 

Fortifications  are  located  on  the  northwest  and  southeast  ends  of  the  island,  and  one  near  the 


28  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

northern  boundary.  The  officers'  quarters,  hospital,  storehouses,  and  other  buildings  are  located 
on  the  east  side  of  the  island ;  connecting  these,  brick  walks  are,  laid,  and  on  each  side  of  the 
walks  are  trees,  planted  at  regular  intervals.  In  some  portions  of  the  island  handsome  groves 
of  large  trees  are  growing,  where  the  shade  is  very  dense  in  Hummer,  and  fungi  grow  in  great 
profusion,  encouraged  by  excess  of  moisture. 

The  main  work,  now  called  Fort  Columbus,  is  situated  on  the  highest  point  of  the  island,  near 
the  northern  portion,  and  is  an  old-fashioned,  four  bastioned  fort,  with  deep  ditch.  Within  the 
fort  are  situated  four  buildings,  extending  coequal  with  the  curtains  of  the  fort,  and  surrounding 
the  parade.  These  buildings  are  built  of  stone  and  brick,  with  two  stories  and  basement,  and  are 
roofed  with  slate.  The  basements  and  first  stories  of  these  buildings  are  bisected  by  sally-ports. 
Corridors  extend  the  whole  length  of  these  buildings  on  the  face  looking  to  the  parade;  on  all 
the  buildings,  to  either  side  of  the  sally-ports,  a  piazza  is  built  the  width  of  the  corridors,  and 
on  three  of  the  buildings  a  piazza  extends  the  whole  front  of  the  upper  story,  but  only 
half  the  width  of  the  corridor.  This  piazza  is  supported  by  iron  rafters,  extending  from  the 
building  to  the  pillars  of  the  corridor ;  a  stairway  leads  from  each  end  of  the  upper  piazza  to  the 
lower  one.  Three  of  these  buildings,  viz.,  those  on  the  north,  east,  and  south  sides,  are  constructed 
for  barracks,  and  one,  that  on  the  west  side  of  the  parade,  for  officers'  quarters.  The  officers' 
quarters  and  men's  barracks  differ  in  the  arrangement  of  rooms,  officers'  quarters  being  con- 
structed with  halls,  and  stairways  in  the  halls;  in  the  men's  quarters  are  no  halls,  all  stairways 
being  built  out  of  doors.  Adjoining  each  end  of  these  buildings,  next  to  the  ramp,  are  located 
small,  triangular  buildings,  with  one  story  over  a  basement  resting  on  the  level  of  the  parade. 
The  basements  of  these  buildings  are  used,  some  for  store-rooms  and  company  kitchens,  others  for 
privies,  and  the  upper  stories  are  devoted  to  various  uses — tailor  shops,  &c.  One  of  these  build- 
ings is  transformed  into  a  bakery.  Over  the  main  sally-port  is  a  small  building  divided  into  two 
rooms. 

The  basements  of  each  of  the  men's  barracks  are  divided  into  two  sets  of  kitchens  and  mess 
halls,  arranged  for  two  companies;  each  set  has  one  large  room  36  by  19  feet,  with  one  door  and 
two  windows  opening  on  the  area,  and  two  doors  opening,  one  at  either  end,  to  two  smaller  rooms, 
measuring  12  by  19  feet.  One  of  the  smaller  rooms  has  a  window,  and  is  used  for  a  kitchen ;  the 
other  is  the  bread  room  of  the  company  mess.  Each  of  these  has  a  door  opening  on  the  area. 
The  pitch  of  the  basement  is  7  feet  6  inches;  the  doors  measure  7  by  3  feet  4  inches ;  the  windows 
4  feet  2  inches  by  3  feet  4  inches.  The  first  story  of  the  barracks  is  divided  into  two  large  and 
four  smaller  rooms,  and  is  used  for  dormitories.  The  dimensions  of  the  larger  rooms  are  38  by  19 
feet,  and  of  the  smaller  rooms  13  feet  9  inches  by  19  feet.  The  height  of  this  story  is  9  feet  4 
inches.  The  large  rooms  have  one  door  opening  on  the  piazza,  and  five  windows,  three  looking  to 
the  ramparts  and  two  to  the  parade;  the  smaller  rooms  have  one  door  opening  on  the  piazza,  and  one 
window  opposite,  looking  to  the  ramparts.  The  measurement  of  the  windows  and  doors  of  this 
story  is  as  follows:  Doors  to  the  large  rooms,  6  feet  8  inches  by  3  feet  4  inches,  with  transom 
lights;  doors  to  small  rooms,  8  feet  by  3  feet  4  inches;  front  windows,  0  feet  by  3  feet  4  inches; 
back  windows,  4  feet  2  inches  by  3  feet  4  inches.  Tiiis  story  is  partially  covered  by  the  terre-pleiu 
of  the  fort.  The  second  story  is  divided  into  three  large  rooms  and  two  smaller  ones  at  the  ends 
of  the  building.  The  rooms  have  each  one  door,  opening  on  the  piazza.  The  large  rooms  have 
five  windows,  three  opening  to  the  ramparts  and  two  to  the  parade;  the  small  rooms  have  one 
window,  opening  to  the  ramparts.  The  doors  in  this  story  measure  8  feet  by  3  feet  4  inches,  and 
the  windows  0  feet  by  3  feet  four  inches.  The  large  and  small  rooms  are  of  corresponding  dimen- 
sions with  those  in  the  first  story.  The  arrangement  of  the  fireplaces  and  chimneys  is  the  same  in 
all  the  buildings.  At  each  end  of  the  large  rooms  is  a  fireplace  and  chimney,  and  the  small  rooms 
have  a  fireplace  and  chimney  in  the  partitions  separating  them  from  the  large  rooms. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  divided,  on  either  wide  of  the  sally-port,  into  symmetrical  halves  by 
a  hall,  on  each  side  of  which  are  two  rooms,  communicating  with  each  other,  but  only  one  opening 
on  the  hall.  In  the  upper  story,  over  the  sally-port,  are  two  half  rooms  opening  into  the  inner 
rooms.  On  the  first  and  second  stories  the  rooms  next  the  hall  measure  15  feet  2  inches  by  19  feet 
6  inches;  the  inner  rooms  measure  14  feet  2  inches  by  19  feet  0  inches.  The  half  rooms  measure 


FORT  COLUMBUS,  GOVERNOR'S- ISLAND,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR. 


29 


10  feet  6  inches  by  9  feet  5  inches.  The  height  of  these  rooms  is  9  feet  4  inches.  In  the  basement 
the  rooms  measure  15  feet  2  inches  by  19  feet  0  inches,  by  7  feet  5  inches  high.  In  each  of  the 
rooms  in  the  upper  stories  are  two  windows,  one  looking  to  the  ramparts,  and  one  opposite  open- 
ing toward  the  parade;  the  doors  and  windows  in  these  stories  are  of  corresponding  measurement 
with  those  in  the  barracks.  Each  basement  room  has  one  door  and  one  window  opening  on  the 
area,  of  like  corresponding  dimensions  with  those  in  the  barracks.  Doors  open  to  the  hall  from  the 
area  and  from  the  piazza.  The  halls  are  8  feet  wide,  and  extend  the  depth  of  the  building,  from 
basement  to  rafters ;  in  this  hall  are  built  stairways  and  landings.  The  fireplaces  and  chimneys 
are  in  the  partitions  separating  the  rooms.  The  building  contains  10  rooms  and  8  kitchens,  and  is 
reckoned  for  eight  sets  of  quarters. 

The  next  work  of  importance  in  point  of  extent  is  Castle  William,  a  circular  stone  castle  with 
three  tiers  of  casemates  and  a  barbette  battery.  The  circle  is  incomplete  o.n  the  face  covered  by 
Fort  Columbus.  It  is  situated  on  the  northwest  corner  of  the  island,  and  distant  from  Fort 
Columbus  200  yards.  The  upper  tier  of  casemates  is  used  for  quarters  for  recruits  and  tran- 
sient troops,  and  for  confinement  of  prisoners.  The  summit  of  the  castle,  and  upper  tiers  of 
casemates,  are  reached  by  two  winding  stairways  built  of  stone  and  inclosed  in  circular  brick 
towers.  Piazzas  extend  around  the  inner  face  of  the  castle,  at  the  two  upper  tiers  of  casemates, 
and  are  supported  by  iron  braces  jutting  out  from  the  wall.  In  the  upper  tier  the  piazza  furnishes 
the  only  means  of  communication  between  the  casemates.  In  the  lower  tiers  archways  are  built, 
counectiug  the  casemates  all  around  the  castle.  Within  the  circle  i.s  constructed  a  long  wooden 
building,  to  be  used  as  a  mess  hall  and  kitchen  for  recruits. 

The  wooden  building  within  the  area  of  the  castle  measures  ,"i!)  feet  10  inches  by  -'50  feet  by 
8  feet  9  inches  to  rafters,  with  a  pitch  to  the  roof  of  8  feet.  Three  small  rooms  are  cut  off  in  this 
building  for  store-rooms ;  they  measure  10  feet  -i  inches  by  9  feet  8  inches.  There  are  one  door 
and  two  windows  at  each  end  of  this  building,  and  four  windows  on  one  side  and  two  on  the  other. 
On  one  side  is  a  large  range  for  cooking. 

On  the  southeast  side  of  the  island,  about  00  yards  from  the  south  battery,  is  located  the  hos- 
pital. It  is  composed  of  two  buildings ;  one  of  brick,  built  in  1840,  and  the  other  a  frame  structure 
erected  in  1802,  during  the  late  civil  war,  for  a  general  hospital.  Both  buildings  are  now  used  as 
a  post  hospital,  and  the  spare  wards  devoted  to  various  purposes.  One  of  the  wards  is  used  for  a 
Catholic  chapel,  and  two  of  the  wards  of  the  brick  building  are  used  for  "courts-martial,  for  exam- 
ination of  recruits,  lectures,  and  balls. 
The  brick  building  contains  two 
stories  and  a  basement,  and  has  a  flat 
tin  roof.  The  plan  of  the  building  is 
shown  in  Fig.  2,  1  being  the  ground 
plan  of  the  basement;  2,  of  the  first 
floor;  and  3,  of  the  second  floor;  A 
A,  wards;  B,  bath-room  and  water- 
closet;  D,  dispensary;  E,  steward's 

rooms ;  K,  kitchen ;  O,  office ;  S,  store-  i.  2.  3. 

rooms.    The  height  of  the  basement  is  Fis-  '<•'• 

8  feet  4  inches;  of  the  first  story,  12  feet  9  inches;  and  of  the  second  story,  11  feet  10  inches. 
The  main  wards  on  the  first  floor,  measure  48  by  20J  feet.  Two  large  arched  doorways  open 
near  each  end  of  these  rooms.  The  light  and  ventilation  are  deficient,  and  although  the  rooms 
are  spacious  they  are  not  adapted  to  hospital  purposes.  About  30  feet  to  the  rear  of  the  hospital 
is  a  loug  brick  building,  one  story,  8  feet  high,  divided  into  four  rooms;  two  used  for  quarters 
for  matrons,  one  as  store-room,  and  one  for  a  dead-house. 

The  frame  building  forming  a  part  of  the  hospital  is  12  feet  west  of  the  brick  building  above 
referred  to.  The  outline  and  plau  of  this  building  are  shown  in  Fig.  3,  the  upper  cut,  marked  1, 
representing  the  basement,  and  the  lower,  marked  2,  the  main  floor;  1234,  wards;  5,  hall:  6 
verandah;  7,  operating-room ;  8,  brick  walk;  9,  grass;  10,  wash-room ;  11,  dining-room;  12,  lauii 
dry;  13,  store-room;  14,  root  cellar.  The  roof  of  this  building  is  shingled,  and  has  a  pitch  of 
4  feet.  Wards  1  and  2  measure  57£  by  24  feet;  wards  3  and  4,  78J  by  24  feet.  In  the  ceiling 


E 
E 


A 

I 

• 

A 

A 

a 

1     A     , 

S 

JA 

m 

30 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  'MILITARY  POSTS. 


of  each  ward  are  cut  two  openings,  each  2  by  4  feet,  intended  for  purposes  of  ventilation.  The 
height  of  all  the  rooms  is  12  feet,  that  of  the  basement  is  7  feet  0  inches.  The  laundry  contains 
a  range  with  water  back  for  furnishing  hot  water  to  the  bath-room. 


n 


14 

11 

13 

Ifl 

.12    | 

-PT-1 

EB 


10 


2 
Fig.  3. 


East  of  Fort  Columbus,  about  40  yards,  extending  east 
and  west,  is  a  long  one-story  brick  building,  100  feet  by  23 
feet,  with  shingle  roof.  It  is  divided  into  three  compart- 
ments ;  one  is  used  for  a  billiard-room,  one  for  ordnance 
store-room,  and  the  other  for  a  library. 

At  the  northeast  corner  of  the  island  is  located  the  adju- 
tant's office  or  u  headquarters,"  a  two-story  brick  building 
with  basement  and  attic,  and  shingled  roof.  It  has  a  front 
and  rear  piazza.  This  building  contains  commanding  offi- 
cer's and  adjutant's  offices,  and  in  the  basement  the  guard- 
house for  the  main  guard.  No  prisoners  are,  however,  con- 
fined here.  South  of  the  adjutant's  office  30  feet  is  the 
commissary  and  quartermaster's  store-house,  a  brick  build- 
ing one  and  a  half  stories  high,  with  basement;  it  is  50  feet 
by  40  feet,  and  divided  internally  by  temporary  partitions. 

OFFICERS'  QUARTERS. 

On  the  same  line,  distant  from  the  commissary  building 
50  feet,  is  the  commanding  officer's  quarters,  a  large  double 
house,  two  stories,  basement  and  attic,  built  of  brick,  and 
roof  shingled.  Broad  piazzas  cover  the  front  and  rear  of 
this  building.  In  the  basement  are  three  rooms,  on  the  first 
floor  are  four  rooms,  on  the  second  floor  five  rooms,  and 
there  arc  two  attic  rooms. 


South  of  the  commanding  officers  quarters  and  on  a  line  with  it  are  two  buildings,  distant 
from  each  other  50  feet,  in  which  are  contained  four  sets  of  officers'  quarters.  The  buildings  are 
frame,  of  two  stories,  with  basement  and  attic,  and  shingled  roof.  Each  building  contains  eight 
rooms  on  the  first  and  second  stories ;  four  rooms  in  basement  and  four  attic  rooms. 

To  the  rear  of  these  buildings  and  also  that  of  the  commanding  officer's  quarters  are  gardens, 
60  feet  deep,  planted  with  fruit-trees,  shrubs,  &c.  A  portion  of  the  garden  can  be  devoted  to 
vegetables. 

To  the  east  of  the  brick  hospital  about  30  feet  is  a  quadrangular  frame  building,  of  one  story 
and  basement,  cut  up  into  six  rooms  on  the  main  floor  and  six  rooms  on  the  basement,  used  for 
quarters  for  married  men  and  laundresses.  To  the  west  of  the  south  battery  is  a  long  one-story 
frame  structure,  divided  into  twenty  rooms,  furnishing  quarters  for  ten  married  men.  The  sutler's 
store,  a  small  frame  building  of  one  story,  is  a  few  yards  west  of  this.  To  the  north  of  the  sutler's 
store  is  the  carpenter  and  paiut  shop. 

North  of  the  south  battery  and  distant  about  25  yards  is  the  chapel,  a  tasteful  gotbic  frame 
building,  with  belfry.  It  has  four  wings,  and  is  capable  of  seating  one  hundred  persons. 

Cemetery. — At  the  southwest  of  the  island,  about  half  an  acre  is  appropriated  for  a  graveyard. 
The  graves  are  regularly  arranged  in  lines,  and  the  whole  surrounded  by  a  neat  iron  fence. 

Bath-room. — At  the  northeast  end  of  the  island  is  built  a  wharf,  extending  GO  feet  to  deep 
water.  On  the  wharf  is  a  storehouse,  and  adjoining  it,  built  on  piles,  is  a  boat-house.  Between 
the  boat-house  and  store-room  the  space  is  utilized  as  a  bath-room. 

WATER   SUPPLY,   ETC. 

In  close  proximity  to  two  large  cities  where  an  abundance  of  good  water  is  supplied,  Governor's 
Ishtnd,  an  important  military  post,  depends  for  its  supply  of  water  on  wells  and  cisterns.  It  is 
perfectly  feasible  to  connect  Governor's  Island  by  submarine  pipes  with  the  mains  of  the  water 
supply  of  Brooklyn  or  New  York  City ;  preferably  the  former,  as  it  is  conceded  the  water  thereof  is 


FOltT  WADSWORTH,  STATEN  ISLAND,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR. 


31 


purer,  and  quite  as  abundant.  Blackwell's  Island  is  connected  with  the  Crotoii  water-pip<-s.  ami 
the  current  between  the  shores  so  connected  is  twice  as  swift  as  the  stream  that  flows  between 
Governor's  Island  and  Brooklyn,  and  the  channel  also  is  deeper.  The  wells  on  Governor's  Island 
are  four  in  number,  one  at  Castle  William,  furnishing  a  small  supply  of  tolerably  good  water  ;  it 
is  pumped  dry  in  ten  minutes'  pumping,  and  requires  some  time  to  refill.  Another  well  is  in 
Fort  Columbus,  furnishing  a  liberal  supply  of  water,  but  of  so  impure  a  character  as  to  be  unfit 
for  drinking  purposes.  Another  well, .near  the  hospital,  yields  tolerably  good  water  in  abundance 
and  is  more  used  than  any  other  suppl5'  on  the  island ;  all  the  animals  arc  watered  at  this  well.  In 
the  south  battery  is  a  well  of  the  purest  water  that  has  been  reached  by  digging,  and  it  is  never 
exhausted.  All  these  wells  are  furnished  with  pumps.  The  waters  of  the  wells  in  Fort  Columbus, 
in  the  south  battery,  and  the  one  near  the  hospital  have  been  tested  for  organic  matter  by  Acting 
Assistant  Surgeon  B.  F.  Craig,  United  States  Army,  and  the  result  of  the  analysis  published  in 
Circular  No.  5,  Surgeon  General's  Office,  of  1807.  In  addition  to  this  miserable  supply  of  water 
from  wells,  the  rain  is  collected  from  the  roofs  of  nearly  all  the  buildings,  in  cisterns,  but  the 
cisterns  are  faulty  in  construction,  being  simple  reservoirs  for  the  reception  of  the  washings  of  the 
roofs,  and  from  them  is  drawn  off  the  water  unftltered  and  saturated  often  with  decomposing  vege- 
etable  matter.  A  simple  partition  constructed  in  the  cistern,  with  a  filter  near  the  bottom,  on  one 
side  of  which  the  water  should  be  received  and  on  the  other  side  drawn  off,  would  have  given 
always  wholesome  drinking-water;  as  it  is,  cleaning  these  cisterns  twice  a  year  fails  to  keep  them 
sweet  and  clean. 

The  privies  are  most  of  them  constructed  over  tide-water,  so  that  the  excrementitious  matter 
is  thoroughly  disposed  of  and  so  diluted  by  sea  water  as  to  be  rendered  perfectly  inoffensive.  The 
officers'  quarters  are  furnished  with  wells  for  privies,  and  sinks  are  dug  in  Fort  Columbus;  these, 
no  doubt,  tend  to  vitiate  the  well-water. 

Statement  shoicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Columbus,  Few  York 

Harbor,  for  the  years  1808  and  1809. 


~ 

a  • 

|H 

•& 

0 

£ 

d  . 

;£J 

a 

" 

fears. 

S 
0 
g 

S 
9 

a 

Whole  nun 
taken  sic 

Typhoiil  fe 

Malarial  fei 

Diarrhu'a 
dysi-uter 

Venereal 
eases. 

Rhoumatis 

rhthisis. 

Catarrhal 

fections. 

Number 

deaths. 

1868               .-  -- 

581.41 

1,428 

1 

44 

369 

143 

65 

4 

171 

2 

1869 

513  75 

66G 

52 

113 

86 

34 

1 

85 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  anil  pleurisy. 


FORT  WADSWORTH,  STATEN  ISLAND,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  J.  C.  McKEE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  fortifications  and  government  reserve  on  Staten  Island  west  of  the  Narrows,  commanding 
the  entrance  on  that  side  of  New  York  Harbor,  are  known  by  the  name  of  Fort  Wadsworth.  They 
are  in  latitude  40°  30'  north,  longitude  74°  03'  west;  distant  from  Coney  Island  east  6.45  miles; 
from  Sandy  Hook  8.08  miles;  from.  Fort  Hamilton  one  mile;  and  are  named  in  honor  of  Genera' 
Wadsworth,  a  distinguished  soldier  who  fell  in  the  late  civil  war.  It  was  formerly  known  by  the  name 
of  Fort  Richmond,  being  placed  in  the  county  of  that  name,  State  of  New  York.  The  fortification  on 
the  top  of  the  hill,  the  commanding  point  on  the  reserve,  is  known  by  the  name  of  Fort  Tompkins, 
and  commands  the  work  of  Fort  Wadsworth,  a  triple  casemate  of  granite,  as  well  as  Battery  Hudson 
and  the  othe.r  continuous  water  batteries  which  defend  the  passage.  It  lies  140  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea. 

The  reserve  contains  about  100  acres;  surface  very  broken  and  rugged;  its  slopes  and  declivi- 


32  DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 

ties  are  steep  aiid  rapid.  This  reserve,  originally  belonging  to  the  State  of  New  York,  Avas,  by  an 
act  of  her  legislature,  February  10,  1818,  sold  to  the  United  States,  and  was  transferred  to  its 
jurisdiction  during  the  administration  of  John  Quiucy  Adams  in  1827.  The  following  description 
is  taken  from  report  of  Dr.  Pulling,  late  acting  assistant  surgeon  United  States  Army: 

The  hills  are  formed  of  the  drift  deposit,  composed  of  siliceous  earth  with  numerous  boulders  of  trap,  serpentine 
arid  granite  scattered  through  it.  These  rocks  are  exposed  in  places  a  few  miles  to  the  northward,  occasionally  though 
rarely.  A  stratum  of  fine  clay  is  found  at  a  short  distance  below  the  surface,  alumina  as  a  constituent  of  the  soil 
being  generally  deficient.  These  hills  have  a  geological  connection  with  the  range  of  eminences  on  Long  Island 
which  extends  from  Astoria  to  Fort  Hamilton  ;  and  are  separated  from  this  chain  of  heights  by  the  narrows  or  channel 
about  a  mile  wide,  forming  the  entrance  to  New  York  Harbor.  The  widening  of  this  channel  has  been  going  on  until 
recently.  The  shore  upon  which  the  batteries  are  placed  continued  to  be  slowly  encroached  upon  by  tidal  and  fluvial 
action  until  that  point  was  protected  by  artificial  means.  The  greater  part  of  the  material  thns  removed  has  probably 
been  deposited  along  the  southeastern  shore  of  Staten  Island,  and  has  contributed  to  .the  production  of  the  salt  mead- 
ows, which  border  much  of  that  coast,  their  origin  being  quite  recent  and  their  formation  still  in  progress. 

The  hills  on  the  island  embosom  many  deep  hollows  or  basins,  some  of  which  are  in  the  limits  of  the  reservation, 
exercising  an  important  influence  on  its  hygiene.  The  soil  is  very  spongy  and  porous,  and  absorbs  a  largo  quantity  of 
water.  During  the  warm  weather  great  atmospheric  humidity  is  maintained  from  the  rapid  evaporation  arising  from 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  which  is  said  to  be  hardly  ever  dry,  and  when  exposed  or  denuded  of  vegetation  is  never  free 
from  fungi.  Having  no  outlets  and  receiving  the  drainage  from  the  surrounding  surface,  these  valleys,  already 
mentioned  and  described,  usually  contain  ponds  or  form  into  swamps,  thus  making  large  evaporating  basins,  which, 
during  the  summer  and  autumn,  emit  great  quantities  of  vapor,  in  connection  with  the  diffusible  products  of  organic 
decomposition.  I  have  determined  by  careful  experiment  that  the  humus  of  some  swampy  areas,  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  Fort  Wadsworth  is  capable  of  evolving  moisture  by  evaporation  more  rapidly  than  an  equally  extensive 
surface  of  water  under  the  same  temperature. 

The  men  occupy  for  dormitories  four  casemates  in  Fort  Tompkins,  averaging  ten  men  and 
beds  in  each.  The  casemates  are  comfortably  warmed  by  a  large  anthracite  coal  stove  in  each, 
lighted  by  candles  at  night,  ventilated  and  lighted  by  two  windows  in  the  rear  5  feet  high  and  8 
inches  wide,  two  in  front  G  feet  G  inches  high  and  3  feet  wide,  and  a  transom  over  the  door  3  feet  by 
2;  air  space  ample;  each  occupant  has  between  six  and  seven  hundred  cubic  feet.  Bedsteads  are 
of  iron,  single,  made  with  a  hinge  in  the  middle  so  as  to  fold  up  in  day-time;  bedsacks  are  filled 
with  straw,  and  changed  as  often  as  required  to  insure  cleanliness  and  health. 

There  is  one  large  brick  water-closet  or  sink  on  the  slope  facing  the  sea.  Earth-closets  were 
constructed  by  the  engineers,  but  owing  to  their  defective  and  faulty  construction  they  did  not 
fulfill  the  purpose  required  of  them,  and  they  had  to  be  abandoned.  One  casemate  is  used  for 
bathing  and  washing;  basins  are  supplied,  water  is.  furnished  in  a  sufficient  quantity  from  a  large 
hogshead  on  a  platform.  In  winter,  bathing  once  a  week  is  required,  iu  tubs  in  a  compartment 
fitted  up  in  casemate;  in  summer  men  bathe  iu  the  ocean.  The  dining-room  and  kitchen  are  ad- 
joining casemates,  and  are  well  furnished  and  iu  good  condition. 

Quarters  for  laundresses  are  one-story  wooden  buildings,  south  of  Fort  Tompkins;  are  ample 
and  well  ventilated ;  water  for  washing  supplied  by  a  convenient  pump. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  situated  at  the  northern  end  of  the  reservation,  and  are  as  follows : 
Commanding  officer's  quarters,  one-story  frame  building,  containing  seven  rooms;  an  adjoining 
building,  also  one-story  frame,  containing  eleven  rooms,  and  a  one-story  and  attic  frame  building 
containing  fourteen  rooms;  the  latter  was  built  in  the  months  of  October  and  November,  1869, 
and  is  in  good  condition ;  the  former  were  built  in  18G2,  were  hastily  constructed  of  poor  material, 
and  are  at  present  much  worn,  (are  to  be  torn  down  this  summer;)  they  are  all  well  lighted  and 
ventilated. 

The  adjutant's  office,  quartermaster's  and  commissary's  office,  and  the  store-houses  are  in  three 
casemates  in  the.  north  wing  of  the  fort.  Company  office  in  casemate  in  opposite  wing  adjoining 
the  men's  quarters. 

The  guard-house  is  placed  in  two  casemates  in  the  western  wing;  one  is  occupied  by  the  guard 
and  the  other  by  the  prisoners.  The  guard-house  for  the  prisoners  is  divided'  into  six  cells,  each 
7  feet  long,  4  feet  broad,  and  6  feet  10  inches  in  height.  The  top  is  secured  and  guarded  by 
heavy  plank  lattice,  so  as  to  secure  the  equable  ventilation  of  each'  cell  with  the  air  in  the  case- 
mate. Prisoners  are  locked  in  cells  at  bed-time;  are  furnished  with  bedsacks  and  straw;  have 


FOJiT  HAMILTON,  MOW   YOKK    IlAKKOli. 


33 


the  same  diet  as  the  company;  and  arc  supplied  IVom  company  kitchen.     They  use  Hie  company 
sink,  and  are  required  to  but  he.  once  a  week. 

The  post  hospital  is  a  frame  building',  constructed  in  September  and  October,  ISO!),  in  accord- 
ance with  plan  of  "Circular  No.  4,  Surgeon  (Icneral's  Office,  Washington,  April  27,  1807,"  and 
consists  of  an  administration  building  two  stories  high,  back  building  (kitchen)  one.  story  high, 
and  one  wing  (ward)  one  story  high,  and  has  a  capacity  of  twelve  beds;  it  is  well  built,  and  prop- 
erly and  neatly  furnished. 

There  is  no  post  bakery.  The  Hour  is  exchanged  with  a  village  baker  for  bread,  which  is  of 
good  quality.  There,  are  four  laundresses  in  the  company;  no  general  laundry;  no  chapel,  and  no 
school-house. 

The  library  is  in  a  casemate  in  the  south  wing  adjoining  the  men's  barracks;  and  has  an  average 
number  of  250  bound  volumes,  composed  of  historical  works  and  standard  novels,  belonging  to  the 
company.  The  men  are  allowed  to  keep  the  books  for  a  certain  number  of  days;  and  are  held  re- 
sponsible for  loss  or  damage.  The,  books  are  always  carefully  handled  and  promptly  returned. 

The  water  supply  is  by  means  of  a  large  cistern  of  about  2,000  gallons  capacity,  and  is  of  good 
quality.  Water  is  hauled  to  the  officers'  quarters,  hospital,  &c.,  from  a  well  near  the  light- 
house, in  a  water-wagon,  the  quantity  daily  being  about  200  gallons;  about  40  gallons  of  this 
go  to  the  hospital.  On  adding  permanganate  of  potash,  a  small  amount  of  organic  matter  is 
observed. 

Dr.  Pulling  examined  many  wells  in  the  vicinity,  and  remarks  that  most  of  them  are  mere 
receptacles  of  surface  water,  which,  percolating  through  a  malarious  soil,  carries  with  it,  in  sum- 
mer, highly  noxious  material,  constituting  a  serious  source  of  disease. 

There  is  no  effective  fire,  apparatus  at  the  fort.  Drainage  is  natural  and  artificial,  and  is  effi- 
cient; an  outlet  is  made  from  each  end  of  a  dry  ditch  of  Fort*  Tompkins,  terminating  in  the  sea. 
The  slops  are  carted  every  morning  and  thrown  into  the  sea. 

For  the  first  time  at  this  fort,  under  (Jencral  J.  M.  P>rannan,  First  Artillery  Tinted  States 
Army,  commanding,  a  post  garden  of  one  and  one  quarter  acres  of  ground  is  inclosed  and  culti- 
vated. All  the  ordinary  garden  vegetables  are  cultivated.  A  potato  lot  of  one  and  one  half  acres 
has  also  been  planted,  and  promises  an  excellent  yield. 

Statement  sJioiciny  menu  .itrenf/tli,  number  of  nick,  nml  principal  diseases  at  Fort  W«flxtn>rth,  Xeir  York 

Harbor,  for  the  years  1868  and  18G9. 


H 

i 

i 

-: 

X 

t 

rj 

^8 

~ 

5  /i 

/; 

" 

I 

3 

- 

tc 

^   ^ 

- 

— 

i 

Years. 

a 
1 

ao 

d 
dH 

^  '^ 
d 

^ 

I 

^ 

— 

jj 

-    s 

^  - 
g 

"S 

? 

1 

1 

g| 

is 

5 
"n   .= 

1 

2 

a 

s 

* 

i 

5 

0 

H 

I 

5 

fi 

5 

1868  

7841 

115 

56 

14 

1 

10 

•2 

3 

16 

1869  

TZ  :t:» 

16:5 

66 

19 

1 

13 

2 

1 

23 

"  Iiidude  la 


K,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  HAMILTON,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR. 

REPORTS  OF  SURGEONS  II.  R.  WIRTZ  AND  R.  H.  ALEXANDER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Hamilton  is  situated  on  the  southwest  shore  of  Long  Island,  on  the  Narrows.  Latitude 
40°  43'  north,  longitude  74°  1',  west ;  distant  about  six  miles  from  Xew  York  City. 

The  western  shore  of  Long  Island  extends  in  a  sort  of  curve  from  opposite  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  city  of  New  York,  with  the  convexity  to  the  west,  and  Fort  Hamilton,  would  form 
one  extremity  of  a  chord  running  very  nearly  north  and  south,  of  which  New  York  City  would  form 


34  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

the  other  extremity.  A  .similar  convexity  of  the  northeastern  part  of  Statan  Island  forms  \vitli 
Long  Island  a  strait,  called  the  "  Narrows,"  by  which  tlie  inner  bay  of  New  York  communicates 
with  the  outer,  or  maritime  bay.  Fort  Hamilton,  in  conjunction  with  Fort  Wadsworth,  on  Staten 
Island,  commands  the  Narrows,  and  Fort  Lafayette,  erected  on  an  artificial  island,  lies  off  Fort 
Hamilton  to  the  east  of  the  main  ship-channel. 

From  Fort  Hamilton  is  presented  a  line  view,  not  only  of  the  Narrows,  but  a  portion  of  the 
inner  bay,  and  in  a  southerly  direction,  across  the  outer  bay,  the  Highlands  of  Jersey  arc  visible 
by  day  and  the  light-houses  at  Sandy  Hook  by  night.  Looking  to  the  west,  the  hills  of  Staten  Island 
bound  the  horizon,  covered  with  stately  residences  and  patches  of  the  primeval  forest.  Nothing- 
separates  Fort  Hamilton  on  the  southeast  from  the  Atlantic  but  a  narrow  strip  of  sand  called 
"Coney  Island." 

The  name.  Fort  Hamilton  is  applied  not  only  to  the  military  work,  but  also  to  the  village  that 
has  sprung  np  in  its  neighborhood.  The  fort  is  really  situated  in  the  town  of  New  Utrecht, 
Kings  County,  New  York.  The  town  of  New  Utrecht  was  settled  during  the  Dutch  rule,  in  1054, 
by  about  twenty  families  from  Holland,  and  Kings  County  was  organized  by  the  English  in  1083. 
The  English  retained  the  sovereignty  after  this  until  the  American  Revolution,  and  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Fort  Hamilton  became  memorable  during  that  period  as  being  the  place  where  the  English 
troops  under  Lord  Howe  landed,  previous  to  the  battle  of  Long  Island.  Such  an  important  point 
as  the  "Narrows"  could  not  long  escape  the  attention  of  the  government,  and  on  the  25th  of 
August,  1824,  Lieutenant  Talcott,  of  the  Corps  of  Engineers,  was  ordered  to  the  proposed  site  of 
Fort  Hamilton,  and  had  the  survey  made  and  prepared  the  wharves,  «&c.,  for  the  reception  of  ma. 
tcrial  and  the  commencement  of  work.  Ground  was  broken  on  the  20th  of  April,  1825,  Captain 
George  Blaney,  Corps  of  Engineers,  being  superintending  engineer,  and  Lieutenant  Mansfield, 
Corps  of  Engineers,  his  assistant,  being  in  immediate  charge.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  on  the 
llth  of  June,  1825 ;  the  fort  completed,  reported  ready  for  occupation,  and  turned  over  for  that 
purpose  on  the  10th  of  July,  1831,  by  Major  De  Rnssy,  who  was  then  in  charge  of  the  work. 

The  features  of  the  country  to  the  north  and  east  of  the  fort  are  peculiar.  Along  the  shore 
the  banks  are  precipitous,  and  the  fort  itself  stands  on  an  elevation  of  about  47  feet  above  low- 
water.  IJack  from  the  shore  the  land  becomes  rolling,  and  exhibits  a  series  of  elevations  and 
depressions  till  we  arrive  at  Flatlauds  and  Flatbush,  names  which  sufficiently  express  the  character 
of  the  surface. 

This  peculiar  feature  is  the  most  important  element,  next  to  its  insular  position,  in  the  topog- 
raphy of  the  post,  the  soil  being  alluvial,  consisting  for  the  most  part  of  clay  on  top,  then  sand, 
pebbles,  &c.,  and  frequently  a  second  stratum  of  clay,  and  the  rolling  character  of  the  surface,  pro- 
ducing numerous  depressions,  some  round,  some  oblong,  varying  in  size  from  30  feet  in  diameter  to 
as  many  yards.  The  result  is  that  the  whole  country  is  dotted  over  with  ponds  from  the  surface 
drainage.  Some  of  these  ponds  are  clear,  with  a  gravelly  or  clayey  bottom  and  grassy  borders ; 
others -are  surrounded  with  trees,  and  iilled  np  with  bushes  and  rank  grasses,  and  covered  in  sum- 
mer with  a  green  slime.  It  has  been  calculated  that  within  a  radius  of  a  mile  about  Fort  Hamilton 
there  arc  at  least  sixty  of  these  ponds.  East  of  the  fort,  near  the  new  battery,  is  a  marsh  of  con- 
siderable extent,  formed  by  the  drainage  of  the  higher  laud,  and  imperfectly  separated  by  a  bank  of 
sand  from  tide-water. 

The  reservation  contains  about  90  acres,  and  exhibits  all  the  peculiar  features  of  the  surround 
ing  country.  There  is  scarcely  a  level  spot  on  it ;  it  is  a  series  of  ridges  and  round  elevations 
with  depressions  of  every  conceivable  shape  between  them.  Its  general  direction  is  northeast  and 
southwest.  The  highest  part  is  the  northeast  corner,  which  is  00  feet  above  sea  level.  The  hospital 
is  built  on  an  elevation  of  42  feet ;  back  of  it  the  land  rises  to  53  feet.  An  extensive  marsh  or 
pond  occupies  the  ground  between  the  hospital  and  other  public  buildings. 

The  parade  ground  of  the  fort  is  45  or  50  feet  above  low  water.  There  are  six  small  ponds  or 
"  wet  spots"  on  the  reserve,  and  one  large  marsh  or  bog.  There  are  three  small  ponds  east  and 
northeast  of  the  hospital,  two  or  three  still  smaller  back  of  it,  and  one  of  considerable  size  back 
of  the  redoubt.  The  great  marsh  is  about  200  feet  in  its  long  diameter,  with  a  growth  of  long 
grass  and  stunted  bushes,  and  having  a  deposit  of  peat  on  one  border.  It  is  now  drained,  and  a 


FORT  HAMILTON,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR.  35 

viist  surface  formerly  under  water  is  now  exposed  to  the  influence  of  the  sun,  and  intermittent 
lexer  is  as  prevalent  now,  if  not  more  so,  as  before  this  drainage  was  effected. 

The  soil  where  it  is  not  stony  consists  of  a  clayey  loam  with  rich  muck  and  peat  beds  in  places, 
and  a  substratum  of  sand.  Boulders  of  all  sixes  are  scattered  over  the  surface,  and  patches  of 
pebbles  and  gravel  crop  out  here  and  there,  on  the  sides  of  declivities.  The  boulders  and  blocks 
are  principally  of  granite,  red  sandstone,  greenstone,  &c.  Trees  of  various  kinds  are  sparsely 
scattered  over  the  reserve,  the  principal  collection  being  a  grove  of  oak,  poplar,  maple,  dogwood, 
&c.,  near  the  northeast  extremity.  There  is  no  running  water,  and  there  are  no  springs.  The 
climate  at  Fort  Hamilton  is  variable,  the  monthly  mean  of  temperature  for  18CS  being  as  follows : 
January,  25°;  June,  62°;  December,  3G°.  The  prevailing  winds  are  southwest  in  summer,  and 
southeast  in  winter. 

The  quarters  for  the  men  are  stone  casemates,  each  44  by  14  by  12  feet,  badly  ventilated,  damp 
and  leaky,  and  totally  unfit  for  quarters.  The  air  space  per  man  is  about  17.3  cubic  feet.  The 
majority  of  the  enlisted  men  sleep  upon  bedsteads  composed  of  board  slats,  an  inch  thick,  sup- 
ported by  iron  trestles,  and  better  adapted  for  the  purpose  than  anything  in  use.  Bedding  of  suf- 
ficient quantity,  but  blankets  of  inferior  quality.  There  are  110  bath-rooms  or  lavatories,  the  men 
performing  their  ordinary  ablutions  at  the  wells  and  cisterns  near  their  quarters ;  during  the  summer 
months  they  bathe  frequently  in  the  bay  near  the,  fort.  The  water-closet  is  built  upon  the  fort 
dock,  over  the  water,  and  the  excreta  removed  by  the  tide.  It  being  the  only  water-closet  to 
which  the  men  have  access,  it  is  inconvenient  for  uight  purposes  on  account  of  its  distance  (about 
250  yards)  from  the  quarters.  The  introduction  of  the  earth-closet  in  one.  of  the  unoccupied  case- 
mates on  a  level  with  the  ditch  was  contemplated,  but  as  yet  no  action  has  been  taken  in  the 
matter.  The  kitchens  are  in  casemates  adjoining  the  quarters;  they  are  in  good  condition  and  of 
sufficient  capacity. 

The  quarters  of  the  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  two  sets  of  weather-boarded  frame 
buildings  built  on  the  northeastern  portion  of  the  reserve,  near  the  hospital,  on  a  slight  elevation ; 
one  set,  occupied  by  the  non-commissioned  staff,  75  by  2C  feet,  containing  four  rooms  12  by  18  feet, 
two  on  the  ground  floor  and  two  in  the  attic,  with  doors  intervening  and  piazzas  in  front  and  rear 
ventilation  excellent.  The  other  set,  occupied  by  laundresses,  is  11CJ  by  43  feet,  constructed  sim- 
ilar to  that  occupied  by  the  non  commissioned  staff,  with  the  exception  that  there  .are  no  doors 
communicating  between  the  front  and  rear  rooms,  thereby  preventing  the  proper  amount  of  ven- 
tilation, and  making  the  quarters  so  excessively  warm  during  the  summer  season  as  to  be  almost 
insupportable. 

The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  thirteen  casemates,  occupied  by  nine  officers  and  their  families, 
and  three  sets  of  one-story  frame  buildings  filled  in  with  brick,  and  with  Mansard  roofs,  the  latter 
consisting  of  one  set  of  colonel's  quarters,  occupied  by  the  commanding  officer,  one  double  set  cap- 
tain's, and  one  set  major's,  occupied  by  the  surgeon;  they  are  heated  by  coal  in  grates  .and  stoves 
during  the  winter  months,  and  supplied  with  water  from  wells  and  cisterns.  The  casemates  are 
dark  and  damp.  The  frame  buildings  were  put  up  in  the  cheapest  manner,  without  closets  or 
other  conveniences,  and  one  of  them  is  on  the  edge  of  a  peat  bog,  which  must  always  render  it 
an  unhealthy  residence.  It  was  built  there  in  opposition  to  the  advice  of  the  surgeon  of  the  post. 
The  water-closets  for  the  frame  buildings  consist  of  the  ordinary  privy  vaults.  Those  formerly  in 
use  for  officers'  quarters  in  casemates  have  been  abandoned  and  closed,  and  the  commode  or  earth- 
closet  recently  introduced.  The  earth-closet  does  not  appear  to  give  general  satisfaction,  the  objec- 
tion made  to  it  being  want  of  capacity,  non-deodorizing  quality  of  the  earth  supplied,  and  the  diffi- 
culty in  having  the  contents  of*- the  vessels  removed — objections,  however,  that  could  be  overcome 
with  proper  care  and  attention.  The  principal  difficulty  appears  to  be  in  having  the  vessels  emptied. 
It  was  made  the  duty  of  the  prisoners  confined  at  the  post,  but  the  majority  of  them  positively 
refused  to  do  it.  They  would  scatter  the  contents  over  the  closets.  Within  a  few  days  past  an 
extra  quantity  of  earth  and  barrels  have  been  placed  in  the  apartments  containing  the  closets,  with 
a  view  to  the  better  working  of  them.  From  personal  observation,  I  believe  the  system  to  be  good, 
and  preferable  to  the  vaults,  provided  all  due  care  be  taken  in  selecting  the  earth,  keeping  the 
apartments  in  good  working  order,  and  careful  removal  of  the  vessels  containing  the  excreta.  The 
old  hospital  building  might  have  been  erected  with  any  conceivable  object  except  that  of  a  hospital. 


36  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

It  has  not  the  first  element  of  such  a  structure,  being  situated  on  the  borders  of  a  marsh  and  cut 
up  into  four  little  rooms  on  the  lower  Jloor,  and  into  two  wards  on  the  upper,  of  which  it  is  suffi- 
cient to  say  that  the  ceilings  are  about  7  feet  from  the  floor,  and  the  windows  about  2i  feet  square, 
and  nearer  the  floor  than  the  ceilings. 

The  main  building  is  32  by  40  feet,  with  a  hall  7  feet  wide  running  through,  and  to  this  has 
been  added  a  wing  25  by  30  feet.  The  house  has  lately  been  .subdivided  by  board  partitions  into 
still  smaller  rooms,  and  is  occupied  by  eight  soldiers'  families — sixteen  adults  and  fourteen 
children. 

The  quartermaster's  storehouse  is  a  two-story  frame  building.  The  lower  story  has  two  rooms 
for  offices  in  front,  and  a  room  back,  40  by  20  feet,  for  stores.  The  upper  story,  for  camp  and 
garrison  equipage,  is  one  large  room,  65  by  20  feet.  The  commissary  storehouse  is  a  one-story 
shanty,  30  by  24  feet.  Beside  these  there  is  a  blacksmith  shop,  carpenter  shop,  and  a  fine  large 
new  stable,  capable  of  containing  fourteen  horses,  with  carriage-room  and  granary. 

The  post  hospital  is  what  is  called  a  "  temporary  hospital,"  built  of  frame,  and  partly  lathed 
and  plastered  inside  and  weather-boarded  outside,  with  ridge  ventilation  in  the  wards.  It  is  situ- 
ated near  the  upper  northeast  end  of  the  reserve,  on  a  moderate  eminence  about  130  yards  back 
from  the  State  road,  fronting  to  the  northwest,  its  greater  length  being  northeast  and  southwest. 
It  consists  of  four  separate  structures,  the  administration  building,  two  wards,  and  a  kitchen. 

The  administration  building  is  a  frame  house,  two  stories  high,  shingle  roof,  weather-boarded 
outside  and  lathed  and  plastered  inside.  Its  front  length  is  30  i'eet  by  25  deep.  A  passage-way 
runs  through  from  front  to  rear,  and  a  flight  of  steps  leads  thence  to  the  second  story.  There  are 
four  rooms  on  each  floor,  two  on  each  side  the  entry-way,  about  10  by  12  feet,  each  lighted  by  four 
windows.  The  ground  floor  rooms  on  the  left  of  the  entrance  are  used  as  surgeon's  office  and  dis- 
pensary; these  communicate,  and  the  dispensary  has  a  sliding  window  opening  into  the  entry  for 
the  delivery  of  prescriptions.  The  two  rooms  on  the  right  of  the  entrance  are  used  as  store-rooms, 
one  for  medical  supplies  and  the  other  for  bedding,  furniture,  &c.  Three  of  the  upper  rooms  are 
occupied  by  the  hospital  steward  and  his  family,  and  the  remaining  room  is  applied  to  the  purposes 
of  direction  and  chemical  and  microscopical  investigation.  The  two  wards,  one  on  each  side  of  the 
administrative  building,  are  on  a  line  with  its  rear,  and  are  88  feet  long  by  25  feet  wide;  height  of 
wall  to  the  eaves.  12  feet;  to  the  peak  of  roof,  18  feet.  The  walls  are  plastered  inside,  but  not  ceiled 
above,  being  open  to  the  roof,  where  a  ridge  ventilator,  with  shutters,  extends  thb  whole  length. 
The  northeast  ward  forms  one  large,  beautiful  room,  with  two  small  apartments  boarded  off'  at  the 
far  end,  one  for  nurses,  the  other  for  wash  and  bath-room. 

The  southwest  ward  is  divided  into  two  rooms  by  a  passage-way  through  the  building  from  front 
to  rear.  The  farther  room  is  used  as  a  ward,  and  has  two  small  apartments  boarded  off,  as  in  the 
large  ward ;  the  other  room  has  never  been  occupied  by  sick,  but  conlcl  be  applied  to  that  purpose 
if  needed.  It  has,  however,  served  for  examining  recruits,  as  a  sort  of  sitting-room  tor  con- 
valescents, &c.  The  wards  are  well  lighted  by  windows  on  all  sides — two  at  each  end,  and  seven 
front  and  seven  rear — with  space  between  each  window  for  two  beds.  A  porch  6  feet  wide  runs 
the  whole  length  of  each  ward  on  the  side  facing  the  northwest.  The  superficial  area  of  tlie  large 
ward  is  2,200  square  feet;  of  the  small  one,  1,075  square  feet;  total,  3,275  square  feet  now  applied 
to  hospital  purposes,  and  furnishing  in  cubic  space  47,487  cubic  feet,  or  about  1,180  cubic  feet  of 
air  space  per  bed.  At  the  end  of  each  ward  is  a  door  opening  upon  a  platform,  leading  to  a  small 
water-closet,  from  which  a  urinal  and  drain  convey  the  water  to  a  cesspool,  and  in  which  provision 
is  made  for  the  reception  of  the  discharges  of  patients  who  are  too  sick  to  resort  to  the  privy. 
Each  little  house,  about  the  size  of  a  sentry's  box,  is  separated  from  the  ward,  so  that  a  current  of 
air  passes  between  them. 

The  kitchen  is  a  one-story  structure,  40  feet  to  the  rear  of  the  administrative  building;  the 
walls  are  plastered,  but  the  ceiling  is  open  to  the  roof.  It  is  divided  into  two  rooms.  The  kitchen 
proper  is  14  by  24  feet,  and  the  mess-room  10  by  24  feet.  A  small  apartment  for  a  pantry  is 
boarded  oft*  from  one  end  of  the  kitchen,  and  a  snug  little  cellar,  bricked  all  around,  with  entrance 
from  the  outside,  is  built  under  it. 

The  above-described  buildings  are  all  connected  by  means  of  a  covered  corridor.  40  by  50  feet 


FORT  HAMILTON,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR.  37 

<nul  4  feet  wide,  in  the  shape  of  a  cross,  which  makes  a  convenient  passage-way  between  the 
administrative  building,  the  wards,  and  the  kitchen. 

The  houses  arc  painted  outside  a  yellowish  brown  color,  with  red  window  sashes  and  green 
blinds;  the  doors  are  walnut  color.  The  store-rooms  arc  shelved  on  all  sides.  The  large  ward 
contains  thirty  iron  bedsteads,  with  chairs  and  bedside  tables;  the  small  ward  contains  twelve  iron 
bedsteads.  The  hospital  is  warmed  by  stoves,  two  in  the  large  ward  and  one  in  the  small  one,  and 
one  in  each  of  the  other  rooms  when  required.  The  water  is  furnished  by  two  large  excellent 
cisterns,  14  feet  deep  by  12  diameter,  bricked  and  cemented,  and  arched  above.  One  cistern  sup- 
plies  water  to  the  kitchen  ;  the  other  is  fitted  with  a  pump  in  the  open  air.  The  large  and  clean 
surface  of  the  shingle  roofs  affords  an  unfailing  supply  of  good  water.  Two  cess-pools,  with  drains 
of  vitrified  pipe,  are  connected,  one  with  the  wash-room  and  water-closet  of  the  northeast  ward, 
the  other  with  the  southwest  ward  and  kitchen  ;  they  are  8  feet  deep  by  7  feet  in  diameter,  of  open 
brick-work. 

The  hospital  grounds  embrace  nbont  two  acres,  and  are  surrounded  with  a  good  picket  fence. 
The  larger  portion  lies  in  front  of  the  hospital,  between  it  and  the  State  road,  and  has  been  culti- 
vated as  a  garden.  The  grounds  in  the  rear  of  the  buildings  are  still  in  grass.  The  privy  is  situ- 
ated here,  about  50  yards  back  of  the  kitchen;  it  contains  eight  seats,  separated  from  each  other 
by  partitions,  shoulder-high.  A  good  root-house  has  been  built;  it  is  20  feet  square  and  C  feet 
dee]),  covered  with  earth  and  sod,  and  father  protected  from  the  rains  by  a  shingle  roof;  it  is 
boarded  inside,  is  perfectly  dry,  and  maintains  a  temperature  never  below  40°  P.,  even  in  the  coldest 
part  of  winter. 

It  appears  there  never  has  been  until  lately  a  building  suitable  for  a  hospital ;  and  it  is  some- 
what strange  that  at  a  permanent  post  like  Fort  Hamilton  such  a  state  of  things  should  have 
existed  for  over  thirty-five  years.  In  1852,  Assistant  Surgeon  Eaton  says  :  "There  is  no  hospital 
building  at  this  post,  and  since  I  have  been  stationed  here  great  suffering  and  many  deaths  of  sol- 
diers have  taken  place  for  want  of  hospital  accommodations.'1  "For  want  of  hospital  and  other 
room,  many  of  the  sick"  on  one  occasion  "  were  exposed  in  the  large  horse  stable,  without  fire,  in 
the  month  of  November ;"  and  he  reports  that  "  twenty  or  thirty  died."  How  such  a  state  of  things 
could  exist  it-  is  hard  to  explain.  A  building  was  finally  erected  to  serve  as  a  hospital.  (See 
old  hospital  description  of  buildings.)  It  was  built  without  any  regard  for  the  purpose  in- 
tended, and  was  so  uncomfortable  that  it  was  finally  abandoned.  In  the  spring  of  18(57  the  sick 
occupied  the  upper  story  of  an  old  barrack,  into  which  the  wind  blew  by  a  thousand  holes  and 
the  rain  dripped  by  a  thousand  leaks.  A  report  of  the  condition  of  things  was  made  through  the 
commanding  officer,  and  plans  for  a  hospital  submitted.  A  year  passed  by  and  no  not  ice  was  taken 
of  the  matter.  A  report  was  then  made  direct  to  the  Surgeon  General.  This  met  with  a  response. 
and  a  temporary  hospital  was  ordered  to  be  erected.  It  was  the  winter  season,  and  great  difficul- 
ties had  to  be  contended  with  ;  the  plans  also,  made  by  the  Quartermaster's  Department  were  open 
to  criticism.  However,  after  a  lapse  of  thirty-five  years,  a  hospital  was  finally  built,  and  was 
occupied  in  the  summer  of  18G9. 

Water  is  supplied  from  wells  and  cisterns;  it  is  abundant  and  of  good  quality,  except  that 
supplied  from  cisterns,  which  occasionally  becomes  foul  from  earthy  deposits. 

The  natural  drainage  is  bad;  the  ground  being  hilly,  the  water  collects  in  the  hollows,  forming 
ponds,  that  have  become  filled  with  rank  vegetation,  the,  depth  of  water  continually  varying,  being 
filled  during  the  winter  and  spring  by  rain 'and  snow,  and  in  the  summer  and  autumn  becoming  so 
nearly  dry  as  to  expose  almost  the  entire  beds  to  the  direct  solar  rays.  There  are  numerous  ponds 
and  marshes  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  reserve,  for  the  drainage  of  which  an  appropriation 
was  made  by  the  civil  authorities  last  fall;  but  no  attempt  was  made  to  carry  it  into  effect  until 
last  spring,  when  six  or  seven  ponds  and  marshes  lying  south  of  and  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
reserve  were  effectually  drained.  It  is  the  intention  of  the  civil  authorities  to  renew  the  drainage 
the  latter  part  of  next  fall,  and  the  three  ponds  remaining  on  the  reserve  could  be  effectually 
drained  at  the  same  time  with  little  labor  and  but  little  expense  to  the  government.  The  artificial 
drainage  consists  of  a  large  sewer,  built  in  connection  with  the  ditch  in  the  permanent  fortification, 
and  into  which  the  superficial  drains  and  water-pipes  lead,  discharging  into  the  bay.  Slops,  offal, 
and  excreta  are  thrown  into  the  bay  and  removed  by  the  tide. 


38 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


About  eight  acres  of  land  have  been  heretofore  cultivated  as  gardens  by  the  companies.  The 
hospital  garden  embraces  nearly  two  acres.  The  ordinary  crops — potatoes,  turnips,  cabbage,  &c. — 
flourish  well ;  and  the  command  is  abundantly  supplied  with  fresh  vegetables. 

The  prevailing  diseases  during  the  past  winter  were  catarrh,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  scarletina, 
intermittent  fever,  syphilis,  and  gonorrhoea.  During  the  summer  months  intermittent  fever, 
diarrhea,  and  dysentery.  Owing  to  the  numerous  ponds  and  marshes  in  the  district,  malarial 
diseases  are  quite  prevalent. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Hamilton,  New  York 

Harbor,  for  the  years  1SG8  and  1809. 


Years. 

j 

t 

i 

c 

1 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhea  and 
clysentary. 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  dis- 
eases. 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

C'atarrhal  af- 
fections.* 

X 

>2 

i 
q 

<3 

"8 
1 

1868     . 

235.  58 

570 

295 

54 

25 

42 

:!') 

1 

lr> 

1869  

221.08 

r>42 

:ui 

:!9 

14 

36 

18 

88 

*  Incltiilr  Inryiiiiitis,  lirmu'liitU.  piiriiiiic>iii:i.  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  WOOD,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  H.  C.  YARROW,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Bedloe's  Island,  upon  which  is  situated  For!  Wood,  is  a  small  island  of  about  twelve  acres  in 
extent,  situated  in  Upper. New  York  Bay,  about  twenty  statute  miles  (according  lo  tue  Coast  Sur- 
vey chart)  from  Sandy  Hook,  one  and  a  half  miles  from  Jersey  City,  and  2,950  yards  from  the  Bat 
tery,  New  York  City. 

The  first  owner  of  this  island  of  whom  we  have  .any  record  was  Isaac  IJedloe,  a  native  of  New 
Amsterdam,  by  whose  name  it  is  st'ill  known.  Mr.  Bedlocdied  in  the  year  1<>72.  His  representa- 
tives some  years  subsequently  sold  the  island,  and  it  afterward  came  into  the  possession  of  Captain 
Archibald  Kennedy,  (afterward  Earl  of  Cassilis,)  who  at  that  time  commanded  the  naval  station, 
under  the  British  government,  in  this  harbor.  Captain  Kennedy  occupied  the  island  as  a  summer 
residence,  and  for  a  number  of  years  it  was  distinguished  as  Kennedy's  Island.  It  subsequently 
became  the  property  of  the  State,  and  by  act  of  the  legislature  in  1800,  it  was  ceded  to  the  United 
States  government,  by  whom  it  is  now  occupied  as  a  military  station.  Fortifications  of  a  formida- 
ble character  have  been,  from  time  to  time,  erected  on  the  side  facing  the  channel  of  the  harbor. 
The  authority  to  serve  process  on  this  island,  from  courts  of  New  York,  was  reserved  in  the  act  of 
cession  to  the  general  government. 

In  the  Gazetteer  of  the  State  of  New  York,  by  Smith,  the  island  is  mentioned  as  having  been 
granted  to  Bedloe  by  Governor  Nicoll ;  also  its  possession  by  Kennedy,  and  its  subsequent  use  by 
the  State  as  a  quarantine  station  until  it  was  ceded  to  the  government  in  1800.  After  giving  the 
above  facts  he  states:  "This  island  is  now  occupied  by  Fort  Wood,  erected  in  1841,  at  a  cost  of 
$213,000,  upon  the  site  of  a  fort  built  about  the  beginning  of  the  century."  (It  may  be  proper  to 
mention  here  that  the  new  fort  spoken  of  by  Smith  is  simply  a  continuation  of  the  original  work. 
as  a  stone  tablet  in  the  wall  of  one  of  the  buildings  gives  the  date  of  its  commencement  as  1S14.) 
The  same  author  further  states  that  it  is  intended  to  mount  seventy-seven  guns,  and  have  a  garri- 
son of  three  hundred  and  fifty  men,  and  that  in  the  year  1849  it  was  used  as  a  hospital  by  the  com 
missioners  of  emigration.  In  regard  to  one  of  the  uses  to  which  this  island  was  put,  probably  the 
same  mentioned  by  Valentine,  I  find,  in  the  "History  of  the  City  of  New  York,"  by  Mary  L.  Booth, 
the  following : 

In  1738  a  sort  of  quarantine  was  established  at  Beilloe's  Island.     The  small-]>ox  was  raging  in  South  Carolina  as  it 
had  raged  in  New  York  seven  or  eight  yeai-s  before,  and  the  citizens,  alarmed  at  the  danger,  entreated  that  all  suspected 


I'OUT  WOOD,   NKW   V01JK  IIAUHOK.  39 

vc:.-.cls  .should  anchor  at  llcdloe's  Islmiil,  nor  be.  suffered  to  discharge  their  cargoes  until  they  hail  tir.st  been  \  i.-iled  ami 
examined  by  physicians  appointed  for  (lie,  purpose.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and  the  ]>anic;  soon  ceased. 

Under  the  heading  of  "Quarantine"  of  the  State  of  New  York,  in  Apple-ton's  ••American  Cy- 
clopedia v  for  ISC.'!,  I  lind  UK-  following  in  regard  to  this  island : 

The  earliest  special  act  In  prevent  (he  spread  of  infectious  diseases  was  passed    about    one    1 dred  years  :ij>o,  and 

iu  17U4  a  regular  i|iiarantine  was  estnblished  on  (lovernor's  Island.  A  <iuaranliue  was  begun  on  Jiedloe's  Island  in  1797, 
but  tile  severity  of  the  yellow  lexer  the  next  year  induced  the  State  to  authorize  the  purchase  of  thirty  acres  in  the 
town  of  Castlclon,  Stateu  Island,  to  which  tin1  P.edloe's  Island  building  was  removed. 

The  present  hospital  was  commenced  in  the  year  1851,  and  two  years'  time  was  required  to  fin- 
ish it. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  late  war  Fort  Wood  was  not  garrisoned,  but  was  left  in  charge 
of  an  ordnance  sergeant. 

DESCRIPTION   Ol''   THE   1'OST. 

Fort  Wood,  which  is  situated  upon  Uedloe's  Island,  is  a  star-shaped  fort,  built  of  (Jniney  gran- 
ite. According  to  a  stone  which  is  inserted  in  one  of  the  garrison  buildings,  the  date  of  its  com- 
mencement was  the  year  1S14.  The  men's  barracks  within  the  quadrangle  of  the  fort  arc  suffi 
ciently  capacious  to  hold  about  I  wo  hundred  men,  allowing  an  air  space  of  about  (SOU  cubic  feet  to 
each  ;  and  there  are  also  comfortable  accommodations  for  eight  or  ten  ollicers.  The  barracks  are 
two  stories,  built  of  brick,  and  their  dimensions  are  as  follows:  Upper  room,  "»;'•  feet  long  by  L'U  feet 
wide;  lower  room,  ."it!  feet  long  by  I'M  feet  wide.  In  addition  to  the  men's  quarters  in  the  brick 
buildings  spoken  of  above,  there  are  the  following  rooms:  Men's  kitchen,  54  feet  long  by  18  feet 
wide;  wash-room,  1!)  feet  long  by  18  feet  wide;  bake-house,  19  feet  longby  15  feet  wide;  six  rooms 
for  officers'  mess-house  and  quarters  of  ordnance  sergeant,  besides  officers'  quarters,  guard-house, 
office,  &c.,  making  in  all  forty-four  rooms. 

The  garrison  is  supplied  with  water  by  four  large  cisterns,  holding  in  all  about  400,000  gallons. 
These  cisterns  are  filled  with  Croton  water,  brought  over  in  the  tanks  of  the  quartermaster's  steamers, 
Outside  the  garrison  there  are  seven  small  cisterns,  holding  about  15,707  gallons,  which  are  sup- 
plied in 'the  same  way  as  those  within  the  garrison. 

During  the,  late  war  of  the  rebellion  Uedloe's  Island  was  chosen  as  a  general  hospital,  and  a 
number  of  temporary  barracks  of  wood  were  erected.  At  present  there  are  nine  of  these  barracks 
or  wards  occupied  as  men's  quarters,  beside  others  used  as  store-houses,  offices,  ordnance  store- 
rooms, laundress's  quarters,  <S;c.  These  buildings  were  constructed  substantially  of  boards,  and 
careful  attention  was  given  to  ventilation.  The  principal  objection  to  them  appears  to  be  that  the 
floors  are  almost  level  with  the  earth  beneath.  The  average  size  of  these  buildings  may  be  stated 
as  00  feet  long  by  L'O  feet  wide. 

DESCRIPTION   Ol''   THE   POST   HOSPITAL. 

The  post  hospital  at  Fort  Wood  consists  of  a  three-story  brick  building,  situated  at  the  north- 
west extremity  of  Ucdloe's  Island.  Its  dimensions  are  as  follows:  50  feet  long  by  42  feet  wide, 
and  CO  feet  high.  Its  front  or  principal  entrance  faces  to  the  southeast.  The  building  is 
placed  directly  upon  the  ground,  and  has  no  basement  or  cellar  beneath  it,  which  I  consider  unfor- 
tunate, as  the  ground  floor  has  been  found  by  experience  to  be  very  damp.  The  ground  floor  is 
divided  into  the  following  rooms :  To  the  right  of  the  passage  a  small  room  19  feet  long  by  8  feet 
wide,  used  as  an  office ;  next,  a  small  room  18  feet  long  by  8  feet  wide,  used  as  a  furnace,  lamp,  and 
porter's  room ;  next,  a  small  room  7  feet  long  by  G  feet  wide,  in  which  the  cook  sleeps ;  and  finally, 
the  dining-room,  18£  feet  long  by  18  feet  wide,  communicating  by  a  small  passage  with  the  kitchen, 
which  is  17£  feet  long  by  8  feet  wide.  It  will  be  plainly  seen  that  space  has  not  been  economized 
in  the  arrangements  of  the  first  story,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  no  better  place  exists  for  the 
keeping  of  the  hospital  food.  The  ceilings  on  the  first  floor  are  8  feet  high.  On  the  second  floor 
there  are  four  wards,  two  on  each  side  of  the  passage,  and  a  bath-room  and  water-closet.  The 
wards  are  18  feet  long  by  18  feet  wide,  and  are  separated  from  each  other  by  small  doors.  The 
arrangements  of  the  third  floor  arc  even  worse  than  that  of  the  ground  floor,  as  it  is  divided  into 
no  less  than  nine  rooms,  occupied  as  steward's  room,  bath-room,  and  water-closet ;  tank-room,  knap- 
sack-room, linen-room,  store-room,  &e. 


40  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  .supply  of  water  for  the  hospital  is  arranged  as  follows:  In  the  yard  is  a  cistern  contain- 
ing, when  filled,  about  10,000  gallons  of  water.  The  water,  whieli  is  from  the  Croton  aqueduct,  is 
brought  to  the  island  by  means  of  water-boats,  and  from  them  distributed  to  the  cisterns  supply- 
ing the  garrison.  With  the  hospital  cistern  there  is  connected  by  a  lead  pipe  a  powerful  force- 
pump,  worked  by  hand,  and  placed  in  the  kitchen.  This  pump  throws  the  water  into  a  tank 
placed  in  the  third  story  of  the/building.  Constant  care  is  taken  to  keep  the  cistern  and  tank  clean 
and  sweet,  and  where  it  is  suspected  that  organic;  matter  is  present,  permanganate  of  potassa  is 
added  sufficient  to  render  innocuous  any  deleterious  substances. 

Of  the  water-closets  in  the  building  (two  in  number)  too  much  cannot  be  said  of  their  evil 
arrangements.  They  are  connected,  by  means  of  pipes,  with  a  cistern  in  the  yard,  which,  it  should 
be  stated  is  not  more  than  0  or  3  feet  from  the  drinking-water  cistern.  The  drain  from 
the  privy  passes  under  the  sea-wall  upon  the  beach.  The  objection  to  this  system  of  drain 
age  is  as  follows:  In  case  the  drain  between  the  foul-water  cistern  and  the  privy  becomes  choked 
up,  it  becomes  necessary  to  remove  the  stone  slabs  which  cover  it  and  remove  the  cause  of  stop- 
page. If  care  be  not  taken  to  dig  out  the  drain  from  the  privy  to  the  beach  every  da\,  the  con- 
stant action  of  the  tide  fills  up  the  passage-way.  Last,  though  not  least,  the  close  proximity  of 
the  drinking-water  cistern  to  the  foul-water  cistern  must  certainly  be  considered  as  dangerous  to 
the  well-being  of  the  patients  who  use  the  water.  Large  quantities  of  various  and  approved  dis- 
infectants have  been  used  to  sweeten  the  foul-water  cistern,  but  without  effect,  and  the  stench 
arising  therefrom  at  times  is  intolerable.  The  only  means  by  which  it  can  be  kept  in  any  way  ap- 
proaching to  cleanliness  has  been  to  force  water  from  the  bay  into  it,  by  means  of  a  tire-engine, 
and  allow  it  to  rush  through  the  drain,  thus  carrying  off  the  accumulated  tilth.  This  plan  was 
recommended  to  the  commanding  ollicer,  and  has  been  faithfully  (tarried  out  under  the  direction  of 
the  provost  sergeant. 

The  heating  of  the  hospital  building  is  accomplished  by  means  of  a  large  furnace  and  numer- 
ous grates,  and  the  consumption  of  coal  in  winter  averages  10,000  pounds  monthly. 

In  the  yard  attached  to  the  hospital  are  several  frame  sheds,  used  as  store-houses  for  con- 
demned property,  and  the  privy  already  spoken  of. 

The  ventilation  of  the  hospital  is  by  no  means  perfect,  owing  in  part  to  the  numerous  parti- 
tions which  at  present  exist. 

The  necessity  of  frequent  bathing  for  the  enlisted  men  at  this  post  as  a  sanitary  agent  in  pro- 
moting their  health  has  been  fully  recognized,  although  no  facilities  other  than  the  beach  affords 
are  at  present  offered  for  frequent  baths.  It  was  clearly  proved  during  the  cholera  season  of  last 
year  that  those  men  who  bathed  frequently,  enjoyed  a  perfect  immunity  from  the  cholera  and  dis- 
eases analogous  in  character. 

Burials. — In  the  event  of  the  death  of  an  enlisted  man  at  this  post,  the  government  under- 
taker is  notified,  and  the  body  sent  to  New  York  City  in  charge  of  a  guard  of  honor;  thence  it  is 
removed  to  the  Cypress  Hill  Cemetery. 

Amusements  and  Recreations  of  the  Men. — No  billiard-room,  gymnasium,  or  library  is  at  present 
connected  with  the  post. 

Bunks. — The  bunks  used  by  enlisted  men  of  this  command  are  of  three  different  varieties,  viz., 
the  ordinary  well-known  iron  army  bunk  or  bedstead,  the  wooden  two  storied  bunk  designed  for 
four  men,  and  the  new  bunk  invented  by  General  Wallcn  and  bearing  his  name.  Of  the  three,  the 
old-fashioned  folding  bunk  is  preferable,  as  taking  up  less  room,  being  comfortable  to  the  occupant, 
and  not  being  liable  to  vermin.  The  Wallen  bunk  is  composed  of  two  iron  pieces,  head  and  foot- 
board, with  a  wooden  frame,  having  underneath  a  sliding-box  for  containing  the  cleaning  utensils, 
&c.,  of  the  soldier.  This  is  an  admirable  bunk  for  permanent  posts,  but  is  open  to  the  objection 
that  it  takes  up  considerable  room,  is  costly,  and  contains  numerous  crevices  where  vermin  can 
harbor.  The  most  objectionable  bunk  is  the  two-story  wooden  one,  which  is  opposed  to  all  sanitary 
and  (in  the  question  of  soldiers)  all  moral  laws.  They  become  infested  with  vermin,  and  cannot  be, 
cleaned  without  taking  apart,  which  process  involves  great  trouble  and  liability  to  breakage. 


FORT  SCHUYLEE,  NEW  YORK  HARBOE. 


41 


Disinfection. — The  importance  of  this  very  essential  sanitary  measure  has  always  been  fully 
recognized  at  this  post.  All  the  receptacles  of  foul  water,  slops,  &c.,  water-closets,  privies,  and 
drains,  are  thoroughly  and  carefully  disinfected  daily. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Wood,  Neic  York 

Harbor,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

Moan  strength. 

Whole  nnmber 
taken  sick. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  dis- 
eases. 

>> 

> 
L 

a 
1 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions.* 

1 

1868 

212  25 

647 

18 

173 

9 

61 

1 

58 

114 

1 

1869  ... 

34. 

81 

2 

13 

3 

7 

1 

17 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  SCHUYLER,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  C.  B.  WHITE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Schuyler  is  situated  upon  Throgg's  Point,  a  narrow  projection  of  Westchester  County, 
New  York,  at  the  junction  of  the  East  Eiver  with  Long  Island  Sound — latitude  40°  48'  45"  north, 
longitude  73°  42'  48"  west  from  Greenwich.  It  is  distant  from  the  City  Hall,  New  York  City,  seven- 
teen miles;  from  Long  Island  shore  about  one  mile;  from  Westchester,  the  post  office  of  the  fort, 
three  miles ;  and  from  Williams'  Bridge,  Fordham,  and  Fremont,  (stations  OH  the  New  York  and 
Harlem  and  New  York  and  New  Haven  railroads,)  about  six  miles.  There  is  daily  communication 
with  New  York  City  by  steamer ;  and  by  rail  the  city  can  be  reached  at  any  time  in  about  two 
hours. 

The  reservation  was  purchased  in  1826,  work  was  begun  on  the  fort  in  1833,  and  it  was  con- 
sidered ready  for  armament  in  1856.  The  neck  of  the  peninsula  was  the  site  of  the  McDougall 
general  hospital  during  the  late  war.  The  peninsula  is  a  narrow  strip  of  ground  nearly  half  a  mile 
in  length,  with  an  average  elevation  above  the  water  of  25  feet,  and  including  an  area  of  fifty-two 
acres.  The  soil  is  sandy,  with  patches  of  yellow  clay,  and  is  only  productive  on  the  addition  of 
fertilizers. 

The  climate  is  milder  than  that  of  the  adjacent  country,  the  average  temperature  for  1869  being 
53°,  with  extremes  of  94°  F.  and  15°  F.,  and  amount  of  rain-fall  43.38  inches. 

The  fort  is  on  the  outer  end  of  the  peninsula,  and  is  a  regular  casemated  structure  of  gneiss. 

The  quarters  for  the  troops  are  the  finished  and  closed  casemates  upon  the  land  side  of  the 
fort.  These  rooms  are  eight  in  number,  and  in  two  tiers.  The  lower  rooms  measure  47  feet  6 
inches  by  18  feet,  and  the  upper  ones  48  feet  by  18  feet  6  inches,  the  height  of  each  averaging  about 
13  feet.  Each  room  has  two  large  fireplaces,  but  to  warm  them  properly  in  severe  winter  weather 
it  has  been  found  necessary  to  resort  to  stoves.  Each  room  has  three  windows  in  the  rear,  two 
windows  and  a  door  in  front,  and  at  the  end  of  the  room,  over  the  windows  and  doors,  an  opening 
for  ventilation  2  by  1£  feet,  closing  with  a  shutter.  The  average  air  space  per  man  is  about  507 
cubic  feet.  They  are  fitted  up  with  single  bunks,  consisting  of  iron  head  and  foot  supports,  with  a 
wooden  bottom. 

Within  30  feet  of  the  quarters  is  a  shed  over  a  well  and  pump,  fitted  up  as  a  wash-room  for  the 
iise  of  enlisted  men.  There  is  no  bath-room  connected  with  the  quarters ;  in  summer  the  men 
bathe  in  the  sea.  The  privies  for  the  men's  use  are  in  a  flagged  yard  inclosed  from  the  parade,  in 
front  of  and  about  35  feet  from  the  quarters.  The  kitchens  and  mess-rooms  are  wooden  buildings, 
outside  the  fort. 

Quarters  for  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  in  a  one-story  frame  building  near  the  main- 
land, 150  feet  long  and  divided  into  twenty-four  rooms,  intended  for  12  sets  of  quarters.    The 
6 


42 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


larger  portion  of  the  rooms  available  at  tbis  post  for  officers'  quarters  are  in  the  laud  side  line  of  case 
mates  south  of  the  main  entrance.  These  casemates,  similar  in  size  to  those  occupied  by  the  men, 
have  been  plastered,  and  divided  by  halls  and  partitions  into  rooms  averaging  16£  by  18J  feet.  A 
wide  veranda,  communicating  with  the  lower  floor  by  iron  stairways,  runs  along  the  front  of  the 
second  story.  The  lower  floors  are  damp  in  summer.  In  front  the  courtyard  is  laid  out  in  garden 
plots,  with  greensward  and  some  trees.  The  sinks  are  in  the  front  yard,  like  those  of  the  enlisted 
men.  There  are  also  four  plastered  rooms  available  for  officers'  use  in  a  one-story  brick,  tin-roofed 
building  near  the  government  wharf. 

The  quarters  of  the  post  surgeon  are  three  small  rooms  and  a  kitchen,  in  a  temporary  wooden 
building  near  the  hospital.  There  are  no  bath-rooms  connected  with  the  officers'  quarters,  and 
their  water  supply  is  by  water-cart  and  barrels. 

The  quartermaster's  and  commissary  storehouse  is  a  two-story  frame  building,  well  suited  to 
its  purpose. 

The  guard-house  is  in  a  casemate  by  the  sally-port.  The  guard-room  measures  8  by  3G  feet ; 
the  prison  room  28£  by  24J  feet;  the  height  of  each  being  12  feet.  Each  room  has  a  ventilating 
tube  passing  through  the  masonry  of  the  ceiling,  and  they  are  sufficiently  lighted  and  dry. 

The  hospital  is  a  frame  building 
171  feet  in  length,  22  feet  wide  in  the 
wings,  and  32  feet  wide  in  the  center 
buildings.  It  was  originally  a  part 
of  the  general  hospital  above  referred 
to,  and  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  the 
glacis. 

The  plan  of  the  building  is  given 

|— P  r  i  — I  -,  in  Fig.  4 :  1   designating  the  base- 

|       I   I    _ij  I    ^  j   L   |  |     °  »i        Intent,   2   the  first  floor,  and  3  the 

second  floor  of  the  central  part  of 
the  building;  A  A,  store-rooms ;  B, 
laundry;  C,  linen-room;  D,  pump- 
room  ;  E,  kitchen ;  F,  mess-room ; 
HH,  wards;  I, dispensary;  K, office; 
L,  bath-room ;  M,  water-closets ; 


0— - ,   ftfE- 


E 


F 


H 


H 


2 

Figure  4. 


matron's  room ;  O,  steward's   quar 
ters;  P,  veranda. 

Each  ward  is  63  by  21  feet  and  15  feet  in  height,  and  has  ridge  ventilation.  But  one  ward  is  used 
as  such,  and  it  contains  but  ten  beds,  although  intended  for  fifteen.  It  is  warmed  by  two  stoves 

The  laundry  is  fitted  up  with  stationary  tubs,  with  hot  and  cold  water  pipes.  The  kitchen 
contains  a  range  with  water-back,  and  a  copper  boiler  of  300  gallons  capacity. 

A  rain-water  tank,  9  feet  1  inch  by  2  feet  7  inches  by  5  feet,  intended  to  contain  1,000  gallons, 
was  put  up  in  1809  in  the  rear  extension  of  the  main  building,  over  the  uater-closets.  It  receives 
the  drainage  from  the  adjacent  roofs.  There  is  no  dead-house. 

Earth  closets  or  commodes  have  been  recently  introduced  in  the  hospital,  and  the  results  are 
very  satisfactory. 

The  post  library  contains  about  800  volumes,  many  of  which  are  of  value  and  interest.  It  is 
open  to  the  soldiers  at  all  times,  and,  being  well  warmed  and  lighted,  is  a  favorite  place  of  resort 
in  winter  evenings. 

The  water  supply  of  the  post  is  from  wells;  the  quantity  is  ample,  and  the  quality  usually 
good.  The  natural  drainage  is  excellent.  A  sewer  underlies  the  fort,  connected  with  a  large  res- 
ervoir, which  is  filled  at  high  tide,  from  which  the  water  can  be  let  ofi'  as  required  to  flush  the 
sinks,  &c. 

Company,  officers',  and  hospital  gardens  are  cultivated,  and  produce  a  large  quantity  of  vege- 
tables. 

During  the  warm  months  the  men  are  encouraged  to  bathe  frequently  in  the  salt  water,  and  a 


WILLET'S  POINT,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR. 


43 


convenient  space  is  set  apart  for  their  use.    There  is  uo  provision  for  their  bathing  in  winter,  except 
when  admitted  to  hospital. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good,  and  uo  disease  can  be  said  to  prevail. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Schuyler,  Neic  York 

Harbor,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


-= 

1       £ 

»               S 

TS 

,i 

- 

. 

Years. 

I 

•£   •'           > 

So                -J-: 

5  I          "3 

3     &' 

2  S 

i 

|S 

3 

OD 

s     7 

i     - 

5 
'S 

i 

"     a: 

"^    .S 

'S 

« 

3  .* 

"      ? 

"S 

t     ;- 

3 

3 

•§  » 

'S 

g     . 

r  5          ~S 

s   rs 

g 

J9 

•S 

o  v 

0 

S 

£             S 

S 

>• 

M 

S 

1868 

136  66 

3^9              18 

98 

25 

26 

IS 

1 

7 

1869 

119  58 

456            36 

13S 

28 

19 

48 

1 

83 

'  Include  laryugitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  aii*l  pleurisy. 


WILLET'S  POINT,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR, 

REPORTS  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  C.  DKWITT  AND  J.  H.  JANEWAY,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Willet's  Point,  a  part  of  Long  Island,  is  situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the  East  River,  fifteen 
miles  from  New  York  City,  opposite  Fort  Schuyler;  latitude  north  40°  47'  25,"  longitude  west  73° 
40'  15  ;"  east  from  Washington  3°  16'  33." 

Having  been  selected  as  a  site  for  fortifications  for  the  defense  of  New  York  City,  a  portion, 
consisting  of  110  acres,  was  purchased  by  the  government  July  9,  1857,  from  George  Irving.  In 
September,  1862,  the  construction  of  the  post  commenced  and  has  been  in  progress  up  to  the 
present,  (June,  1870.)  May  11,  1863,  the  remainder  of  the  Point  (26.35  acres)  was  purchased  by 
the  government. 

During  the  first  years  of  the  rebellion  a  part  of  the  ground  was  occupied  as  a  depot  for  recruits 
and  as  a  camping  ground  for  volunteer  troops.  In  1804  the  Grant  General  Hospital  was  estab- 
lished on  the  Point,  consisting  of  thirty-seven  wards,  with  a  capacity  of  1,410  beds.  This  hospital 
was  in  existence  for  one  year.  After  the  close  of  the  Avar  the  post  was  made  a  depot  for  engineer 
stores  and  material,  headquarters  of  battalion  of  engineers,  and  has  since  that  time  been  garrisoned 
by  three  companies  of  the  engineer  battalion. 

Willet's  Point  is  an  irregular,  oval,  undulating  tract  of  land,  the  long  axis  running  from  the 
northwest  to  southeast,  the  highest  point  being  the  extreme  northwest  portion,  which  is  80  feet 
above  low  water.  Communication  with  the  mainland  is  made  by  a  narrow  strip  of  laud  on  the 
southwest.  On  the  north,  northeast,  and  southeast  it  is  bounded  by  Great  and  Little  Bays ;  on  the 
northwest  by  the  East  River  and  Little  Bay,  and  on  the  south  and  southwest  by  a  salt  marsh  and 
the  narrow  strip  of  land  above  referred  to.  The  shores  are  washed  by  tide  water,  the  average  rise 
of  which  is  8  feet;  the  spring  tides  overflow  the  salt  marsh. 

The  quarters  for  enlisted  men  consist  of  part  of  the  wards  of  the  old  general  hospital,  four 
being  assigned  to  each  company.  They  are  wooden  buildings,  the  walls  only  being  plastered, 
length  106  feet,  breadth  20  feet,  height  10J  feet,  provided  with  both  ridge  and  eave  ventilation,  and 
have  thirty-one  windows  and  two  doors  each.  In  summer  twenty-seven,  and  in  winter  forty-five, 
soldiers  are  usually  quartered  in  each. 

These  barracks  were  intended  for  temporary  structures  only,  and  although  still  habitable  in 
summer,  are  unfit  for  quarters  during  the  cold  season,  the  walls  being  thin  and  the  floors  warped. 
They  are  heated  by  stoves,  but  during  the  cold  northeast  storms  which  prevail  during  the  winter 
it  is  almost  impossible  to  keep  them  warm.  They  contain  no  lavatories  or  bath-rooms. 

Three  new  barracks  are  now  being  erected,  and  it  is  expected  that  they  will  be  so  far  com- 
pleted by  cold  weather  that  they  can  be  occupied.  They  are  to  be  one  story  high,  180  feet  long  by 
24  feet  wide,  with  a  rear  projection  90  by  24  feet.  The  main  floor  to  be  divided  into  three  rooms, 


44 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


each  90  by  24  feet.  The  basement  uuder  the  projection,  to  be  90  by  21  feet  and  9  feet  high,  will 
contain  the  carpenter,  tailor,  and  shoemaker  shops,  lavatories,  and  bath-rooms,  vegetable,  coal, 
and  wood  cellars.  One  ward  is  used  as  a  hall  for  dramatic  representations,  and  entertainments  are 
given  by  the  enlisted  men  semi-monthly.  Another  has  been  divided  to  contain  barber  shop,  con  - 
pany  shoe  and  tailor  shops,  and  a  billiard-room  for  the  soldiers. 

The  wards  used  as  laundress's  quarters  are  in  the  rear  of  those  occupied  by  the  enlisted  men, 
are  cruciform,  each  being  divided  into  four  sets  of  quarters  of  three  or  four  rooms  each ;  are  well 
lighted  and  ventilated,  but  have  the  same  fault  as  those  used  for  the  men. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  two  wooden  buildings  lined  with  brick,  of  two  stories,  with  base- 
ment and  finished  attic,  containing  two  sets  of  quarters  each.  The  basement  contains  kitchen  and 
cellars,  the  first  floor  two  and  the  second  floor  three  rooms. 

A  wide  covered  porch  surrounds  each  building  on  three  sides.  Each  room  is  heated  separately, 
all  are  well  lighted  and  ventilated ;  but  some  of  the  modern  and  desirable  improvements  could  not 
be  introduced  owing  to  the  lack  of  funds.  They  contain  no  bath-rooms,  nor  other  water  conve- 
niences. The  unmarried  officers  occupy  one-story  wooden  cottages,  originally  quarters  for  the  assist- 
ant surgeons  of  the  general  hospital. 

The  quarters  of  the  commanding  officer  is  a  two-story  double  house  with  finished  attic  and 
basement,  the  first  floor  containing  four,  and  the  second  six  rooms.  Convenient  outbuildings  are 
attached,  and  in  the  rear  there  is  a  large  garden ;  it  is  well  finished  and  arranged,  having  all  the 
modern  improvements ;  is  heated  by  a  furnace  and  supplied  with  water. 

The  guard-house  was  erected  in  18C7.  The  basement  is  of  granite,  with  thick  concrete  floor, 
divided  into  one  large  cell  30  feet  by  18  feet,  and  10  feet  high,  one  light  cell  8  by  9  feet,  and  one 
dark  cell  5  by  9  feet,  each  of  the  latter  being  10  feet  high.  The  large  cell  is  lighted  by  three  long 
narrow  iron-barred  windows,  and  ventilated  by  these  and  two  air  shafts.  Each  of  the  other  cells 
has  a  similar  ventilating  shaft.  The  average  number  of  persons  confined  for  the  year  past  is  nine ; 
not  more  than  one  prisoner  is  confined  in  either  the  light  or  the  dark  cell  at  the  same  time ;  very 
little  sickness  has  occurred  among  the  prisoners  in  the  guard-house,  and  it  seems  admirably  adapted 
for  the  proper  control  of  prisoners.  The  arrangement  of  the  building  is  shown  in  Fig.  5. 

A,  basement;  1,  general  prison;  2,  dark  cell;  3, 
light  cell;  4,  ventilating  box. 

B,  first  floor;  1,  uon-couimissioued  officers'  room; 
2,  guard-room;   3,   trap  to  dungeons;    4,   stove;  5, 
lights  to  dungeon. 

The  erection  of  a  hospital  was  commenced  in  18G7, 
and  in  April,  1869,  although  not  completed,  the  sick 
were  moved  into  it.  Situated  on  the  northeast  of  the 
point,  it  commands  a  beautiful  view  of  Long  Island 
Sound,  the  East  River,  and  Great  Neck  Bay,  and  pro- 
tected by  the  heights  of  the  extreme  end  of  the  point 
from  the  strong  north  winds  which  prevail  at  the  post. 
The  building  is  75  feet  6  inches  long  by  31  feet 
6  inches  wide,  and  50  feet  high,  surmounted  by  an 
oblong  cupola,  (arranged  to  increase  the  ventilation,) 
26  feet  long,  7  inches  wide,  and  5  feet  6  inches  high 
from  the  top  of  the  ridge.  The  basement  has  walls 
Fig.  5.  of  concrete  2  feet  3  inches  thick  and  8  feet  6  inches 

high,  and  is  divided  into  six  rooms.  The  kitchen  is  25  feet  long.  13  feet  5  inches  wide, 
and  8  feet  6  inches  high,  furnished  with  a  large  range  capable  of  cooking  full  and  special  diet 
for  at  least  one  hundred  men,  with  a  good  though  narrow  closet,  a  sink  for  washing  dishes, 
&c.,  and  a  dumb-waiter  leading  to  the  first  and  second  floors.  The  mess  hall  is  28  feet  10  inches 
long  by  13  feet  5  inches  wide,  well  lighted  by  three  large  windows,  and  having  a  pantry,  13  feet 
5  inches  long  by  2  feet  9  inches  wide,  attached.  Two  rooms  are  used  as  store-rooms,  one  is 
occupied  by  the  cook  and  his  assistant  as  a  sleeping  apartment,  and  another  is  to  be  fitted  up  as  a 
library,  museum,  and  reading-room  for  the  convalescents  and  attendants  of  the  hospital. 


B 


WILLET'S  POINT,  NEW  YOHK  IIARBOE. 


45 


Outside  the  basement  walls  is  an  area  8  feet  wide  laid  in  concrete  6  inches  thick,  with  a  gutter 
of  the  same  material,  from  which  on  two  sides  and  a  part  of  the  third  of  the  building  the  ground 
slopes  up  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees  to  the  level  of  the  garden,  and  is  well  sodded.  The 
gutter  leads  to  an  open  drain  on  the  southeast  of  tin;  building,  carrying  off  all  the  water  that  falls. 
The  walls  of  the  rest  of  the  building  are  of  brick  cased  on  the  outside  with  boards;  on  the  inside 
they  are  lathed,  plastered,  and  hard-finished.  The  first  floor  is  approached  by  two  sets  of  steps — 
one  at  the  main  entrance,  and  one  at  the  office. 

The  plan  of  the  upper  floors  of  this  hospital  is  shown  in  Fig.  0. 

1.  First  Floor. — A,  ward  for  isolation  of  conta- 
gious diseases,  74  by  30  feet ;  B,  keeper's  room,  17 
feet  8  inches  by  12  feet  8  inches ;  C,  prison-room, 
15  feet  by  12  feet  8  inches  ;  D,  bath-room ;  E,  hall ; 
F,  inspection-room,  14  feet  1   inch  by  14  feet  2  in- 
ches; H, dispensary,  IS  feet  6  inches  by  14  feet  2 
inches;  I,  steward's  room,  18  feet  3  inches  by  14 
feet  2  inches ;  K,  office,  14  feet  2  inches  by  14  feet 
3  inches ;  P,  veranda. 

2.  Second  Floor. — A,  main  ward,  74  feet  by  30 
feet;  L,  wardrobe;  M,  chimneys. 

The  height  of  the  rooms  on  the  first  floor  is  9 
feet  8  inches ;  of  the  main  ward  on  the  second  floor, 
12  feet  C  inches.  The  ward  A,  on  the  first  floor,  has 
floor  and  eave  ventilation. 

The  windows  and  door  of  the  prison-room  are 
heavily  ironed.     This  room  is  used  for  sick  pris- 
oners undergoing  sentence  of  court-martial,  or  for 
cases  of  delirium  tremens.    It  has  a  water  closet 
Fig.  6.  attached. 

The  ventilation  of  the  main  ward  on  the  second  floor  is  excellent.  There  are  eight  openings 
at  the  floor,  and  the  same  number  at  the  top  of  the  walls,  each  being  3  feet  6  inches  long  by  6  inches 
high,  and  fitted  with  doors.  In  addition  to  this  there  is  the  ridge  ventilation  in  connection  with 
the  cupola. 

In  a  projection  at  the  north  end  of  the  building  is  a  tank  holding  sufficient  water  to  supply 
the  bath-rooms  and  water-closets. 

In  the  center  of  the  ward  the  stairway  leading  from  the  first  floor  is  cased,  and  includes  three 
small  closets ;  one  for  the  clothing  of  the  patients  entering  the  hospital,  one  for  dressings,  and  one 
used  as  a  dressing-room ;  and  also  the  dumb-waiter  for  the  kitchen. 

At  presjent  only  sixteen  beds  are  furnished  in  this  ward,  giving  1,734  cubic  feet  of  air  to 
each  bed.  Thirty  beds  could  be  occupied  in  this  ward  with  safety.  On  the  two  floors  a  piazza, 
8  feet  wide,  extends  around  the  three  sides  of  the  building  and  a  part  of  the  fourth. 

The  ground  allotted  to  the  hospital  contains  a  little  more  than  two  and  a  half  acres,  of  which 
about  half  an  acre  is  inclosed  by  a  picket-fence. 

The  ground  in  front  and  on  the  south  side  of  the  hospital  is  neatly  laid  out  and  cultivated  as 
a  vegetable  and  flower  garden.  In  the  rear  of  the  hospital  the  ground  is  not  cultivated.  Close 
to  the  rear  fence,  and  61  feet  from  the  hospital,  are  placed  the  chicken-house,  wood,  coal,  and  cow- 
house, each  12  feet  long  by  8  feet  wide,  and  also  a  sink,  used  by  the  convalescents  and  attendants, 
13  feet  6  inches  long,  and  divided  into  two  apartments. 

A  post  bakery  was  erected  during  the  summer  of  1867.  The  ovens  are  new  and  ample,  and 
have  a  capacity  of  six  hundred  rations. 

The  building  known  as  the  old  hospital  is  being  altered;  when  finished  it  will  contain  the 
chapel,  library,  post  school,  bindery,  and  printing  office.  At  present  two  rooms  of  the  old  mess- 


C       '         B.           E            F,                I 

L_ 

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D 

A                        H.                 K 

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i  —  i        1-  —  P]    i              i  —  i 

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i  L  M  L  ! 

p 

46  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 

hall  are  used  for  these  purposes.  The  post  school  averages  an  attendance  of  eighteen  children 
of  enlisted  men.  The  teacher  is  an  enlisted  man,  acting  also  as  librarian.  All  books  and  necessary 
materials  for  the  school  are  purchased  from  the  post  fund. 

The  post  library  is  large  and  miscellaneous  in  its  character  and  well  selected.  It  contains 
2,350  volumes  and  a  number  of  periodicals  and  newspapers,  bound  and  unbound. 

The  water  supply  for  the  post  is  derived  from  sixteen  wells,  and  -a  large  cistern  (oval,  50  feet 
by  30  feet  broad  and  7  feet  deep)  receiving  its  supply  of  rain-water  from  the  adjacent  buildings. 
The  water  used  for  cooking  and  drinking  is  obtained  from  those  wells  which  experience  has  indi- 
cated as  the  best ;  all  used  for  washing,  from  the  other  wells,  and  preferably  from  the  cistern. 
Thus  far  the  supply  has  proved  to  be  ample,  and,  with  but  one  exception,  has  been  found  to  be 
good. 

The  buildings  of  the  post,  being  constructed  of  wood,  are  constantly  liable  to  catch  fire,  especi- 
ally in  winter,  when,  to  keep  the  majority  of  them  warm,  it  is  necessary  to  maintain  large  fires  in 
the  stoves.  To  provide  against  the  same  there  is  an  organized  fire  company,  under  the  command 
of  a  sergeant,  and  provided  with  a  large  hand  fire-engine.  The  men  are  well  drilled  in  the  use  of 
it ;  the  engine  is  in  repair  and  ready  for  use.  In  addition  to  the  engine,  six  force-pumps  of  great 
power  have  been  placed  at  different  parts  of  the  post.  They  communicate  with  wells,  and  will  be 
very  valuable  in  case  of  need.  With  these  means  and  the  large  supply  of  fire-buckets  in  the  quar- 
termaster's depot,  it  will  be  easy  to  subdue  any  fire  discovered  in  good  time. 

The  natural  drainage  of  the  post  is  very  fine,  as  the  land  slopes  in  all  directions  toward  the 
water.  There  is  but  little  artificial  drainage,  the  greater  portion  being  superficial,  and  used  to 
carry  off  water  from  the  laundress  quarters  and  barracks.  One  large  sewer  extends  from  the 
kitchen  to  tide-water ;  another  from  the  married  officers'  quarters  and  mess-hall  to  the  swamp  on 
the  southeast  part  of  the  post  has  recently  been  built,  and  is  well  adapted  for  the  purpose. 
r-  Owing  to  the  absence  of  baths,  the  men  are  not  as  clean  as  they  should  be,  especially  in  winter, 
when  a  bath  can  be  given  to  them  but  once  in  two  weeks.  In  summer,  when  the  water  is  fit  for 
bathing,  they  are  compelled  to  bathe  at  least  twice  a  week. 

The  burial  place  for  the  soldiers  is  situated  near  the  salt-marsh,  southwest  of  the  post,  on 
ground  slightly  elevated,  at  a  good  distance  from  any  building;  is  180  by  100  feet,  and  is  inclosed 
by  a  neat  fence. 

There  are  two  gardens  at  the  post,  the  post  and  hospital.  The  post  garden  is  located  on  the 
northwest  half  of  the  point,  contains  nine  acres,  and  is  under  charge  of  a  sergeant.  It  is  culti- 
vated by  experienced  detailed  men,  and  yields  largely.  The  garden  attached  to  the  hospital  con- 
tains about  two  and  a  half  acres,  and  is  under  charge  of  the  hospital  steward.  It  is  cultivated  by 
the  hospital  attendants  and  convalescents.  Its  yield  is  very  large,  supplying  an  abundance  of 
vegetables  for  summer  and  fall  use. 

The  post  stable  is  located  on  the  southeastern  shore,  at  some  distance  from  the  occupied  bar- 
racks, and  is  entirely  new ;  it  is  large,  and  contains  at  the  date  of  this  report  thirty  horses ;  is  well 
built  and  ventilated,  and  excellently  arranged  for  the  health  and  comfort  of  its  inmates ;  it  is  pro- 
vided with  rooms  for  storing  harness  and  food ;  all  the  water  that  drains  from  or  around  it  is  led  by 
superficial  drains  into  the  tide.  In  connection  with  the  stable,  but  separated  from  it,  is  a  carringe- 
shed  and  room  for  the  stable  orderlies. 

A  number  of  chickens  and  one  cow  are  kept  for  the  use  of  the  post  hospital,  which  more  than 
repay  all  outlay. 

The  prevailing  diseases  at  the  post  are  intermittent  fever  and  other  malarial  diseases  of  mild 
type;  some  diarrhu'al  diseases  in  summer,  pulmonary  diseases  in  winter;  no  typhus  or  typhoid 
lexer.  It  is  regarded  as  a  healthy  post.  But  four  deaths  have  occurred  on  the  post  since  April, 
1809 — all  children  under  one  year  of  age,  no  soldier  having  died  since  July  10,  1808. 

The  recreations  and  amusements  of  the  garrison  are  abundant.  The  post  library  is  large  and 
well  selected.  Each  company  receives  newspapers.  The  men  have  a  literary  and  dramatic  club, 
a  billiard-room  containing  two  tables,  a  bowling  alley,  and  are  allowed  to  use  a  part  of  the  old  mess- 
hall  for  dancing  purposes,  having  a  weekly  hop. 


U.  S.  MILITARY  ACADEMY,  WEST  POINT,  NEW  YORK. 


47 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Willetf*  Point,  New  York 

Harbor,  for  the  years  1868  and  1809. 


4 

b 

| 

,-j 

; 

i 

i 

«^    ,: 

^     - 

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i 

~     - 

5 

;_• 

. 

7 

™   * 

Years. 

1 

a   a 

?  -5 

-^ 

-   '-. 

i 

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"—    i. 

o 

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I 

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a 

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a 

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1868  

398.  08 

302 

31 

51 

9 

36 

26 

on 

1869  

339.  36 

830 

127 

212 

8 

35 

44 

108 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


UNITED    STATES   MILITARY   ACADEMY,  WEST   POINT,  NEW    YORK. 

REPORTS   OF   SURGEON  T.  A.  McPARLIN   AND   ASSISTANT   SURGEON  A.  W.   WIGGIN,   UNITED    STATES 

ARMY. 

West  Point  is  situated  on  tlie  right  bank  of  the  Hudson  River,  fifty-one  miles  above  New  York 
City,  in  the  midst  of  a  range  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains  known  as  the  Highlands.  Its  latitude 
is  41°  23'  north;  longitude  74°  west;  mean  annual  temperature  for  forty  years,  50.73°;  extreme 
range,  116°;  greatest  heat  in  summer,  100°;  greatest  cold  in  winter,  16°;  average  rain-fall  for  forty 
\fiirs,  46.53  inches  per  annum.  The  prevailing  winds  are  northwest  and  south. 

The  river  at  this  point  takes  two  abrupt  bends,  and  on  the  peninsula  thus  formed,  containing 
about  100  acres,  is  located  the  National  Military  Academy,  with  its  appurtenances.  This  is  the 
only  portion  of  the  public  lands  (2,105  acres)  now  used  for  military  purposes.  The  remainder 
consists  of  rugged  cliffs  and_hills,  rising  precipitously  to  the  west,  which  were  occupied  during  the 
war  of  the  Revolution  by  forts  and  redoubts.  At  the  foot  of  these  hills  and  157  feet  above  the  river 
is  a  level  plateau,  a  large  part  of  which  serves  as  a  parade  ground  and  plain  for  military  evolutions, 
and  on  which  are  situated  the  cadets'  barrack,  mess-hall  and  hospital,  the  academic  buildings, 
administration  offices,  hotel,  and  residences  of  professors  and  officers. 

The  north  side  of  the  plateau,  sloping  quite  steeply  towards  the  river  and  irregularly  terraced, 
is  occupied  by  soldiers'  barracks  and  hospital,  cottages  of  married  soldiers,  residences  of  employes, 
ordnance  laboratory,  gas-works,  equipment  sheds  and  store-houses,  sutler's  store,  schoolhouse,  and 
workshops.  The  riding  hall  and  stable  are  on  the  south  side  of  the  plain. 

The  geological  formation  is  primary  stratified  rock — gneiss — covered  with  deposits  of  drift.  • 
The  soil  is  gravelly,  and,  except  on  the  plain,  of  little  depth.  An  inexhaustible  supply  of  excellent 
water  can  be  obtained  from  mountain  springs  and  brooks,  as  well  as  from  numerous  natural  springs 
on  the  post.  The  slope  is  sufficient  to  allow  of  easy  and  complete  drainage  to  the  river.  Access 
of  air  is  unobstructed.  Indeed,  no  unavoidable  morbific  agent  is  known  to  exist,  unless  found  iu 
stagnant  marshes  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river ;  doubtless  a  source  of  malarious  diseases  there, 
but  it  maybe  considered  an  open  question  whether  the  health  of  this  post  is  materially  affected  by 
the  emanations  therefrom. 

A  tabular  statement  is  subjoined  showing  the  prevalence  of  fevers  and  other  miasmatic  dis- 
eases during  the  past  thirty  years,  as  bearing  on  this  point : 


IH 

H 

g 

I 

i 

| 

-  ,: 

;  - 

11 

~~*      Tt 

Yearly  mean  strength—  thirty  years,  5GO. 

"i  * 

-    - 

~±  •_- 

-      :? 

—  _- 

«    1 

!  t' 

^    >. 

tf    ^. 

tt    _— 

t_  _ 

1 

«  3 

~  = 

x 

^. 

T      -w 

;  ^ 

o  Ir 

s 

*^ 

H 

" 

z  " 

Malarious  fevers.                                             .     -   

1,034 

3H 

2 

4 

62 

(  Ither  fevers  

468 

ISA 

6 

i 

28 

Other  miasmatic  diseases                -   ...  -  --•  

4,824 

1604 

13 

IS 

287 

210A 

21 

H 

377 

48  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

This,  of  course,  represents  the  whole  number  taken  on  sick  report,  and"  necessarily  includes 
many  relapses  and  cases  reported  more  than  once.  The  experience  of  Brevet  Major  E.  J.  Marsh, 
Assistant  Surgeon  United  States  Army,  during  quite  an  extended  term  of  service  at  this  post, 
leads  him  to  believe  that  the  greater  number  of  cases  of  malarious  diseases  occurring  here  are 
contracted  elsewhere.  Cholera  prevailed  sporadically  in  1849— the  nearest  approach  to  an  epidemic 
that  the  records  show  the  post  to  have  ever  suffered  from. 

A  census  of  the  post  has  never  been  taken ;  the  present  population  is  estimated  at  1,100. 

WATER  SUPPLY. 

Besides  numerous  unfailing  springs  and  wells  scattered  about  the  post,  water  is  supplied  by 
three  reservoirs,  each  having  an  independent  source.  Two  of  them  are  fed  by  mountain  brooks, 
the  other  by  springs  at  the  bottom  and  by  rills  from  the  mountain  side.  Pipes  from  these  three 
reservoirs  convey  the  water  to  a  common  tank  or  water-house,  whence  it  is  distributed  by  a  main 
seven  inches  in  diameter  at  its  exit,  to  nearly  all  parts  of  the  post.  This  tank  is  15  feet  deep,  and 
its  bottom  62  feet  above  the  level  of  the  plain.  The  supply  from  this  source  is  estimated  at  00,000 
gallons  per  diem.  With  a  larger  main  or  additional  ones,  tiie  supply  could  be  indefinitely  increased, 
as  only  a  small  portion  of  the  total  yield  of  the  reservoirs  is  required  to  keep  the  distributing  tank 
constantly  full.  Numerous  hydrants  are  placed  at  convenient  distances  about  the  post  for  use  in 
case  of  fire. 

An  imperfect  qualitative  analysis  of  the  water  from  the  reservoir  reveals  but  a  small  proportion 
of  impurities,  either  organic  or  inorganic.  No  deposit  forms  after  being  boiled  down  to  one-fourth 
its  original  quantity.  Sulphates,  chlorides,  and  carbonates  exist  to  a  trifling  extent  in  combination 
with  lime  and  (probably)  soda.  Two  drops  of  a  saturated  solution  of  permanganate  of  potash  give 
to  a  pint  of  the  water  a  pink  tinge,  permanent  for  three  hours,  of  as  deep  a  hue  as. one  drop  with  an 
equal  quantity  of  distilled  water.  As  much  cannot  be  said  of  the  purity  of  the  spring  supplying 
the  soldiers'  families  in  Camptown.  Six  drops  of  a  saturated  solution  of  permanganate  of  potash 
are  required  to  give  the  same  pink  tinge  that  one  drop  will  give  to  an  equal  quantity  of  distilled 
water.  It  also  contains  a  larger  proportion  of  inorganic  matter.  Its  organic  impurities  are  doubtless 
derived  from  the  privy  of  the  band  barracks  which  overhang  it,  and  from  superficial  drains  in  the 
vicinity. 

SEWERAGE. 

The  cadets'  barrack,  mess-hall,  and  academic  buildings  are  drained  by  a  sewer  of  large  size  and 
sufficient  fall,  discharging  into  the  river.  Its  dimensions  are  as  follows :  height  3  feet,  width  2  feet, 
fall  1  foot  in  40  for  the  first  150  feet,  after  which  it  is  much  greater.  This  sewer  opens  on  the  bank 
of  the  river  nearly  a  hundred  yards  from  the  water's  edge,  and  close  by  the  carriage  road  leading 
to  the  ferry.  The  noxious  gases  from  it  are  carried  up  the  bank  under  certain  conditions  of  the 
atmosphere,  much  to  the  disgust  of  the  inhabitants  on  the  crest  of  the  hill. 

There  is  another  sewer  discharging  into  the  river  at  the  soldiers'  hospital.  Except  during  the 
winter  months  this  is  constantly  supplied  with  wa-ter  from  the  overflow  of  a  spring  in  front  of  the 
hospital.  This  also  has  the  defect  of  opening  on  the  river  bank,  and  of  being  unprovided  with  traps. 
With  the  exception  of  these  two  sewers,  the  means  of  getting  rid  of  excrementitious  and  refuse 
matter  are  as  follows : 

1.  Close  cesspits,  at  some  distance  from  the  houses,  into  which  excreta  are  conveyed  through  a 
pipe  by  water  from  the  water-closets,  and  whence  the  soluble  portions  sink  into  the  soil,  while  the 
gaseous  either  find  their  way  back  into  the  houses,  or  are  disseminated  into  the  atmosphere.     The 
sides  and  top  of  these  cesspits  are  of  masonry,  the  top  being  about  three  feet  from  the  surface  Of 
the  ground ;  the  bottom  of  the  chamber  is  simply  the  loose,  gravelly  soil.     The  pipe,  in  its  passage 
is  bent  so  as  to  contain  water,  forming  a  valve  to  prevent  the  reflux  of  gases.    But  one  of  these 
cesspits  has  been  opened  for  years;  its  condition  is  said  to  have  been  by  no  means  offensive,  only 
a  few  inches  deep  of  soil  remaining  in  the  bottom  of  the  vault.     This  arrangement  prevails  at  the 
cadets'  hospital  and  at  the  residences  of  some  of  the  professors  and  officers. 

2.  Open  cesspits  or  vaults. — The  hotel,  baud  barracks,  most  of  the  quarters  of  officers  and  profes- 
sors, and  all  the  cottages  of  soldiers,  are  provided  with  these.    There  is  one  also  at  the  encamp- 


IT.  S.  MILITARY  ACADEMY,  WEST  POINT,  NEW  YORK.  49 

inent  ground  of  cadets.  The  pits  arc  of  varying  size,  ami,  when  of  sufficient  depth  and  frequented 
by  but  few  persons,  seem  not  to  be  offensive.  Excepting  the  ones  at  the  hotel  and  camp-grounds, 
they  are  seldom  or  never  cleaned.  In  some  cases  old  ones  have  been  filled  up  and  new  ones  con- 
structed. As  the  area  over  which  they  are  scattered  is  very  large,  they  are  far  from  being  the 
nuisance  that  they  would  be  in  a  densely-populated  village.  At  the  same  time,  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  the  soil  is  thin  and  underlaid  by  ledges,  which  serve  to  a  great  extent  either  as  an  im- 
pervious receptacle  for  this  filth,  or  as  :i  shed  to  convey  it  to  the  surface  at  a  lower  level.  It  is 
proper  to  add,  that  whatever  improvements  are  necessary  in  the  drainage  and  sewerage  of  the 
post  will  be  dependent  upon  appropriations  to  be  made  for  such  purposes. 

ACADEMIC!   WILDINGS. 

The  observatory  and  library  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the  plain  was  erected  in  1841.  It  is  a 
stone  structure  ICO  feet  front  and  78  feet  in  depth,  castellated  and  corniced  with  red  sandstone  in 
the  Elizabethan  style.  The  east  wing  contains  the  library,  40  feet  square  and  31  feet  high ;  it  con- 
tains 25,000  volumes.  The  offices  of  the  superintendent,  adjutant,  quartermaster,  and  treasurer  of 
the,  academy  temporarily  occupy  the  first  floor  of  the  west  wing,  while  above  them  are  the  lecture 
hall  and  apparatus  of  the  philosophical  department. 

A  new  building  is  now  in  process  of  erection  for  the  administrative  offices.  It  will  be  fire- 
proof, with  rooms  for  records,  archives,  and  for  offices  of  the  superintendent,  adjutant,  quartermas- 
ter, and  the  treasurer  of  the  Academy.  When  completed,  these  officers  will  vacate  rooms  which 
are  used  by  them  now  in  the  philosophical  department,  and  which  are  needed  by  that  department 
of  instruction.  The  structure  is  being  built  of  hewn  gneiss  rock  (obtained  in  the  vicinity)  trimmed 
with  Kingston  blue-stone,  having  arched  floors  and  iron  beams,  with  the  (interior)  party  walls  of 
brick.  The  windows  of  the  first  floor  (above  the  basement)  are  of  the  pointed  Gothic  style,  and 
appear  in  pairs;  on  the  second  floor  the  windows  are  squared.  The  roof  is  in  the  French  style. 
The  situation  selected  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  chapel  and  eastward  of  the  academic  building, 
upon  ground  that  has  been  raised  and  leveled  during  the  time  of  the  Academy,  and  near  where  it 
is  said  a  graveyard  existed  for  the  garrison  during  the  revolutionary  war. 

The  chapel,  a  stone  structure  west  of  the  library,  83  by  54  feet,  was  built  in  1836. 

The  academy  fronting  east  and  situated  directly  west  of  the  chapel  was  erected  in  1838.  It  is 
a  stone  edifice,  with  red  sandstone  pilasters,  275  by  75  feet,  and  three  stories  high.  This  building 
is  occupied  by  laboratories,  lecture  and  recitation  rooms,  model  rooms,  and  cabinets. 

The  ordnance  and  artillery  laboratory,  on  the  north  side  of  the  plain,  was  erected  in  1840,  and 
consists  of  three  two-story  stone  buildings  used  for  fabrication  of  ammunition,  repairing,  &c.,  all 
within  a  stone-inclosed  yard,  containing,  besides,  shelter  for  field  batteries.  Near  the  cavalry 
stables,  on  the  east  slope  of  the  plain,  stands  the  riding  hall,  218  by  78  feet,  built  of  stone  in  1855. 

RESIDENCES   OF    PROFESSORS   AND   OFFICERS. 

These  are  substantial  and  commodious  structures,  built,  with  few  exceptions,  of  stone  or  brick, 
and  provided,  for  the  most  part,  with  bathing-rooms  and  water-closets.  Some  of  the  officers  occupy 
quarters  in  the  west  angle  of  the  cadet  barrack. 

The  hotel,  built  in  1829,  is  a  stone  building,  stuccoed,  50  by  GO  feet,  and  contains  sixty-four 
rooms.  A  wing  three  stories,  62  by  20  feet,  of  brick,  has  since  been  added. 

CADETS'  BARRACK. 

The  cadets'  barrack,  on  the  south  side  of  the  plain,  fronting  north,  was  built  in  1851.  It  is  of 
stone,  four  stories  high,  with  fire-proof  rooms,  castellated  and  corniced  in  the  Elizabethan  style  of 
architecture.  It  is  360  by  60  feet,  with  a  wing  extending  in  rear  of  the  west  tower,  100  by  60  feet. 
It  contains  one  hundred  and  seventy  six  rooms,  of  which  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  are  cadets' 
quarters,  arranged  in  eight  divisions  without  interior  communications.  The  basement  contains 
bathing-rooms  and  quarters  of  employe's. 

The  arrangement  of  the  rooms  is  shown  in  Fig.  7:  K,  cadets'  rooms;  O,  officers'  rooms;  A, 
partition  between  beds. 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


iiii 


Each  room  is  occupied  by  two  cadets — is  22  by  14  by  9£  feet.     It  has  a  window  6£  by  3£  feet ; 
:;  door  7J  by  ;i  foot,  a  glazed  transom  over  the  door;  a  transom  12  by  18  inches,  provided  with 

lattice  and  shutter,  opening  into  the  hall  near 
the  inner  end  of  the  room;  a  fire-place  flue  9 
by  30  inches,  and  a  ventilating  flue  near  the 
ceiling,  with  a  circular  aperture  7  inches  in 
diameter.  Two  alcoves  are  formed  by  a  wall 
projecting  from  the  center  of  the  rear  end  of 
(he  room. 

The  dimensions  of  the  room,  22  by  14  by  94, 
give  2,92G  cubic  feet.  Deduct  chimney,  furni- 
ture, occupants,  &c.,  186  cubic  feet,  and  there 
remain  2,740  cubic  feet,  or  1,370  cubic  feet  of 
air  to  each  occupant — an  ample  supply,  pro 
vided  its  renewal  is  suffiiently  accomplished. 
The  means  of  ventilation  mentioned  above  are 
seen  to  be  adequate  to  effect  this  result. 

With  a  view  to  ascertain  approximately  the 
sufficiency  of  the  renovation  of  air  in  these 
rooms,  and  to  infer  to  what  extent  any  of  the 
Fig-  ".—Scale,  CO  feet  to  the  inch.  ventilators  can  be  safely  closed,'  though  by  no 

means  presuming  to  solve  definitely  the  difficult  and  uncertain  problem  of  ventilation,  some  deduc- 
tions have  been  drawn  from  acknowledged  facts  which,  so  far  as  they  go,  may  be  considered 
reliable. 

The  i-ooins  being  heated  by  steam,  ventilation  must  depend  almost  entirely  on  the  difference 
between  the  external  and  internal  temperatures.  With  transoms  and  chimney-flues  open,  it  is  ob- 
vious that  ventilation  is  sufficient.  But  in  winter  time  only  the  chimney  flues  are  kept  open,  and 
in  the  coldest  weather,  as  has  been  stated  above,  even  these  are  closed.  Let  us  consider  the  con- 
dition of  oiie  of  these  rooms  with  both  chimney-flues  open,  other  apertures  being  closed.  This 
gives  9  by  30=270  square  inches,  and  by  7x7x. 7854 =38.5  square  inches — a  total  of  308.5  square 
inches  of  opening  to  the  external  air,  or  154.25  square  inches  for  each  occupant.  I  have  ascertained 
that  the  flue  near  the  ceiling  is  an  outlet,  and  the  fire-place  flue  mainly,  but  not  entirely,  an  inlet. 
To  determine  the  amount  of  discharge  by  the  former  on  the  several  floors  and  on  various  assump- 
tions of  temperature,  I  have  made  use  of  the  table  on  page  135,  Parke's  Hygiene,  with  the  follow- 
ing results: 


Jl  Jl 

U    lL 

y  IP 

K 

K 

K 

0 

J 

L 

C 

j 

V 

J 

L 

^ 

^ 

X 

j 

^. 

1 

0 

1 

1 

I" 

0 

K 

I 

" 

K 

K. 

K 

K 

J 

[__       .._» 

WI 

= 

=  '  N 

a 


38  5 

38  5 

38  5 

'J8  5 

•W  ^ 

Number  of  lloor                  

First. 

First. 

Third 

Fourth 

40 

40 

30 

20 

10 

Supposed  difl'erenee  between  external  and  internal  temperatures.. 
Amount  of  discharge  per  hour  in  enbic  feet     .    ..... 

10° 
">  11(1 

30° 

8  928 

1  CO 

5  456 

20° 

r>  no 

10J 

2  584 

2  .r>r>r> 

4  464 

2  728 

2  555 

1  O92 

I  think  we  may  safely  assume,  moreover,  that  an  equal  amount  of  vitiated  air  finds  an  egress 
by  cracks  about  the  doors  and  windows,  as  well  as  by  the  wide  fire-place  flue,  and  that  fresh  air  is 
admitted  by  the  same  apertures.  This  assumption  doubles  the  above  results,  and  leaves  no  ques- 
tion of  a  due  replenishment  during  the  day-time  in  any  of  the  rooms.  At  night  3,000  cubic  feet 
(Parke,  page  78)  per  hour  will  be  required  for  the  single  gas-burner  \\  ilh  which  the  room  is  lighted, 
leaving  an  insufficient  supply  for  the  occupants  on  the  upper  stories  when  the  difference  is  slight 
between  the  external  and  internal  temperatures.  If  the  rooms  were  properly  heated,  however,  this 
very  condition  of  temperature  would,  of  itself,  induce  the  inmates  to  open  a  door,  window,  or 
transom. 


U.  S.  MILITARY  ACADEMY,  WEST  POIXT,  NEW  YORK. 


51 


The  above  facts  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  abundant,  though  not  the  best,  means  of  ventila- 
tion have  been  provided  for  the  cadets'  barrack  ;  that  t  he  chimney  lines  alone  are  generally  suffi- 
cient of  themselves  to  renovate  the  air;  but  that  it  would  he  unsafe  to  dose  them  even  partially, 
unless  at  the  same  time  means  are  provided  for  the  escape  of  products  of  combustion  independ- 
ently of  the  general  ventilation  of  the  room. 

Bathing  facilities  are  extensive.  The  privies  and  urinals,  though  at  present  slightly  out  <>l 
repair,  are  commodious  and  well  arranged;  they  discharge  by  a  sewer  into  the  river. 

The  engineer  barrack,  built  in  1858,  is  a  brick  building  of  two  stories  and  a  basement,  103  by 
43  feet.  It  fronts  north,  having  an  eligible  site,  with  free  access  of  air,  on  an  open  terrace  about 
300  yards  from  the  river.  The  basement  contains  the  kitchen,  dining-room,  and  store-rooms.  The 
first  floor  has  two  sergeants'  rooms,  each  14  by  14  feet,  and  three  s<|iiad-rooms,  ejich  30  by  18  feet, 
and  12  feet  high.  Each  squad-room  is  fitted  up  with  double  bunks  in  two  tiers  for  twelve  men, 
giving  530  cubic  feet  air  space  to  each.  The  ventilation  is  by  doors  and  windows.  For  the  general 
arrangement  of  the  engineer  barrack  see  Fig.  8. 

1.  Basement — B,  bath-room ;  H,  hall ;  K,  kitchen ;  M,  dining-room  ;  S,  store-rooms. 

2.  First  floor. — A,  squad-rooms;  C,  sergeants' room  ;  S,  storeroom;  H,  hall ;  O,  officers' quar- 
ters. 

The  cavalry  barrack,  57  by  41  feet,  two  stories  high,  of 
brick,  with  a  stone  basement,  was  erected  in  1857.     The  artil 
lery  barrack,  40  by  30  feet,  was  built  soon  after,  on  a  similar 
plan.    The  kitchens,  mess-rooms,  and  store-rooms  of  both  bar- 
racks are  large  and  convenient. 

The  squad-rooms  of  the  cavalry  barrack  have  single  bunks 
for  84  men,  giving  to  each  371  cubic  feet  and  35£  superficial 
feet  of  space. 

The  artillery  barrack  has  single  bunks  for  58  men,  giving 
to  each  434  cubic  feet  and  39  superficial  feet.  The  means  of 
ventilation  in  both  are  doors  and  windows. 


1  , 

0 

\- 

ft 

A 

A 

\_ 

Is 

CADETS'  HOSPITAL. 


Fig.  8.— Scale,  "ill  i'eet  to  1  inch. 


rH~- 


The  hospital  for  cadets,  built  in  1830,  131  by  10  feet,  is 
a  stone  building,  fronting  east  and  overlooking  the  river,  of  two  stories  and  a  basement.  The 
two  wings  are  used  as  quarters  of  medical  officers.  The  central  portion  contains  twelve  rooms,  two 
being  used  as  quarters  for  the  steward,  two  for  dispensary,  one  as  an  office,  and  the  remaining 
seven  as  wards  for  the  sick.  Two  of  the  latter  are  32  by  144  by  10  feet,  one  284  by  14J  by  10  feet, 
and  the  other  five  16  by  14£  by  10  feet.  The  two  largest  wards  are  partially  divided  by  partition 
walls.  For  general  arrangement  of  the  hospital  see  Fig.  9. 

1  represents  the  first  floor,  2  the  second  floor  of  the 
building ;  A,  wards ;  B,  bath-rooms ;  D,  dispensary ;  E, 
steward's  quarters;  P,  veranda;  O,  medical  officers'  quar- 
ters ;  M,  dining-room. 

Allowance  is  made  for  20  patients — about  <S  per  cent,  of 
the  corps — thus  giving  to  each  1,100  cubic  feet,  and  116 
superficial  feet  of  space.  The  means  of  ventilation  are  doors, 
windows,  transoms,  and  chimney-flues;  of  heating,  open 
grates.  The  bathing-rooms  are  supplied  with  hot  and  cold 
water,  and  there  are  three  water  closets,  the  latter  discharg- 
ing into  covered  cesspits  in  the  rear;  two  privies  in  the  yard 
likewise  discharge  into  cesspits.  The  basement  of  the  build- 
ing contains  store-rooms,  quarters  'of  attendants,  and  two 
kitchens,  each  of  the  latter  being  furnished  with  a  cooking 
range.  Food  is  conveyed  from  the  kitchens  to  the  dining-  Fig.  9.— Scsl^M  feet  to  1  indi. 

room  by  means  of  a  dumb-waiter.  While  this  is  far  from  being  a  model  hospital,  either  in  internal 
arrangement,  access  of  air  and  sunshine,  ventilation,  or  drainage,  the  records  do  not  show  that 
any  exceptions  have  ever  been  made  to  its  sanitary  condition— due,  no  doubt,  to  the  fact  that 
the  number  of  sick  in  hospital  is  usually  small  and  the  ailments  slight. 


•i       = 


R 

T 

M 

Zj 

-7 

y 

| 

A 

A 

A 

r 

1 

A 

/i 

-  , 

_ 

A 

0 

52 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


GUARD-HOUSE. 

This  is  a  one-story  brick  building  with  stone  basement.  It  has  a  guard-room  and  six  cells  for 
prisoners.  Four  of  the  six  cells  are  in  the  basement,  and  have  no  facilities  for  heating,  two  of  them 
being  dark  and  badly  ventilated.  One  end  of  the  building  is  occupied  by  soldiers'  families.  There 
is  another  guard-house  on  the  east  side  of  the  post,  but  it  is  not  now  in  use. 

STABLES. 

A  new  building  has  been  erected  as  quartermaster's  stables  on  a  commanding  bluff  looking 
north  from  the  cavalry  and  artillery  barracks,  and  fronting  them,  on  the  Hudson  River,  opposite 
Constitution  Island.  Its  dimensions  are  146.J  by  39  feet,  and  three  stories  high.  The  basement  is 
of  stone,  containing  stalls  for  50  animals.  The  second  floor  is  of  frame,  for  storage  of  wagons,  &c., 
having,  also,  a  grain  bin  capable  of  holding  7,000  bushels  of  oats.  On  the  third  floor  there  is  stor- 
age room  for  250  tons  of  hay. 

SOLDIERS'  HOSPITAL. 

This  hospital,  built  in  1851,  is  of  brick,  50  by  28  feet,  having  two  stories  and  a  basement.  The 
height  of  the  first  story  is  12  feet ;  of  the  second,  10 J  feet ;  and  of  the  basement,  9  feet.  The  latter 
is  entirely  beneath  the  level  of  the  surface  in  front,  the  ground  sloping  so  as  to  expose  it  behind. 
It  is  situated  near  the  foot  of  a  wooded  hill,  with  a  steep  northern  slope,  the  ground  being  as  high 
as  the  eaves  of  the  hospital  at  a  distance  of  100  feet,  horizontally,  in  front.  Air  and  sunshine  have, 
consequently,  an  imperfect  access  to  the  southern  or  front  windows,  and  the  only  other  windows 
opening  into  the  wards  are  on  the  north.  These  defects  give  it  the  twofold  disadvantage  of  being- 
very  hot  in  summer  and  very  cold  in  winter.  There  are  accommodations  for  twelve  patients — a 
trifle  over  4  per  cent,  of  the  average  strength  of  enlisted  men  during  the  past  three  years.  This 
allowance,  with  two  additional  beds  in  the  wards  for  attendants,  gives  to  each  bed  982  cubic  feet 
and  94  superficial  feet  of  space.  The  steward's  quarters  are  in  an  adjacent  building.  Doors,  win- 
dows, and  transoms  (one  over  each  door)  furnish  the  only  means  of  ventilation.  Only  one  ward 
has  a  privy  attached.  The  bathing-room  is  inconvenient,  opening,  as  it  does,  from  the  dispensary. 

The  mode  of  heating  is  by  coal  stoves.  An  abundance  of  water  is  supplied  from  the  reservoir, 
except  during  the  coldest  weather,  when,  owing  to  freezing  of  the  pipes,  it  has  to  be  obtained  from 
a  spring  in  front  of  the  hospital. 

Statement  nh-oiriny  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  dixcnxcs  at  West  Point,  New  York,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 


f 
g 


I 


II 

=  2 

o 
"o    o 

•3    £• 


1868 582.58 

1869  . .  .    595.  08 


1,574 
1,679 


"3   . 

, 

<& 

•£ 

s  •>. 

a  •*• 

o 

.2 

= 

"S  » 

8 

Typhoid 
ver. 

Malarial 
vers. 

Diarrhoea 

dysente 

Epidemic 
tarrh. 

Venereal  < 
eases. 

Kheuniati 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal 
fections 

Number 
deaths. 

3 

42 

214 

18 

48 

4 

279 

2 

1 

53 

250 

75 

16 

51 

6 

311 

4 

Statement  xhoiring  the  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  jtrincipal  diseases  of  Cadets  at  U.  S.  Acad- 
emy, West  Point,  yew  York. 


* 

1 

. 

•5" 

| 

g! 

i 

| 

<S 

C8 
r§ 

1 

H 

J5 

15 

'     - 

s= 

^ 

Years. 

be 

1 

g 

a 
a 

1 

a  1 

X 

e    § 

Is 

Typhoid  fev 

Malarial  fev 

Diarrhd'a  au 
entery. 

X 

0 

Epidemic  ca 

V^enereal  dis 

Rheumatism 

Headache. 

(  'atarrhal  aft'e 

Excoriations 

&c. 

Number  of  tl 

1868 

260 

1,470 

j 

22 

124 

64 

75 

8 

29 

481 

213 

159 

1869 

260 

1,251 

O 

29 

155 

79 

3 

24 

408 

229 

88 

2 

1  luclude  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  aurt  pleurisy. 


PLATTSBURG  BARRACKS,  NEW  YORK.  53 


PLATTSBURG   BARRACKS,   NEW   YORK. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  S.  M.  HORTON,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  AND  ACTING 
ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  P.  FOOTE,  UNITED  STATES  AK.MV. 

This  post  is  situated  on  the  west  side  of  Lake  Chain  plain,  about  oue  mile  from  the  village  of 
Plattsburg,  New  York,  latitude  44°  41'  north,  longitude  73°  25'  west,  and  186  feet  above  the  sea. 
The  Saranac,  a  small  river  rising  in  a  range  of  lakes  forty  miles  southwest,  enters  the  lake  at  this 
point.  This  vicinity  was  first  occupied  by  United  States  troops  iu  1812.  In  July,  1813,  a  descent 
was  made  upon  this  point  by  a  British  force  from  Canada,  and  the  block-house,  arsenal,  and  armoiy 
were  destroyed.  Ou  the  llth  of  September,  1814,  the  battle  of  Plattsburg  and  the  naval  engage- 
ment on  Lake  Champlain  were  fought.  Troops  were  stationed  here  from  1814  to  1825,  from  1840  to 
184G,  from  1848  to  1852,  from  1859  to  1861,  and  from  1865  to  the  present.  The  post  was  established 
in  June,  1838. 

The  geology  of  the  vicinity  may  be  briefly  presented  as  follows,  the  strata  being  given  from 
above  downwards: 

1.  Drift  of  sand  and  gravel,  depth  25  to  30  feet. 

2.  Trenton  limestone,  400  feet.     This  is  the  surface  rock  of  Plattsburg  and  Lumberland  Head, 
and  includes  two  varieties — one,  black  and  close-grained,  taking  a  fine  polish ;  the  other,  gray  and 
crystalline. 

3.  Birdseye  limestone,  50  feet. 

4.  Chazy  limestone,  130  feet. 

5.  Calciferous  sandstone,  from  250  to  300  feet. 

The  soil  of  the  vicinity  is  sandy,  and  not  productive  unless  fertilizers  are  used  extensively. 

The  winters  are  often  severe,  but  agreeable ;  the  heat  of  summer  is  modified  by  cool  and  ex- 
hilarating breezes  from  the  lake  and  the  Green  and  Adirondack  Mountains.  Grazing  can  usually 
be  relied  on  by  the  20th  of  April.  Mean  temperature  for  1869,  43°.04  F. ;  extremes,  87°  F.  and 
18°  F.  Average  monthly  rain-fall,  1.98  inch.  The  prevailing  winds  of  spring  and  summer  are 
from  the  south  ;  of  the  autumn  and  winter,  from  the  northwest.  The  winters  are  long,  snow  fall- 
ing iu  1869  ou  the  2d  of  May  and  29th  of  October. 

The  post  is  situated  on  a  sandy  plain  25  rods  from  the  lake  and  90  feet  above  its  level,  the 
buildings  being  arranged  around  a  square  parade  of  200  feet  each  side.  The  principal  buildings 
are  substantially  constructed  of  uncut  liuestoue. 

The  barracks  for  the  enlisted  men  were  erected  in  1838-'40,  and  consist  of  a  building  two  and  a 
half  stories  high,  200  feet  long  by  26  feet  wide,  containing  18  rooms.  On  the  second  floor  are  three 
large  and  commodious  sleeping-rooms  for  each  company.  They  are  warmed  by  stoves,  well  lighted 
and  ventilated  by  windows,  and  contain  420  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  Each  bunk  is  ar. 
ranged  for  two  occupants.  A  camp  privy  for  each  company,  and  one  for  the  hospital,  are  located 
100  feet  distant  from  the  barracks.  A  capacious  company  kitchen  adjoins  each  mess-room  and 
occupies  a  portion  of  the  first  floor  of  the  building.  In  the  eastern  end  of  this  building,  four  rooms 
on  the  lower  floor  are  set  apart  for  the  use  of  the  hospital  department,  and  are  occupied  as  office, 
dispensary,  ward-room,  and  kitchen.  The  arrangement  of  the  barracks  and  hospital  is  shown  iu 
Fig.  10. 

The  quarters  of  the  non-commissioned  staff  and  also  the  quarters  of  the  company  laundresses, 
located  outside  of  the  inclosure  of  the  post,  are  three  old  wooden  buildings,  each  one  and  a  half 
stories  high.  The  first  of  these  buildings  is  divided  into  three  rooms,  one  20  by  12  feet  and  two 
12  by  12  feet,  and  occupied  by  the  non-commissioned  staff,  hospital  steward,  and  matron.  The 
other  buildings  toward  the  north,  containing  two  rooms  and  two  attics  each,  are  occupied  by 
laundresses.  A  new  wooden  building,  80  by  28  feet,  has  been  erected  ou  the  south  side  of  the 
barracks,  and  20  feet  distant  from  the  iuclosure.  This  is  occupied  by  four  families,  affording  to 
each  two  rooms  16  by  14  feet,  with  air  space  of  1,568  cubic  feet. 


54 


DESCBIPTION  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


1,  first  story;   2,  second  story ;  A,  hospital  kitchen;   B,  ward;   C,  office;  D,  dispensary ;  E, 
company  kitchen ;  F,  mess-room ;  II,  sergeants'  rooms ;  I,  company  office ;  M,  hospital  bath-room ; 


/v 


K,   storm  shed ;    P,   piazza ;    L   L,   dormitories. 


Height  of  rooms  on  first  floor,  10  feet ;  on  second 
floor,  10  feet  6  inches. 

The  building  assigned  to  the  use  of  commis- 
sioned  officers  is  composed  of  the  same  material  as 
the  main  building,  and  is  70  feet  long,  25  feet  wide, 
two  and  a  half  stories  high,  and  contains  16  rooms. 
The  building  is  erected  at  right  angles  with  the 
main  building,  and  20  feet  distant,  and  commands 
a  fine  view  of  the  post.  In  its  rear  an  open  veran- 
da is  in  course  of  erection,  which  will  materially 
add  to  the  appearance  of  the  building,  and  render 
it  more  convenient  for  the  occupants.  It  is  in- 
tended for  eight  sets  of  quarters. 

The  headquarters  of  the  post  is  situated  at  the 
northwestern  part  of  the  iuclosure,  in  a  small  one- 
story  building  24  by  18  feet,  a  portion  of  which 
is  set  apart  for  the  purpose  of  a  library  and  read- 
ing-room for  the  use  of  the  command. 

In  the  northwest  corner  of  the  post  is  located 
the  commissary  storehouse,  a  two-and-a-half  story 
wooden  building,  40  feet  long  and  18  feet  wide ; 
it  is  divided  into  two  store-rooms  and  an  office. 

On  the  east  side  is  a  one-story  building,  60  by 
16  feet,  used  for  a  carpenter's  shop,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  small  portion  on  the  western  end, 
which  is  set  apart  for  a  sutler's  store. 

The  guard-house  is  a  wooden  building  situated 
Fig.  10.— Scale,  3y  feet  to  l  inch.  On  the  western  side  of  the  inclosure   and  north 

of  the  principal  entrance  to  the  post;  it  is  50  feet  long  by  15  feet  wide,  and  divided  into  three 
rooms  and  two  cells.  The  front  room,  13  by  19  feet,  is  used  as  a  guard-room;  adjoining  are  the 
cells  designated  for  prisoners  sentenced  to  solitary  confinement.  The  cells  are  4^  feet  wide  and  10 
feet  long,  with  a  grated  window  1  foot  square  near  the  top  of  the  wall,  and  a  similar  grating  in 
the  door  for  ventilation;  a  small  opening  from  the  top  of  the  cell  serves  to  allow  a  part  of  the  foul 
air  to  escape.  These  cells  are  found  to  be  unsuitable  for  the  purpose  by  reason  of  defective  ven- 
tilation and  bad  arrangement  for  warming  the  rooms  in  cold  weather.  Adjoining  the  guard-room 
is  a  room  27  by  14  feet,  used  as  a  "lock-up''  for  prisoners.  This  apartment  could  be  improved  by 
more  ample  ventilation. 

The  hospital,  as  before  mentioned,  is  located  in  a  portion  of  the  building  occupied  as  soldiers' 
barracks,  the  men's  quarters  being  immediately  over  the  sick- ward,  as  shown  in  Figure  10.  Though 
rather  inconvenient,  this  arrangement  will  answer  the  purpose  for  a  command  of  two  companies. 
The  hospital  is  warmed  by  coal  stoves  and  well  ventilated.  Two  rooms,  each  10  by  10  feet,  are 
used  for  office  and  dispensary. 

The  ward  contains  eight  beds ;  superficial  area,  792  feet;  airspace  per  bed,  990  cubic  feet.  A 
room  for  bathing  and  lavatory  purposes  has  been  erected  in  rear  of  the  building  and  adjoining  the 
ward.  The  hospital  sink  is  100  feet  distant,  and  kept  in  good  condition;  this  privy  is  constructed 
on  the  system  of  earth-closets,  the  result  proving  quite  satisfactory.  The  substance  used  as  an 
absorbent  is  dry  coal  ashes,  (sifted,)  which  is  regularly  applied  to  each  deposit  in  a  sufficient 
quantity,  and  is  found  to  be  a  good  deodorizer. 

The  school-house  is  an  old  one-story  building  situated  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  post;  it 
is  well  provided  with  books,  and  has  a  competent  person  selected  from  the  command  as  an 
instructor. 


FORT  ^DELAWARE,  DELAWRE. 


55 


The  ice-house  is  located  near  the  banks  of  the  lake,  and  consists  of  a  wooden  building  10  by 
12  feet,  with  a  stone  wall  10  feet  deep  below  ground,  and  frame  building  8  feet  high  above  the 
surface.  An  ample  supply  of  ice  is  obtained  from  Lake  Champlain  during  the  months  of  January 
and  February,  and  is  found  to  be  of  an  excellent  quality. 

The  library  contains  a  good  supply  of  the  most  desirable  of  the  daily  and  weekly  journals; 
stationery  and  materials  for  writing  are  supplied  gratis  to  members  of  the  command. 

The  supply  of  water  is  obtained  from  two  deep  wells  in  close  vicinity  to  the  buildings;  the 
quality  of  this  water  is  excellent  for  drinking  and  cooking,  and  it  is  perfectly  free  from  impurities. 
Rain-water  is  chiefly  used  for  cleansing  clothes  and  habitations. 

The  post  is  well  drained  by  reason  of  being  located  on  elevated  ground  and  the  alluvial  nature 
of  the  soil. 

The  close  proximity  of  Lake  Ghamplain  affords  good  facilities  for  bathing  purposes. 

Fronting  the  western  entrance  to  the  post  is  a  square  plot  of  ground  inclosed  with  fence,  con- 
taining about  two  acres;  this  ground  is  supposed  to  have  been  originally  designed  for  a  park  or 
parade-ground,  but  has  recently  been  converted  into  a  vegetable  garden,  and  cultivated  for  the 
benefit  of  the  officers  of  the  post. 

The  company  gardens  are  located  about  half  a  mile  northwest  from  the  barracks,  and  consist 
of  about  five  acres  of  fertile  soil,  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation.  The  hospital  garden  is  located 
about  the  same  distance  east  of  the  post  and  near  the  bank  of  the  river.  It  is  about  a  half  an 
acre  in  extent,  and  is  cultivated  by  the  hospital  attendants. 

Acute  diarrhoea  and  dysentery  prevail  in  the  summer  season;  catarrh  and  bronchial  affections 
in  the  winter. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases,  at  Plattsburg  barracks,  New 

York,  for  the  years  18G8  and  18C9. 


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91.33 

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26 

•  Inrhulc  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  DELAWARE,  DELAWARE. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  W.  C.  SPENCER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Delaware  is  situated  on  Pea-Patch  Island,  in  the  Delaware  River,  one  and  one-eighth 
miles  distant  from  the  Delaware  shore ;  one  mile  from  the  Xew  Jersey  shore ;  and  forty-two  miles 
below  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  Latitude  30°  3,7  18"  north ;  longitude  75°  34'  31"  west  from 
Greenwich. 

The  island  is  a  flat  mud  bank,  irregularly  oval  in  form,  and  has  an  area  of  eighty  acres ;  its 
average  level  is  3  feet  4  inches,  and  its  highest  point  9  feet  8  inches  above  mean  low  water.  It  is 
surrounded  by  an  embankment  faced  with  broken  stone,  10  feet  10  inches  above  mean  low  water, 
and  is  drained  by  means  of  a  network  of  ditches  through  which  the  tide,  which  has  an  average  of 
6£  feet,  is  permitted  to  flood  and  ebb  under  the  control  of  two  sluice-gates.  These  ditches  vary  in 
width  from  three  to  thirty  feet,  and  in  depth  from  8  inches  below  to  1  foot  above  mean  low  water. 

The  following  history  is  condensed  from  a  general  record  book,  dated  April  1, 1851,  belonging 
to  the  engineer  office  at  Fort  Delaware,  Delaware : 


56  DESCRIPTION  OF  MIITARY  POSTS. 

The  inland  now  known  us  the  Pea-Patch  first  began  to  attract  attention  about  the  year  1770.  From  1770  to  1813 
but  little  notice  was  taken  of  it,  as'it  was  seldom  visited  except  by  fishermen  and  persons  wishing  to  destroy  crows,  of 
which  there  then  were  great  numbers  roosting  every  night. 

In  1813  the  State  of  Delaware,  thinking  the  Pea-Patch  a  good  site  for  fortifications,  and  that  the  Delaware  River 
and  adjacent  country  required  certain  defensive  works,  ceded  the  island  to  the  United  States  on  condition  that  fortifi- 
cations should  be  erected  and  maintained  thereon  at  the  expense  of  the  general  government.  Accordingly,  in  1814, 
Captain  Chirk,  with  one  hundred  soldiers  and  thirty  laborers,  took  possession  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  and  at 
once  began  building  dykes,  wharves,  and  fortifications,  which  were  carried  on  until  1H23  and  lf'24,  when  the  fort  was 
nearly  completed  under  Major  liabcock. 

In  February,  1831,  the  roof  and  other  wood-work  were  burned.  In  1833  many  repairs  were  made,  and  in  June 
the  demolition  of  the  old  fort  was  commenced.  In  1834  the  principal  work  accomplished  was  the  removing  the  rubbish 
of  the  old  fort.  In  this  year  there  was  an  attempt  made  to  find  water  by  boring,  the  particulars  of  which  are  as 
follows : 

The  boring  was  commenced  with  6  or  7  inch  pipes  and  carried  to  the  depth  of  46  feet  through  mud  to  sand,  then 
continued  20  feet  through  sand  (in  all  66  feet)  to  a  very  coarse  sand  and  shells,  through  the  coarse  sand  to  the  depth  of  96 
feet,  when  a  large  boulder  was  struck,  the  working  through  which  consumed  two  weeks.  After  the  boulder,  dark  clay 
was  found  ;  after  the  clay,  a  very  fine  white  sand  at  the  depth  of  143  feet.  At  this  point  water  was  found,  but  of  siu-li  a 
sweetish  taste  that  it  was  entirely  unfit  for  use.* 

In  December  of  the  last-named  year,  borings  were  also  made  in  the  corners  of  the  old  star  fort,  for  the  purpose  of 
ascertaining  the  nature  of  the  soil.  These  borings  were  continued  to  the  average  depth  of  47  feet,  at  which  point  sand 
was  found. 

[n  the  year  1834,  materials  began  to  be  received  for  the  new  work,  and  in  1836  the  driving  of  piles  for  the  new  founda- 
tion was  commenced,  which  work  was  completed  in  1838.  The  number  of  piles  driven  was  between  ten  and  eleven  thou- 
sand. In  this  year  Captain  Dclafield  left  the  island  for  West  Point,  and  was  succeeded  by  Colonel  De  Russey,  under  whom 
a  portion  of  the  grillage  was  laid,  but  in  December,  before  the  foundations  were  entirely  completed,  possession  was  taken 
of  the  island  by  one  Hudson,  under  a  t  itle  purporting  to  be  given  by  the  State  of  New  Jersey  to  Gale,  who  it  appears  had 
some  time  occupied  the  island  for  fishing  purposes.  On  this  account  the  works  were  suspended  until  the  question  as  to 
whom  the  island  belonged  should  be  settled. 

In  1839,  there  was  an  uncommonly  high  tide  which  overflowed  the  .island.  There  was  also  another  in  October,  1846, 
which  also  overflowed  the  island,  carrying  the  timber  about  it,  and  some  away.  This  last  is  said  to  have  been  the  highest 
tide  in  the  memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitants.  The  wind  at  the  time  was  strong  from  the  southeast,  which  was  probably 
the  cause  of  the  remarkably  high  water. 

In  1848,  by  the  decision  of  the  Hon.  John  Sergeant,  (to  whom  was  referred  the  question  as  to  the  title  of  the  island,) 
the  United  States  again  came  in  possession  and  once  more  the  works  were  resumed  under  Brevet  Major  John  Sanders. 

The  works  which  had  been  commenced  under  Captain  Delafield  were  abandoned,  and  a  new  plan  for  the  fort  substi- 
tuted. The  principal  work  done  in  this  year  (1848)  was  the  repairing  of  quarters,  general  policing  the  island,  and  exca- 
vating the  foundations  for  the  new  fort. 

In  May,  1849,  the  driving  of  the  piling  for  the  new  foundation  was  commenced.  The  whole  piling  of  the  foundation, 
(amounting  in  number  to  between  six  and  seven  thousand  piles,)  was  then  subjected  to  a  certain  test  by  means  of  the 
ringing  pile-engine.  This  work  was  commenced  on  the  llth  of  April,  and  finished  on  the  17th  of  June  following.  Those 
piles  not  standing  the  required  test,  amounting  in  all  to  about  1,700,  were  again  spliced  and  redriven,  so  that  now  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  foundation  of  the  fort  about  to  be  built,  is  as  near  perfection  as  it  can  be  brought. 

Fort  Delaware  is  placed  midway  between  the  center  and  the  southern  extremity  of  the  island  - 
and  is  a  bastioned  work  of  granite,  lined  with  concrete  brick.  Within  the  fortification  are  three 
brick  buildings,  each  placed  against  a  separate  curtain,  which  are  three  stories  in  height,  and  pro- 
vided with  painted  iron  roofs.  Their  third  floors  are  nearly  on  a  level  with  the  terre-plein,  and  com- 
municate directly  with  it. 

The  largest  of  these  buildings,  which  constitutes  the  barracks  proper,  is  279  feet  long,  66  feet 
6  inches  wide,  and  51  feet  6  inches  high,  from  the  parade  to  the  crest  of  the  roof.  The  sally-port  is 
in  the  center  of  this  building.  The  ground  floor  is  divided  into  fifteen  rooms,  which  are  severally 
occupied  as  subsistence  store-rooms,  mess-rooms,  prison-rooms,  kitchen  and  laundresses'  quarters. 
The  third  floor  has  sixteen  rooms,  used  as  quartermaster  store-rooms,  company  offices,  and  laun- 
dresses' quarters.  Several  rooms  on  this  floor  are  unoccupied.  The  height  of  the  first  floor  in  the 
clear  is  12  feet  6  inches;  of  the  second,  12  feet  9  inches,  and  of  the  third,  13  feet  9  inches.  The 
kitchens,  two  in  number,  measure,  respectively,  20  feet  6  inches,  by  19  feet  6  inches.  Each  kitchen 
is  provided  with  a  large  range,  and  with  suitable  wash-sinks,  pumps,  pantries,  &c.  The  mess-room's 
are  also  two  in  number.  They  are  39  feet  long,  by  30  feet  broad,  and  are  immediately  adjacent  to 
the  kitchens.  The  floors  of  all  the  rooms  on  the  first  story  are  flagged.  There  are  four  squad, 

*  I  have  been  told  recently  by  Mr.  Timothy  Collins,  who  was  employed  in  boring  this  well,  that  the  water  obtained  had  no  "sweetish"  or 
brackish  taste,  and  was  excellent  in  every  respect.  It  was  used  by  the  residents  of  the  island  for  nearly  two  years,  when,  through  neglect,  .th» 

well  became  filled  up. 

VV .  C.  S. 


FOBT  DEL  A  WAKE,  DELAWARE.  57 

rooms  or  dormitories,  each  57  feet  6  inches  long,  and  30  feet  broad.  They  are  all  furnished  with 
ventilators,  wash-sinks,  pumps,  «!tc. 

One  guard-room  and  three  prison-rooms  are  situated  in  the  second  story  of  the  barracks,  above 
the  sally-port.  The  former  measures  19  feet  9  inches  by  13  feet ;  the,  latter,  respectively,  13  feet  by 
8  feet  C  inches,  19  feet  9  inches  by  10  feet,  and  29  feet  by  17  feet  9  inches.  In  addition  to  thex . 
there  are  two  cells  on  the  ground  floor,  one  on  each  side  of  the  main  gate,  each  (i  feet  <i  inches  long, 
5  feet  1 1  inches  broad,  and  10  feet  high,  and  a  prison  room  24  feet  G  inches  by  14  feet  9  inches.  A 
bastion-room  on  the  lower  tier  is  set  apart  for  the  post  bakery. 

The  two  remaining  buildings  are  used  for  officers'  quarters  and  for  offices.  The\  arc  each  95 
feet  in  length,  70  feet  in  depth,  and  53  feet  G  inches  in  height,  from  the  parade  to  the  crest  of  the 
roof.  The  height  of  the  first  floors  in  the  clear  is  l.'I  feet;  of  the  second,  13  feet;  and  of  the  third, 
14  feet.  The  ground  floor  of  each  building  is  divided  into  eight  rooms,  which  are  occupied  as 
ollices  and  as  kitchens.  The  latter  are  furnished  with  ranges,  ovens,  wash-sinks,  pumps,  pantries, 
&c.  The  second  floor  contains  nine  rooms,  and  the  third  eight,  all  set  apart  for  officers  and  their 
families,  except  one  room  in  the  second  story,  which  contains  the  post  library.  These  quarters  are 
excellent  in  every  essential  particular.  They  are  well  lighted,  well  ventilated,  and  provided  with 
handsome  mantel-pieces  and  grates.  The.  post  library  contains  1,400  volumes  of  scientific,  histor- 
ical, and  miscellaneous  works. 

The  water  supply  of  the  fort  is  principally  derived  from  the  fall  of  rain  on  the  terre-plein.  The 
water  from  this  source  passes  successively  through  six  inches  of  sand,  two  feet  of  earth,  nine  inches 
of  gravel,  and  several  layers  of  brick,  the  vertical  joints  of  which  are  open  to  an  arched  brick 
gutter,  whose  bottom  is  covered  with  asphaltum.  From  this  gutter  it  runs  through  conduits  made 
in  part  of  iron,  and  in  part  of  earthenware  crocks,  to  filters  placed  with  the  cistern  to  which  each  is 
attached,  under  the  floor  of  the  first  tier  of  casemates.  Every  filter  contains  a  layer  of  broken 
brick,  1  foot  3  inches  thick;  one  of  gravel,  2  feet  thick;  one  of  coarsely  pulverized  charcoal,  9 
inches  thick ;  and  one  of  sand,  2  feet  thick.  Below  these  are  several  layers  of  brick,  uncemented, 
but  closely  laid,  through  which  the  water  passes  directly  to  the  adjacent  cistern.  Each  cistern  has 
a  trap  in  the  floor  above,  and  each  filter  is  provided  with  a  door. 

The  cisterns,  twenty- two  in  number,  are  of  various  sizes.  Their  aggregate  capacity  is  543,71 0§ 
gallons;  and  it  has  been  estimated  that  the  water-shed  is  sufficient  to  fill  them  three  times  annually. 
They  are  built  wholly  of  brick,  lined  throughout  with  hydraulic  cement.  Every  cistern  has  a  self- 
acting  waste-pipe  fixed  at  the  height  of  7  feet  7  inches  above  mean  low  water. 

During  the  war,  when  many  thousand  prisoners  were  confined  on  the  island,  water  was  brought 
from  Brandy  wine  Creek,  Delaware,  and  emptied  into  the  cisterns,  without  having  previously  passed 
through  the  filters.  A  sandy  sediment  several  inches  in  thickness,  which  has  not  yet  been  re- 
moved, was  the  result  of  this  procedure/ 

The  rain  that  falls  on  the  buildings  inside  the  fort  is  conveyed  to  iron  tanks  placed  a  short  dis- 
tance under  every  roof.  The  dimensions  of  these  tanks  are  12  feet  by  8  feet  by  4  feet.  There  are 
six  in  the  barracks,  and  three  in  each  of  the  other  buildings.  The  water  derived  from  those  in  the 
officers'  quarters  is  used  in  the  privies.  The  water  from  those  in  the  barracks  is  conveyed  to  wash 
sinks  situated  in  the  second  and  in  the  third  stories,  and  is  chiefly  used  by  the  laundresses.  The 
number  of  privies  in  the  barracks  is  sixteen,  equally  divided  between  the  first  and  the  second  floors. 
They  communicate  with  the  moat  by  means  of  a  perpendicular  well  4  feet  by  3  feet  in  size,  which 
extends  from  the  second  story  to  the  grillage  of  the  foundation.  In  each  of  the  other  buildings 
there  are  three  privies  on  the  first  and  three  on  the  second  story,  constructed  on  the  same  plan,  but 
in  addition  having  a  supply  of  water  from  the  tanks.  The  excrement  from  these  privies  passes  into 
the  moat  through  sixteen  openings,  each  4  feet  long,  and  3  feet  8  inches  high,  and  placed  2  feet 
above  the  bottom  of  the  well.  The  drainage  of  the  interior  of  the  fort  is  secured  by  a  larger  brick 
culvert,  which  discharges  into  the  moat,  and  by  tributary  side-drains.  They  are  all  provided  with 
traps, 

There  are  five  neat  frame  cottages  with  gardens,  outside  the  work,  four  of  which  belong  to  the 

engineer,  and  one  to  the  quartermaster's  department.    Three  of  these  are  occupied  by  officers  and 

their  families,  and  by  two  engineer  employes.    There  are  also  three  wooden  houses,  not  in  good  re. 

pair,  in  which  married  soldiers  and  their  families  reside,  besides  nine  cottages  and  shanties  tenanted 

8 


58 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


by  laborers  hired  by  the  engineer  in  charge.  All  these  houses  are  furnished  with  covered  cisterns, 
built  entirely  above  the  surface  of  the  ground.  Their  privies  haA'e  been  erected  upon  the  outer 
face  of  the  adjacent  embankment.  They  are  cleansed  by  the  tide.  In  addition  to  the  edifices 
already  mentioned,  the  island  contains  carpenters',  shoemakers',  and  blacksmiths'  shops,  a  school- 
house,  post  trader's  store,  a  stable,  and  two  ice-houses.  It  has  also  a  dock  and  three  wharves. 
Near  the  fort  stands  a  very  neat  frame  chapel,  built  during  the  war  from  the  prison  fund. 

The  hospital  is  situated  350  yards  from  the  sally-port.  It  was  begun  on  the  12th  of  August, 
1868,  and  first  occupied  on  the  26th  of  the  ensuing  November.  It  is  a  wooden  structure,  placed 
upon  brick  piers  3  feet  4  inches  high.  The  ground  underneath  the  building  has  been  coATered  with  a 
layer  of  sand  one  foot  in  thickness,  and  the  spaces  between  the  piers  latticed.  The.  hospital  consists 
of  a  central  building,  having  a  front  of  33  feet,  and  two  wings,  each  72  feet  long,  and  containing 
eighteen  beds.  A  veranda,  one  story  high  and  12  feet  broad,  extends  around  the  Avhole  building, 
with  the  exception  of  the  kitchen.  The  plan  promulgated  in  Circular  No.  4,  Surgeon  General's 
Office,  1867,  has  been  strictly  followed  in  its  erection,  excepting  that  the  central  building  has  a  hip 
roof;  that  the  wards  are  ceiled  in  hard  finish ;  that  a  door  with  a  dead-light  has  been  placed  between 
the  administration  building  and  the  right  ward,  and  that  a  door  has  been  inserted  between  each 

__ ward  and  the  passage  leading  to  the  bath-room  and  water-closet.    The 

water-closets  have  been  supplied  with  close-stools,  and  an  excellent 
privy  has  been  built  on  the  outer  face  of  the  embankment,  78  yards 
distant  from  each  Avard.  Rain  water  is  conveyed  directly  to  covered 
wooden  tanks,  two  in  number,  situated  respectively  in  the  rear  of  the 
kitchen  and  of  the  right  ward.  The  hospital  grounds  have  a  front  of  263 
feet  and  a  depth  of  310  feet,  extending  to  the  embankment  in  the  rear, 
exclusive  of  the  adjacent  hospital  garden,  which  is  231  feet  long  and  141 
feet  deep.  They  will  be  inclosed  with  a  neat  fence  in  the  spring,  and 
properly  laid  out. 

For  the  general  arrangement  of  the  hospital,  see  Figure  11. 

1.  Main  floor. — A,  ward,  60  by  24  feet;  B,  bath-room,  11  by  9  feet; 
D,  dispensary,  14  by  14  feet;  K,  kitchen,  14  by  12  feet;  M,  dining-room, 
19  by  14  feet;  O,  office,  14  by  14  feet;  P,  Areranda;  S,  store-room,  14  by 
14  feet;  W,  water-closet,  11  by  9  feet. 

2.  Second  floor. — A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G,  store-rooms,  attendants'  quar- 
ters, and  dead-room;  D,  hall. 

The  building  recently  in  use  for  hospital  purposes  was  a  remnant  of 
the  prison  hospital.  It  has  lately  beeii  demolished.  During  the  last 
three  years  of  the  rebellion  the  island  was  converted  into  a  depot  for 
prisoners  of  Avar,  Avho  Avere  confined  in  wooden  barracks  erected  outside 
the  fort.  I  am  informed  that  the  greatest  number  imprisoned  here  at 
one  time  was  about  12,000.  All  records  of  value  relative  to  them  were 
sent  to  the  commissary  general  of  prisoners  in  August,  1865. 

There  are  two  burial  lots  on  the  island,  at  its  northern  extremity, 
and  one  on  a  farm  of  about  80  acres,  owned  by  the  United  States,  sit- 
uated directly  opposite  on  the  New  Jersey  shore.  The  latter  has  an 
area  of  about  9,000  square  yards,  and  contains  10  graves  of  United 
States  soldiers  and  1,434  of  confederates.  It  is  protected  by  a  wooden 
picket-fence,  and  provided  Avith  headboards. 

One  of  the  cemeteries  on  the  island  contains  the  remains  of  pris- 
oners of  war  exclusively.  Interments  were  permitted  here  in  the  winter 
only  when  access  to  the  principal  cemetery  was  rendered  impracticable 
by  floating  ice.  The  remaining  burial  lot  Avhich  was  laid  out  at  the 
establishment  of  the  post  is  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  garrison.  They  each  ha\-e  an  area  of 
930  square  yards,  and  together  contain  142  graves.  Both  cemeteries  are  provided  with  head- 
boards and  good  fences. 

The  graves,  which  were  originally  very  shallow,  have  been  covered  with  a  layer  of  quicklime 
and  of  earth  four  feet  in  thickness. 


•I 

D 

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I 


11. 


CARLISLE  BARRACKS,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


59 


Statement  allowing  mean  strength,  number  of  nick,  and  i>rh«-i)>«l  ilixcunt'K  of  tronjm  at  Fort  Delaware, 

Delaware,  for  the  years  1868  and  1809. 


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1868  

154.  41 

208 

19 

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1869  

113. 

211 

1 

17 

40 

5 

8 

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16 

Statement  sho/riiiy  mean  strength,  number  of  nick,  and  principal  d Metises  of  white  prisoners  at  Fort 

Delaware,  Di'latcair,  for  the  year  1869 


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'Include  laryngitis,  liroiu-liitis,  iiiirunumia,  uud  iilr 


CARLISLE  BARRACKS,  PENNSYLVANIA. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  J.  J.  13.  WRIGHT,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Carlisle  Barracks  is  situated  near  the  center  of  the  beautiful  Cumberland  Valley,  about  mid- 
way between  the  north  and  south  mountain  spurs  of  the  Alleghany  range,  which  are  at  this 
point  ten  miles  apart.  Latitude,  40°  1'2'  north;  longitude,  77°  10'  west  from  Greenwich;  height 
above  the  sea,  500  feet.  The  post  is  exposed  to  the  northwest  wind,  coming  from  the  mountains 
about  five  miles  distant;  but,  its  other  aspects  are  in  some  degree  protected  by  woods,  and  by  the 
town  of  Carlisle,  situated  on  a  slight  eminence  half  a  mile  off.  Le  Tort's  Creek,  averaging  ten  feet 
in  width,  and  having  its  origin  in  a  spring  two  and  a  half  miles  south  of  the  town,  flows  past  the 
garrison  on  the  northwest — distant  about  200  yards.  A  large  marshy  tract  of  land,  the  only  one 
in  the  vicinity,  lies  north  and  northwest  of  the  barracks,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  present 
hospital.  The  creek  is  not  confined  by  well-defined  banks,  but  at  intervals  spreads  over  consider- 
able tracts  of  land. 

The  underlying  rock  of  the  vicinity  is  carboniferous  limestone,  which  crops  out  at  short  and 
irregular  intervals  all  over  the  eastern  portion  of  the  valley.  All  the  cellars  of  the  garrison  are 
dug  out  of  this  solid  rock. 

The  soil  is  argillaceous,  with  rich  alluvium  superimposed.  Cumberland  County  is  regarded  as 
one  of  the  richest  agricultural  districts  in  the  State.  Indications  of  coal  are  present  at  several 
points  on  the  northwest  of  the  valley,  but  no  mines  are  worked.  Iron  ore  is  found,  and  supplies 
several  furnaces  in  the  vicinity.  The  mean  temperature  is  51.09°  P.;  extremes,  105°  F.  and  10°  F. 
Total  rain  and  snow  fall  for  18(»!l,  49.-'9  inches.  No  special  effect  on  the  health  of  the  troops  has 
been  noticed  from  prevailing  winds  or  other  climatic  influences. 

The  town  of  Carlisle  was  laid  out  in  1750.  It  had  previously  been  the  site  of  an  old  fort  or 
stockade,  faint  traces  of  which  are  still  apparent.  The  first  weekly  mail  from  Philadelphia  was 
established  in  1757. 

During  the  revolutionary  war  Carlisle,  owing  to  its  distance  from  the  scene  of  hostilities, 


60  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

was  frequently  selected  for  the  confinement  of  British  prisoners,     lu  1704  General  Washington  had 
his  headquarters  at  this  point  while  organizing  the  forces  sent  out  to  crush  the  whisky  insurrection. 

The  barracks  were  built  in  1777,  chiefly  by  Hessian  prisoners  captured  at  Trenton.  They 
were  occupied  by  troops  during  the  Revolution  and  in  the  war  of  1812.  The  post  was  a  recruiting 
depot,  several  regiments  being  here  organized,  among  others  the  Twenty-second  Infantry,  com- 
manded by  General  Brady.  It  is  now  occupied  as  a  cavalry  school  of  practice  and  as  a  depot  for 
cavalry  recruits.  Carlisle  is  on  the  Cumberland  Valley  railroad  leading  from  Harrisburg  to  1  lagers 
town,  IS  miles  west  of  Harrisbnrg.  The  barracks  having  been  burned  by  the  rebels  in  July,  1803, 
were  substantially  rebuilt,  and  are  now  in  very  good  condition. 

The  general  arrangement  of  the  post  is  shown  in  Plate  1.  Over  the  parade  and  around  the 
garrison  are  distributed  a  large  number  of  beautiful  shade  trees  of  different  species. 

The  quarters  for  enlisted  men  consist  of  three  brick  buildings.  Two  of  these  are,  respectively, 
271  by  24  feet,  and  251  by  24  feet,  and  two  stories  high,  and  principally  occupied  by  the  permanent 
troops;  the  third  is  a  three-story  building,  including  the  basement;  its  first  and  second  floors 
occupied  by  married  soldiers  with  their  families;  the  remaining  portion  of  the  building  serves  for 
an  armory,  with  shops,  &c.  The  rooms  occupied  as  dormitories  are  25  by  40  by  10  feet  each, 
accommodating  forty  men.  At  times,  when  the  garrison  is  crowded,  the  air  space  per  man  is  only 
250  cubic  feet.  Five  windows  in  each  room  admit  plenty  of  light.  Coal-oil  is  used  at  night.  The 
dormitories  are  wanned  by  stoves.  The  squad-rooms  are  provided  with  etiicient  ridge  ventilators 
of  elegant  pattern. 

Double  wooden  bunks,  two  stories  high,  accommodating  two  men  each,  are  furnished  with  the 
usual  bedsaek  and  blankets.  At  each  end  of  these  quarters  is  a  wash-house,  containing  .six  iron 
wash-bowls  and  a  hydrant  to  each.  There  are  no  bathing  arrangements  in  connection  with  the 
post,  the  men  performing  their  ablutions  in  a  small  creek  running  by  the  post.  The  sinks  are  all 
well  located  and  kept  in  good  condition.  "Commodes"  (earth-closets)  are  in  use  at  this  post,  and 
upon  thorough  trial  are  found  to  be  worthy  of  great  praise. 

Each  troop  has  its  own  kitchen,  .about  10  by  25  feet,  which  is  supplied  with  a  large-  cooking 
stove  and  plenty  of  cooking  utensils.  The  mess-rooms  are  separated  from  the  kitchens  by  a  par- 
tition, and  are  about  25  by  30  feet. 

The  married  soldiers'  quarters  very  comfortably  accommodate  from  twelve  to  sixteen  families, 
giving  each  from  two  to  six  rooms,  with  a  commodious  yard. 

The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  two-story  brick  buildings,  in  good  condition,  with  kitchens  and 
quarters  for  servants;  also  convenient  yards  in  the  rear.  A  commodious  veranda  for  both  stories 
extends  along  the  whole  front  of  the  buildings.  Ten  sets  of  quarters  consist  each  of  parlor,  din- 
ing room,  two  bed-rooms,  kitchen,  servants'  room,  and  a  bath-room.  These  quarters  are  liberally 
supplied  with  hydrants. 

The  commandant's  residence,  a  two-story  brick  building  with  wings  attached,  is  appropriately 
located,  and,  with  the  exception  of  gas,  contains  all  modern  improvements  and  appurtenances. 

The  commissary  store-room,  25  by  55  feet,  occupies  the  basement  of  the  recruit  quarters,  while, 
the  quartermaster's  department  uses  for  storage  purposes  a  frame  building  25  by  05  feet,  and  one 
story  high,  and  the  large  cellar  beneath  the  quarters  of  the  permanent  troops. 

The  ice-house,  of  about  120  tons  capacity,  is  20  feet  square  and  built  of  brick.  Ice  is  furnished 
the  post  by  contract  in  the  winter. 

The  guard-house,  about  70  by  30  feet,  was  originally  built  for  a  powder  magazine  ;  it  is  a  brick 
vault,  0  feet  thick  ;  the  summit  of  the  arch  is  about  20  feet  high  in  the  clear.  The  guard-house  is  di- 
vided into  four  apartments;  two  of  which  are  used  for  prison-rooms,  one  as  a  guard-room,  and  the 
remaining  one  as  a  magazine  for  powder  and  ammunition  ;  the  latter  is  separated  from  the  other 
rooms  by  a  very  substantial  brick  wall  from  the  apex  to  the  base  of  the  vault.  This  structure  is 
considered  bomb  and  fire-proof.  The  rebels,  in  1863  did  not  succeed  in  injuring  the  vault  by  fire, 
although  the  roof  which  covered  it  was  totally  consumed,  as  well  as  the  wood-work  entering  into 
the  construction  of  the  building. 

The  guard-house  is  principally  defective  in  point  of  capacity.  At  the  last  muster  for  payment- 
I  counted  40  prisoners  paraded  in  front  of  the  guard-house.  Taking  the  dimensions  of  the  prison, 
rooms  into  account,  it  will  be  perceived  that  on  that  day  only  165  cubic  feet  were  allowed  for  each 
man,  while  the  ventilation  of  the  light  prison  is  furnished  by  one  grated  window  2£  by  5  feet,  and 


PLATE, 


CAHL1SLU   IJA11KACKS,   I'KN  NSY  I,V  A  M  A.  61 

that  of  the  cell  by  an  aperture  at  the  apex  of  the  arch  and  a  narrow  slit  in  the  side  walls  2  by  \ 
feet.  The  small  cell  in  the  powder  maga/ine  room,  (>  feet  square,  which  is  used  only  for  the  con- 
finement of  refractory  prisoners,  has  no  means  of  ventilation  or  admission  of  light.  A  coal-stove 
warms  the  guard-house  in  winter. 

It  is  doubtful  whether  the  guard-house  or  the  hospital  at  Carlisle  barracks  can  best  claim  Hit- 
bad  eminence  of  being  a  public  nuisance;  the  latter  more  particularly,  perhaps,  on  account  of  its 
location  than  of  its  construction,  though  it  is  not  built  after  any  approved  model.  It  is  placed 
near  the  western  limit  of  the  slope  of  the  military  tract  of  ground,  which  extends  in  the  direction 
of  the  low  marshy  bottom  of  a  basin,  through  which  runs  a  deep  creek  which  overflows  its  banks 
several  times  a  year,  leaving  the  surface  of  the  ground,  comprising  many  acres,  submerged  for 
weeks.  The  sewer — which  drains  the  southern  portion  of  the  garrison — empties  itself  immediately 
below,  and  in  fearful  proximity  to,  the  hospital;  all  that  it  bears  of  slops  and  dirt  from  the  company 
kitchens  and  washhouses,  remaining  exposed  to  the  sun  during  the  whole  summer. 

The  building  consists  of  two  frame  pavilions,  and  a  miserable 
shell  fora  kitchen,  for  the  general  arrangement  of  which  see  Fig- 
ure 12.  A,  ward,  77  by  25  feet;  B,  chapel,  42  by  25  feet;  (', 
theater,  01  by  25  feet;  1), dispensary,  20  by  14.C  feet;  E,  store- 
room, 20  by  10.G  feet;  F,  F,  F,  F,  bath  rooms,  9  by  10  feet;  II, 
steward's  quarters;  I,  cook's  room,  10  by  25  feet;  K,  kitchen, 
22  by  25  feet;  L,  mess-room,  38  by  25  feet;  M,  rooms  not  in 
use ;  N,  veranda. 

The  two  \vardfc  contain  50  beds,  allowing  to  each  about  800 
cubic  feet  of  air,  and  about  90  square  feet  of  surface  area. 
Usually  only  one  ward  is  occupied,  although  as  many  as  75 
patients  have  been  crowded  into  the  hospital.  Two  cast-iron 
bath-tubs  and  two  wash-bowls,  connected  by  one-inch  pipes  with 
the  hydrant,  are  located  in  the  small  rooms  on  the  further  end 
of  the  ward.  There  are  no  water-closets  connected  with  the  hos- 
pital. 

The  following  extracts  from  letters  of  Surgeon  J.  J.  B. 
Wright,  United  States  Army,  will  give  an  idea  of  the  history 
and  condition  of  the  hospital : 

l-:.i-tr<tftfrom  teller  ilute.il  Siplfmtxr  tf2,  1664. 


M 

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H  1  H 

H  I  H 

B 
D 

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A 

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a 
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a 

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Figure  ]•>.— Scale  iy.(  I'eet  to  1  inch. 


Carlisle  barracks  dates  its  origin  to  a  period  anterior  to  the,  American  Revolution,  and  has  been  occupied,  with  the 
exception  of  short  intervals,  ever  since.  Yet  there  has  never  been  a  separate,  hospital  for  the  post  until  last  winter, 

•when,  the  barracks  having  been  destroyed  by  the  rebels,  a  temporary  building,  consisting  of  a  men- shell,  \vasi stnn-ted 

for  the  emergency. 

The  barracks  having  been  rebuilt  in  a  most  substantial  way.  it  seems  proper  that  a  hospital  corresponding  in  ap- 
pearance and  durability  should  render  the  post  complete.  I  have  the  honor,  very  respectfully,  to  submit  for  the  considera- 
tion of  the  proper  authority  the  accompanying  plan,  specification,  and  estimates. 


Ejrlr.ielfrom  letter  dulal  March  4,  1866. 

GENERAL:  I  have  the  honor  again  to  invite  your  attention  to  the  subject  of  the  post  hospital  at  these  barracks. 
By  refereuce  to  the  report  of  Acting  Inspector  General  Colonel  George  D.  Rnggles,  dated  about  September  20,  1864,  (a 
copy  of  the  part  of  which,  relating  to  the  medical  department  of  the  post,  is,  I  presume,  on  tile  in  your  office,)  you 
will  see  that  in  the  estimation  of  that  officer  urgent  necessity  existed  for  better  accommodations  for  the  sick  at  the  post. 
I  beg  leave  also  to  refer  you  to  my  communication  of  the  22d  of  September,  1864,  on  the  same  subject,  and  to  one  of  subse- 
quent date,  about  September,  1805,  of  which  I  failed  to  keep  a  copy. 

The  objections  of  the  Inspector  General,  as  well  as  myself,  to  the  hospital  then  and  now  in  use  at  the  post,  related 
more  perhaps  to  the  position  or  location  than  to  the  construction  of  the  building.  It  is  built  near  the  western  limit  of 
{he  slope  of  the  military  tract  of  ground,  which  extends  in  the  direction  of  the  low  marshy  bottom  of  a  basin,  through 
which  runs  a  deep  creek  which  overflows  its  banks  several  times  a  year,  leaving  the  surface  of  the  ground,  comprising 
many  acres,  submerged  for  weeks  ;  even  now  it  is  a  miniature  sea,  with  its  islands  of  swamp  grass  dotting  its  surface, 
almost  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  hospital.  Besides,  the  sewer,  which  drains  the  southern  portion  of  the  garrison, 
empties  itself  immediately  below  and  in  fearful  proximity  to  the  hospital,  all  that  it  bears  of  slops  and  dirt  from  the 


62  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

company  kitchens  and  washhouses  remaining  exposed  to  the  suu  during  the  whole  summer.  The  termination  of  this 
drain  being  the  lowest  ground  in  the  vicinity,  its  contents,  of  course,  cannot  be  carried  oft'.  But  you  will  very  naturally 
inquire  why  was  the  hospital  erected  upon  this  very  objectionable  site,  and  I  will  explain.  When  the  barracks  were 
burned  by  the  rebels,  it  was  deemed  (very  reasonably,  I  think)  that  a  permanent  hospital  would  be  erected  corre- 
sponding in  durability  and  convenience  with  the  rest  of  the  garrison  ;  and  nature  seemed  to  point  out  a  particular  spot 
for  its  erection  ;  but  when  the  War  Department  ordered  that  a  temporary  hospital  should  be  built,  it  was  concluded  not 
to  erect  it  on  this  eligible  site, for  the  reason  that  it  would  interfere  with  the  construction  of  the  new  hospital.  In  justice 
to  myself,  however,  I  have  to  disclaim  any  agency  in  the  location  of  the  present  miserable  hospital.  I  had  advised, 
when  it  was  proposed  to  erect  a  temporary  hospital,  that  it  should  occupy  a  position  on  high  ground  on  the  east  side 
of  the  barracks,  remote  from  the  swampy  tract  alluded  to,  and  not  in  the  way  of  the  new  hospital.  I  left  the  post  just 
at  that  time,  under  an  order  detailing  me  on  a  medical  board  in  New  York,  with  the  impression  that  the  site  recom- 
mended would  be  occupied.  On  my  return  from  New  York  I  found  that  the  commanding  officer  (Major  Hastings)  had 
ordered  it  to  be  erected  where  it  now  stands. 

When  the  work  on  the  new  hospital  was  abandoned  at  an  advanced  stage  of  its  completion,  by  direction  of  the 
Quartermaster  General,  it  was  ordered  that  the  temporary  building  should  bo  repaired  and  converted  into  a  comfort- 
able hospital,  which,  of  course,  involved  an  utter  impossibility.  Much  expanse  was  incurred  on  the  frail  structure,  it  is 
true,  (enough,  I  should  think,  to  have  finished  the  new  hospital ;)  but  however  much  it  was  improved  it  was  far  from 
being  a  good  and  comfortable  and  healthy  place  for  the  sick.  The  objections  to  its  surroundings  remained ;  besides,  an 
i  niportant  part  of  the  hospital,  the  kitchen,  has  never  undergone  any  repair  or  improvement.  It  is  almost  in  a  state  of 
dilapidation,  a  mere  shell,  scarcely  inhabitable  in  winter. 

From  the  foregoing  statement  it  will  be  perceived  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  to  police  in  a  proper  way  the  envi- 
rons of  the  present  hospital. 

The  several  grave  cases  of  fever  which  have  recently  occurred  at  the  post  have  all,  without  exception,  orginated  in 
the  hospital;  at  least  all  its  victims  have  lived  and  slept  in  the  rooms  and  wardsof  the  hospital.  The  late  Assistant  Sur- 
geon Petherbridge  occupied  quarters  in  the  hospital,  aud  died  in  (lie  belief  that  t lie  cause  of  his  disease  originated  in  the 
faulty  surroundings  and  construction  of  the  hospital.  The  rooms  he  occupied  are  but  very  slightly  elevated,  (in  fact 
almost  rest  upon  the  ground.)  I  can  readily  conceive  that  some  telluric  emanations  assuming  miasmatic-  form  and  char- 
acter were  operative  in  the  production  of  the  fever  of  which  he  died. 

*#*r*  *!**#**#* 

The  post  bakery  is  a  brick  building  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  containing  two  rooms  with 
brick  lloors  ;  in  the  larger  of  which  is  an  oven  of  capacity  for  1'40  loaves. 

The  stable,  a  substantial  brick  structure,  consists  of  a  centre  building  150  by  35  feet,  contain- 
ing a  farrier's  room,  saddle-room,  granary,  two  boilers  for  heating  water,  &c.,  and  two  wings  joined 
at  right  angles  ;  each  divided  into  fifty  commodious  stalls  for  horses.  The  stables  are  well  venti- 
lated by  ridge  ventilators,  and  by  numerous  windows  and  air-holes,  besides  being  provided  with  six 
large  double  doors,  facilitating  greatly  the  removal  of  horses  in  case  of  fire.  Between  the  wings 
are  stretched  two  picket  lines,  allowing  ample  space  for  over  one  hundred  horses.  Close  to  the 
stables  are  a  water  plug  and  hydrant  supplying  the  watering  troughs.  If  a  brick  or  some  other 
substantial  floor  was  substituted  for  the  present  miserable  clay  floor,  these  stables  would  be  perfect 
in  every  respect.  There  are  generally  between  eighty  and  ninety  horses  in  these  stables  for  the 
instruction  of  cavalry  recruits,  and  a  few  horses  for  teams,  &<_•. 

A  post  library,  consisting  of  87(5  volumes  of  miscellaneous  books,  for  the  benefit  of  officers  and 
men,  was  begun  in  18(»5.  The  men  of  the  permanent  troop  have  a  reading-room,  which  is  also  occu- 
pied for  several  hours  a  day  for  a  school-room.  The  school  is  supported  by  the  post  fund,  from 
which  are  supplied  books  and  other  necessaries.  A  literary  society  has  been  organized  by  the 
men,  and  most  of  the  more  important  daily  and  weekly  papers,  pictorials,  and  periodicals,  are 
taken. 

The  post  is  supplied  with  water  from  hydrants,  to  which  it  is  conveyed  in  pipes  from  the  Can- 
adeguinete  Creek.  The  water  is  of  good  quality;  it  is  slightly  impregnated  with  lime,  but  not  to 
an  exceptionable  extent. 

Between  the  officers'  and  permanent  troop  quarters  is  the  lire-engine  house.  The  engine  is 
supplied  by  the  hydrants  and  two  large  cisterns,  one  between  the  rows  of  officers'  quarters,  the 
other  near  the  permanent  troop  quarters,  and  has  sufficient  hose  for  throwing  water  over  the  whole 
garrison,  excepting  the  hospital  building. 

The  drainage  of  the  garrison  is  generally  good,  being  carried  off  by  Le  Tort's  Creek.  The 
sewer,  before  referred  to,  emptying  near  the  hospital,  its  termination  the  lowest  ground  in  the 
vicinity,  drains  the  southern  portion  of  the  post.  All  offal,  &c.,  is  buried  in  the  swamps  situated 
north  from  the  garrison. 

The  post  garden  consists  of  about  two  acres,  partially  supplying  the  men's  mess  with  vege- 


FORT  McIIENRY,  BALTIMORE,  MARYLAND.  63 

tables  in  their  season.  Most  of  tlie  potatoes  used  are  purchased  by  the  commissary  department. 
The  hospital  garden  is  very  small,  occupying  the  space  between  the  wings  of  the  hospital,  and  is 
more  ornamental  than  useful. 

Xo  local  causes  of  disease  exist  in  or  about  the  post,  unless  such  as  are  possibly  found  in  connec- 
tion with  a  tract  of  low  ground,  sometimes  partially  submerged,  extending  along  the  whole  length  of 
the  government  line  of  fence  on  the  southwest.  Some  cases  of  cholera  occurred  at  the  post  in 
1SIU  and  18GG,  but  the  disease  did  not  assume  epidemic  proportions.  Jn  the  latter  year,  the  cases 
were  limited  to  recruits  lately  arrived  at  the  post.  The  majority  of  cases  of  intermittent  fever  oc- 
curring during  the  year  may  be  traced  to  foreign  origin.  The  prevailing  diseases  are  pneumonia, 
rheumatism,  diarrhu'a,  intermittent  fever,  &c. 

Kxeept  as  relates  to  the  permanent  party  of  the  post,  the  men  are  constantly  changed  from 
time  to  time,  those  partially  instructed  being  sent  in  detachments  to  the  several  cavalry  regiments, 
and  their  places  supplied  by  new  recruits. 


xlinirinij  wean  xtmtyth,  number  of  *iVfr,  and  prliid/tal  diseases  at  Carlisle  Jiar  racks,  Penn- 
xyli-ania,  for  the  years  1808  and  18G9. 


h 

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— 

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— 

Years. 

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1868  

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140 

31 

240 

1 

1869  

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1,021 

98 

201 

55 

100 

20 

191 

'Include  liirvngitis.  lirnnrhitis.  pneumonia,  and  plcnrisj-. 


FORT  McHENRY,  BALTIMORE,  MARYLAND. 

REPORTS  OF   SURGEON  JOSIAH    SIMPSON,   UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  AND  ACTING  ASSISTANT   SURGEON 

H.  C.  YARROW,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  McHenry  is  situated  on  Whetstone  Point,  a  peninsula  formed  by  the  junction  of  the 
northwest  branch  of  the  Patapsco  with  the  main  river,  latitude  39°  15'  44"  north,  longitude  76° 
34'  28"  west.  It  is  about  three  miles  southeast  from  the  center  of  the  city  of  Baltimore. 

This  site  was  first  occupied  for  military  purposes  in  1775,  at  which  time  a  water  battery  was 
constructed  here  in  connection  with  obstructions  in  the  river,  consisting  of  three  massive  wrought- 
iron  chains  and  some  sunken  vessels.  In  1794  the  fort  was  repaired,  the  star  fort  of  brick-work 
added,  and  the  whole  was  ceded  to  the  United  States  and  received  its  present  name.  It  was  named 
after  James  McHenry,  a  secretary  to  General  Washington  during  the  revolutionary  war,  and 
Secretary  of  War  in  1798. 

Fort  McHenry  was  bombarded  on  the  12th  of  September,  1814,  by  a  British  squadron  under 
the  command  of  Admiral  Cockbnrn,but  was  not  materially  injured,  and  the  enemy  was  successfully 
repulsed. 

During  the  late  war  the  fort  was  used  as  a  rendezvous  and  as  a  military  prison. 

The  military  reservation  covers  an  area  of  about  49i  acres,  of  which  about  4yL  is  occupied  by 
the  fort  and  water  battery.  The  surrounding  country  is  comparatively  low  and  level,  and  sub- 
ject to  occasional  inundations. 

The  geological  formation  of  the  laud  upon  which  the  fort  is  located,  as  shown  by  the  borings 
of  the  artesian  well  at  the  post,  consists  of  yellow  sand,  clay,  with  boulders,  iron  ore,  &c.,  in  layers 
varying  from  one  to  thirty-three  feet  in  thickness,  until,  at  a  depth  of  140  feet,  water  of  an  excel- 
lent quality  is  found  in  abundance. 

The  mean  temperature  of  the  post  during  the  year  was  56.18°  F.    The  greatest  heat  was  July 


64  DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 

15,  1809,  95°  in  the  shade;  the  extreme  of  cold  was  ou  February  21,  1870,  12°  F.  The  amount  oi' 
annual  rain-fall  was  29.11  inches.  During-  the  summer  the  prevailing  winds  vary  from  south  to 
east ;  those  of  winter  are  mostly  northwest.  In  summer  the  winds  pass  over  the  low  lands  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Patapsco,  over  one  mile  distant  from  the  fort.  The  fort  occupies  the  whole  of 
the  extremity  of  the  peninsula;  the  parade  ground  is  ,'U£  feet  above  low-water  mark. 

The  men's  barracks  inside  the  fort,  as  originally  built  and  intended  to  accommodate  two  com- 
panies, are  two  substantial  brick  buildings  occupying  two  adjacent  sides  of  a  pentagon.  They  are 
each  97fvr  feet  by  2rr;  feet,  and  two  stories  high,  with  a  covered  porch  10  feet  wide  to  each  floor, 
extending  the  entire  length  of  the  west  or  front  side.  These  barracks  are  insufficient  to  accommo- 
date properly  the  number  of  men  occupying  them.  Each  story  contains  three  rooms  of  equal  si/.e; 
in  the  lower  are  the  kitchen,  mess-room,  orderly  and  store  rooms;  in  the  upper  are  three  squad-rooms 
as  quarters,  each  30.J  by  L!l~  by  10  feet,  plastered  and  ceiled,  giving  to  each  man  about  330  cubic 
feet  of  air  space.  In  these  rooms  the  men  live  almost  entirely,  there  being  no  separate  provision 
for  lounging,  smoking,  reading,  &c.  At  present  wooden,  two-storied  bunks  are  furnished  these 
quarters,  and  are  alike  detrimental  to  morality,  cleanliness,  and  comfort;  four  men  sleep  in  each  of 
these  bunks,  the  number  of  soldiers  in  each  dormitory  is  seldom  less  than  20,  and  the  ventila- 
tion is  very  insufficient,  especially  in  winter. 

The  barracks  situated  outside  of  the  fort  are  ou  the  northeastern  part  of  the  sea-wall,  built  of 
brick,  and,  unlike  those  described  above,  are  large  and  commodious.  They  consist  of  two  stories, 
the  lower  used  for  mess  hall,  office,  kitchen,  &c. ;  the  upper  as  dormitories.  In  these  rooms  iron 
bedsteads  are  used,  which  contribute  greatly  to  the  comfort  of  the  men  and  neatness  of  the  bar- 
racks. Upon  the  roofs  of  these  buildings  arc  placed  two  large  ventilators,  and  there  being  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  windows,  the  air  is  kept  tolerably  sweet  and  pure.  The  principal  objection  to 
these  rooms  is  the  lowuess  of  ceiling,  the  air  space  for  each  man  being  520  cubic  feet;  at  night  the 
air  in  all  the  sleeping  rooms  is  very  impure.  Another  objection  to  the  sea-wall  barracks  is  the 
location  near  the  water.  It  has  been  found  by  observation  that  in  the  spring,  summer,  and  fall, 
the  sick  list  of  the  companies  occupying  these  quarters  is  twice  as  large  as  that  of  the  companies 
garrisoned  within  the  fort.  All  the  barrack  buildings  are  heated  by  stoves,  and  the  windows  are 
ranged  on  opposite  sides. 

The  men's  sinks,  two  in  number,  are  decidedly  objectionable.  One  is  situated  in  the  moat  facing 
the  sally-port;  the  other,  distant  some  400  yards  from  the  fort,  is  located  on  the  sea-wall.  It  has 
been  found  impossible  to  keep  the  former  sweet,  and  in  warm  weather  it  is  extremely  offensive. 
The  contents  of  this  sink  have  to  be  removed  from  time  to  time,  which  of  itself  is  a  great  nuisance. 
The  other  sink  is  objectionable  on  account  of  its  distance  from  the  fort.  A  kitchen  and  mess-room 
are  attached  to  each  company  quarters.  The  laundresses'  quarters,  situated  on  the  northeast  side 
of  the  main  entrance  to  the  fort,  are  three  one  story  frame  battened  buildings,  originally  put  up 
for  confederate  prisoners,  but  used  for  quarters  by  troops,  and  subsequently  divided  into  rooms 
and  occupied  by  laundresses.  In  these  buildings  too  many  persons  are  crowded,  being  occupied  by 
families  with  a  total  proportion  of  87  souls. 

The  quarters  for  officers  are  necessarily  much  scattered  and  not  uniform.  Some  of  the  build- 
ings are  good,  others  decidedly  objectionable,  being  very  damp,  swarming  with  vermin,  and 
exposed  to  miasmatic  exhalations  from  a  swampy  piece  of  ground,  which  is  frequently  covered  by 
water  after  high  tide. 

That  occupied  by  the  commanding  officer  is  situated  near  the  chapel  between  the  two  roads  lead 
.  ing  to  the  wharf.  It  is  an  old  brick  building,  two  and  one-half  stories  high,  formerly  used  as  a 
hospital.  Opposite  to  this  building  are  two  frame  houses  used  as  officers'  quarters ;  the  one  nearest 
the  fort  is  one  and  one-naif  stories  high;  the  other,  consisting  of  two  separate  buildings  joined  at 
right  angles,  is  partly  one  and  partly  two  stories  high.  In  addition  to  these  quarters,  one  single, 
and  two  double  cottages  are  built  facing  the  road  leading  to  the  fort.  The  double  cottages  contain 
fovrr  rooms,  two  kitchens,  and  four  attic  rooms  each;  the  single  one,  three  rooms,  one  kitchen,  and 
four  attic  rooms.  These  buildings  are  convenient  and  comfortable,  with  the  exception  of  being 
damp;  but  having  been  constructed  of  green  timber  the  joints  of  the  doors  and  windows  have 
opened. 

The  ordnance,  quartermaster,  and  commissary  storehouses,  are  in  three  large  frame  buildings 
without  the  fort. 


FORT  McHENRY,  BALTIMORE,  MARYLAND. 


The  guard-house  is  situated  at  the  entrance  of  the  fort,  and  occupies  the  fifth  side  of  a  penta- 
gon. It  is  a  substantial  brick  building,  the  arch-way  or  sally-port  passing  through  it,  on  one  side 
of  which  are  two  rooms,  one  21  feet  5  inches  by  14  feet  2  inches;  the  other  12  feet  10  inches  by  12 
feet  2  inches,  used  for  the  confinement  of  prisoners.  These  rooms  are  deemed  too  small  for  the 
st  rength  of  the  garrison.  The  guard-room,  21  feet  5  inches  by  14  feet  2  inches,  is  on  the  other  side 
of  the  arch-way,  and  communicates  by  means  of  a  door  of  iron  bars,  with  three  cells,  each  about 
10  by  4  feet,  intended  for  solitary  confinement.  The  guard-house  is  warmed  by  stoves,  ventilation 
is  rather  imperfect,  and  the  building  is  believed  to  be  decidedly  unhealthy.  Its  average  occupancy 
is  about  18  prisoners,  giving  to  each  about  238  cubic  feet  of  air  space. 

The  hospital  building  proper  is  a  substantial  brick  structure  located  within  the  fort  limits,  upon 
elevated  ground,  and  fronts  to  the  southeast.  It  was  erected  about  thirty-five  years  ago.  Its 
dimensions  are  53£  by  27  feet,  and  two  stories  high.  Covered  porches,  10  feet  wide,  extend  around 
the  building  on  its  lower  and  upper  floor.  The  first  floor  being  raised  from  the  ground  about  four 
feet,  is  reached  by  stairs  at  the  front  and  rear  porch.  The  building  is  warmed  by  means  of  stoves ; 
kerosene  oil  is  used  for  artificial  illumination  at  night;  large  windows  secure  natural  lighting  and 
ventilation. 

The  plan  of  this  building  is  shown  in 
Figure  13.  1,  lower  floor;  2,  upper  floor; 
A,  A,  wards;  B,  bath  and  wash-room; 
D,  dispensary;  H,  H,  halls;  O,  office;  W, 
water-closets. 

The  wards  on  the  upper  floor  measure 
23  feet  10  inches  by  lit  feet  4  inches,  and 
are  12  feet  10  inches  high.  These  wards 
contain  six  beds,  giving  to  each  i>79  cubic 
feet  of  air  space.  Each  room  has  a  water- 
closet  attached,  which,  on  account  of  their 
improper  construction,  rendering  disinfec- 
tion imperfect,  are  no  longer  used.  (The 
earth-closet  has  been  sent  to  this  hospi- 
tal.) The  bath  room  is  on  the  first  floor, 
adjoining  the  office.  The  basement  story 
extends  only  under  one-half  of  the  build- 
ing, and  contains  the  kitchen,  which  is 
low  and  dark,  and  at  present  not  in  use. 
Water  is  supplied  from  the  main  tank  in- 
side the  fort,  and  conveyed  in  pipes  to  the 
first  floor  of  the  hospital.  A  fine  spring  is 
located  near  the  building,  but  cannot  be  FiS-  13--Scale  16  feet  to  l  inch. 

used  on  account  of  the  proximity  of  the  hospital  privy. 

During  the  recent  war  it  became  necessary  to  provide  additional  hospital  accommodations,  and  a 
frame  building  150  feet  by  30^  feet  was  erected,  adjoining  the  hospital  on  the  southwest  side,  by  an 
addition  60i  by  2o£  feet,  extending  from  the  center  of  each ;  the  connecting  building  contains  the 
mess-room,  store-room,  and  linen  room.  The  frame  building  was  originally  one  large  ward,  but 
latterly  a  portion  of  it  has  been  partitioned  off,  sufficient  to  contain  twenty  beds,  with  an  air  space 
of  1,200  cubic  feet  to  each.  The  principal  objection  to  this  ward  is  its  defective  ventilation ;  the  win- 
dows are  sufficient  in  number,  but  too  high  from  the  floor.  The  upper  part  of  the  ward  is  thoroughly 
purified  by  the  windows  and  ridge  vents,  while  on  the  floor  and  five  feet  above,  the  air  is  never  fresh. 

The  post  bakery,  located  near  the  wharf,  is  a  very  old  frame  building  one  story  high,  and  con- 
tains two  large  ovens  with  a  respective  capacity  for  200  and  300  loaves  per  day. 

The  chapel,  situated  west  of  the  commanding  officer's  residence,  is  a  two-storied  building,  the 
first  floor  being  used  as  a  library  and  school-room.    On  the  second  floor  is  the  auditory,  which  will 
comfortably  seat  200  persons.    This  building  was  erected  some  twenty  years  ago  by  the  Methodists 
of  Baltimore. 
9. 


DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  stable  is  a  two-story  brick  building,  121  by  22.J  feet,  with  gable  roof.  The  lower  story 
contains  stalls  for  public  animals,  while  the  forage,  &c.,  is  stored  in  the  story  above.  The  build- 
ing accommodates  35  animals ;  is  well  lighted  and  ventilated  by  windows  and  loop-holes  in  the 
sides  and  sky-lights  in  the  roof.  The  stalls  are  large  and  comfortable,  and,  in  case  of  fire,  the 
animals  can  be  easily  liberated.  A  small  stable,  built  of  brick,  is  located  near  the  commanding 
officer's  quarters,  for  his  horses. 

The  post  and  regimental  libraries  contain  over  1,000  volumes  of  standard  literature,  and  are 
being  constantly  increased. 

The  principal  supply  of  water  is  furnished  by  an  artesian  well  sunk  in  the  center  of  the  parade 
ground.  The  well  is  142  feet  in  depth  ;  12  inches  in  diameter  92  feet  down  ;  88  feet  of  8-inch  pipe 
extending  to  138  feet ;  double  pipe  46  feet.  The  water  is  forced  by  means  of  a  force-pump  from  a 
depth  of  30  feet  into  an  iron  tank  of  a  capacity  of  3,322  gallons,  and  from  thence  distributed 
through  iron  pipes  to  the  following  hydrants,  viz :  one  in  the  center  of  the  fort ;  one  in  the  center 
of  the  road  leading  from  the  sally-port  to  the  wharf,  located  between  the  commanding  officer's  and 
officers'  quarters ;  one  to  each  cook-house  of  the  barracks ;  one  near  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
laundresses'  quarters;  one  in  the  hospital  yard;  one  in  the  dispensary;  one  in  the  hospital  kitchen; 
one  in  the  second  story  of  the  brick  hospital,  and  one  in  every  kitchen  of  the  officers'  quarters. 

The  post  is  also  supplied  by  means  of  pumps  from  wells  located  as  follows,  viz :  one  in  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  fort;  one  in  the  south  west  corner  of  the  yard,  in  rear  of  the  commanding  officers' 
quarters;  one  between  the  stable  and  bakery,  and  one  in  the  hospital  grounds.  Means  of  subduing 
fire  are  water-buckets,  a  force-pump,  and  ladders ;  in  addition  to  which  there  should  be  a  steam 
fire-engine. 

The  drainage  is  naturally  good,  the  whole  of  the  reservation  having  a  gradual  slope  to  the 
water.  The  ground  outside  of  the  fort  is  drained  by  stone  and  brick  gutters,  following  the  natural 
slope  and  emptying  into  the  river.  The  fort  is  drained  by  a  sewer  extending  from  the  southeast 
side.  The  marshy  piece  of  ground,  spokeu  of  in  reference  to  a  portion  of  the  officers'  quarters,  and 
which  fronts  northeast  on  the  Patapsco,  should  be  filled  in,  or  some  means  devised  to  prevent  the 
overflow  it  is  subject  to,  as  it  is  a  fruitful  source  of  disease. 

The  hospital  garden  consists  of  three  patches  of  ground  within  the  hospital  reservation  proper, 
and  is  cultivated  by  convalescents;  it  is  not  only  ornamental  but  useful,  a  sufficiency  of  vegetables 
having  been  raised  to  supply  all  the  wants  of  the  hospital. 

It  can  hardly  be  stated  that  any  disease  is  particularly  prevalent  at  this  post,  as  may  be  ex- 
pected from  the  position  of  the  fort  reservation,  surrounded  as  it  is  on  all  sides  by  mud  flats.  The 
miasmatic  fevers  prevail  to  a  certain  extent,  not  so  much  so,  however,  as  at  posts  similarly  situated. 
A  number  of  cases  of  neuralgia  and  rheumatism  have  occurred  this  spring,  principally  in  officers' 
families,  owing  to  the  continued  bad  weather  and  the  dampness  of  the  quarters. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  princ'qHil  diwascs  at  Fort  Mc-Henry,  Maryland, 

for  tie  years  1808  and  18C9. 


a 

1  • 

£ 

"3 

5 

1 

V 

i 

s^ 

^> 

| 

3 

a 

A 

Years. 

I 

3  -ffl 

a 

|| 

K 

i 

CD 

«8 

•j. 

«  i 

1 
8 

X 

i 

9 

_»  ^! 
J  " 

1 

1  ^ 
5 

a 

i 

SJ 

i 

s 

a 
1 

'dt 
'S 

e 

u 

t) 

"8 

1868  

n:t2  ifi 

742 

216 

152 

17 

48 

28 

6 

79 

1869  

29H  00 

588 

116 

121 

35 

30 

36 

1 

56 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  put'iiiiumiit,  and  pleurisy. 


FOET  WHIFFLE,  VIRGINIA.  67 


FORT  WHIFFLE,  VIRGINIA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  HY  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CHARLES  SMART,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  AND 
ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  L.  W.  RITCHIE,  UNITED  STATES  AKMY. 

Fort  Whipple,  Virginia,  is  situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the  I'otomac,  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  Aqueduct  bridge,  which  crosses  the  river  at  Georgetown,  District  of  Columbia.  From  the 
river  the  ground  rises  rapidly  until  it  attains  a  height  of  200  feet  at  the  point  where  the  post  is 
built.  It  is  wooded  in  part  and  cut  into  ravines  by  numerous  small  water-courses  tending  toward 
the  river.  Beyond  the  post  the  country  is  undulating  and  grassy.  The  fort  commands  this  rolling 
ground,  and,  iu  the  opposite  direction,  overlooks  the  basin  of  the  Potomac,  the  cities  of  Washington 
and  Georgetown,  and  the  lands  beyond  them  on  the  east.  Its  position  is  so  elevated  that  it  has 
been  considered  free  from  malaria,  but  during  the  past  summer  and  autumn  intermittents  have 
prevailed. 

The  water  supply  is  from  a  spring  which  furnishes  pure,  cool  water.  The  natural  drainage  is 
excellent.  Fort  Wliipple  is  one  of  the  chain  of  earth- works  erected  for  the  defense  of  Washington 
during  the  late  war.  For  the  past  year  a  small  detachment  of  the  signal  corps  has  been  stationed 
here,  but  during  the  summer  and  fall  the  number  was  greatly  increased,  and  a  new  barrack  has 
been  constructed.  This  is  composed  of  a  two-story  central  building,  29  feet  2  inches  by  23  feet  6 
inches,  and  two  wings,  each  38  feet  by  23  feet  2  inches.  It  is  built  of  wood,  and  raised  18  inches 
from  the  ground  on  brick  piers.  The  height  of  all  the  rooms  is  9  feet  8  inches. 

The  building  is  heated  by  four  stoves,  one  iu  each  dormitory  ;  the  only  means  of  ventilation 
are  the  doors  and  windows.  The  central  room  on  the  ground  Hoor  has  two  windows  and  a  door  in 
front;  the  same  in  the  back,  and  a  door  iu  each  side  wall,  opening  into  the  wing  rooms.  It  is 
occupied  by  14  men,  each  man  having  427  cubic  feet  of  air  space.  The  wings  have  each  four 
windows  and  a  door  in  front;  the  same  on  the  rear  wall,  one  in  the  free  ends,  and  opposite  them 
doors  communicating  with  the  center  room  ;  but  from  the  free  end  of  the  right  wing  ten  feet  has 
been  partitioned  off  as  quartern) aster's  ollice,  thus  depriving  the  soldiers'  quarters  of  one  of  the  end 
windows.  The  wing  rooms  are  occupied  respectively  by  16  and  21  men,  giving  an  air  space  of  370 
and  405  cubic  feet.  The  second-story  room  corresponds  to  the  central  barrack  room,  and  is  occu- 
pied by  1C  men,  giving  to  each  374  cubic  feet  airspace. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  two  one-story  frame  buildings,  old  and  unlit  for  their  purpose.  They 
are  at  present  occupied  for  the  most  part  as  offices  and  store-rooms,  and  as  quarters  for  the  sergeants 
receiving  instructions  with  regard  to  meteorological  observations. 

The  guard-house  is  a  frame  building  within  the  fort,  divided  into  a  guard-room,  13  by  14  feet, 
and  a  prison-room,  14  by  18  feet.  The  average  number  of  occupants  of  each  room  is  three. 

The  hospital  is  a  frame  building  erected  during  the  summer  of  1870.  It  contains  two  rooms — 
a  ward  15  feet  by  15  feet  6  inches,  by  9  feet  high,  containing  six  beds,  giving  351  cubic  feet  air 
space  to  each,  and  an  office  and  dispensary,  15  feet  by  11  feet  6  inches.  There  are  no  arrangements 
for  ventilation.  The  kitchen  is  a  frame  building,  15  by  12  feet,  placed  24  feet  in  rear  of  the  hospital. 
There  is  no  store-room,  mess-room,  bath-room,  or  privy  connected  with  thehospital.  The  two  attend- 
ants sleep  in  the  wards. 

There  are  no  facilities  for  bathing,  and  no  sinks  or  privies  at  the  post,  and  the  sanitary  condition 
is  decidedly  bad.  There  have  been  two  cases  of  typhoid  fever  during  the  past  summer,  one  of  which 
proved  fatal.  Malarial  fevers  have  also  prevailed. 


68  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT   FOOTE,  MARYLAND. 

KEPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON,  JOHN.  H.  BAYNE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Foote  is  situated  immediately  upon  the  Potomac  Hivrr,  on  the  Maryland  side,  about  eight 
miles  below  Washington  City,  on  an  elevation  of  land  known  us  llozer's  Bluff,  at  an  altitude  of 
about  100  feet  above  tide-water.  In  the  rear  of  the  fort  is  an  extensive  gorge,  varying  in  depth 
from  10  to  100  feet,  running  the  full  extent  of  the  reservation,  and  continuing  thence  to  the  Potomac 
River.  A  marsh  about  400  yards  wide,  and  covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  coarse  grass  and  small 
trees,  extends  along  the  margin  of  the  Potomac,  in  a  northerly  direction,  to  the  distance  of  a  mile. 
About  a  mile  and  a  quarter  below  the  post,  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  is  located  a  marshy  tract  of 
land  of  at  least  200  acres,  called  "Broad  Creek;"  one-half  of  its  area  is  clothed  with  a  luxuriant 
growth  of  tall  coarse  grasses,  interspersed  with  scrubby  trees  and  bushes;  the  other  half  is  com- 
posed of  mud  banks,  the  accumulation  of  years,  brought  down  by  floods  from  the  hills  and  valleys 
above. 

This  post  was  established  in  1862,  as  an  adjunct  to  Fort  Washington,  four  miles  distant,  and 
was  first  occupied  by  the  Ninth  New  York  volunteers,  under  command  of  Colonel  Stewart. 

The  fortification  is  constructed  of  earth  and  green  timber.  The  quarters  of  the  garrison,  the 
hospital,  and  other  buildings  in  process  of  erection,  are  eligibly  located  upon  the  height  back  of 
the  fort. 

The  barrack  is  a  new  two-story  wooden  building,  160  feet  in  length,  affording  a  sufficient  capacity 
for  two  companies.  The  walls  of  the  building  are  lined  with  brick,  and  a  veranda  extends  its 
whole  length  in  front,  with  a  roof  formed  by  a  continuation  of  the  roof  of  the  building.  The  barrack 
is  warmed  by  stoves,  artificially  lighted  by  candles,  and  ventilated  through  the  roof.  The  dormi- 
tories, 78  by  23  feet,  and  9  feet  high  to  the  caves,  would  each  accommodate  33  men  were  each  man 
allowed  an  air  space  of  600  cubic  feet,  but  double  that  number  have  been  placed  in  them.  They  are 
two  in  number,  and  occupy  the  second  floor  of  the  building.  Iron  bedsteads,  similar  to  those  used 
in  the  hospital  department,  are  furnished,  and  over  each  is  a  shelf  for  the  knapsack  of  the  soldier. 
The  lower  floor  of  the  building  contains  a  wash-room,  mess  room,  kitehen,  library,  office,  &c. 

The  kitchen  is  large,  and  has  two  store-rooms  adjoining.  The  mess-room  occupies  about  one- 
third  of  the  area  of  the  first  floor,  and  contains  two  rows  of  tables. 

Married  soldiers'  quarters  are  five  new  rooms,  16  by  12  feet,  one  room  to  each  family,  with  a 
porch  in  front,  and  kitchen  attached  to  the  rear  of  the  building. 

Officers'  quarters  are  two  frame  houses,  lined  with  brick  ;  each  house  is  a  double  set  of  quarters, 
each  set  containing  four  rooms. 

A  bomb-proof  within  the  fort  is  occupied  as  a  guard-house  and  prison-room  ;  being  an  earth- 
work, and  the  timbers  somewhat  decayed,  it  is  illy  adapted  for  the  purposes  for  Avhich  it  is  used. 
It  is  sufficiently  heated  by  a  wood-stove,  but  the  ceilings,  which  are  of  decayed  logs,  admit  water 
in  rainy  weather.  The  floor  is  damp,  making  it  very  uncomfortable  for  the  occupants.  The  guard, 
house  and  prison-room  are  doubtless  causes  of  much  sickness  at  this  post,  as  nearly  every  private 
soldier  in  the  garrison  has  to  occupy  one  of  these  rooms  underground  every  alternate  night  on 
guard  duty. 

The  post  bake-house  is  a  commodious  wooden  building,  with  brick  oven  attached  sufficiently 
large  to  turn  out  350  rations  of  bread  in  a  batch. 

The  water  supply  is  obtained  from  a  well,  a  spring,  and  several  small  cisterns.  There  are  no 
uuderdrains  or  sewers  at  the  post.  A  system  of  leveling,  grading,  paving,  and  draining  has  been 
so  thoroughly  and  unremittingly  pursued  that  the  grounds  have  been  rendered  comparatively  firm 
and  dry. 

Endemic  dysentery  and  diarrhosa  have  prevailed  at  Fort  Foote  with  great  severity  during  the 
last  six  months,  (ending  December  31,  1869,)  which,  superadded  to  the  autumnal  disease  incident 
to  this  locality,  rendered  the  percentage  of  sick  very  large  in  proportion  to  the  command,  and 


FORT  WASHINGTON,  MARYLAND. 


69 


as  tlie  first  two  named  diseases  have  been  exclusively  continue!  to  its  limits,  it  is  difficult  to  account 
for  their  origin  and  prolongation. 

Situated  in  a  malarial  district,  iuterinittents,  remittents,  malarial  dysentery  and  diai-rlm-a 
prevail  at  this  post  during  the  autumnal  months ;  but  for  tlio  period  above  mentioned  the  propor- 
tion of  sickness  has  been  far  greater  than  that  of  previous  seasons,  while  Fort  Washington, 
a  few  miles  below,  on  the  Potomac  River,  with  malarial  surroundings  very  similar,  has  enjoyed  the 
most  perfect  immunity  from  disease.  The  morbific,  agent  would  thus  appear  to  have  a  local  origin, 
even  within  the  limits  of  the  post;  but  after  the  most  careful  investigation  it  is  impossible  to  ar- 
rive at  any  satisfactory  solution  of  the,  difficulty.  The  cases  have  nearly  all  been  very  protracted, 
varying  in  duration  from  one  to  four  months,  and  presenting  nearly  the  same  series  of  morbid 
phenomena. 

The  post  and  hospital  gardens  contain  about  three  acres.  Potatoes,  onions,  and  cabbages  are 
raised  in  abundance  for  the  supply  of  the  small  company  at  present  forming  the  garrison. 

Statement  sJioiciny  mean  strength,  number  of  nick,  <ind  principal  dixeaxea  at  Fort  Foote,  Maryland,  for 

tlie  years  18C8  and  18C9. 


gi 

_: 

h 

CO 

9 

I 

a 

1    "g 

CJ 

§ 

I 

5   ^, 

n 

X 

a 

B    *. 

| 

Years. 

1 

5      33 

3     3 

5 

'    ~ 

If 

•=. 

1 

'i 

I    1 

1 

i 

"3  •£ 

0 

1 

•3  z 

~  £ 

~ 

9 

B 

B 

•s 

o 

^3 

o 

s 

P 

H 

•J 

'& 

P 

a 

0 

1868                  

115.  58 

574 

1 

135 

100 

7 

23 

71 

47 

1869                                       .             

78.16 

364 

99 

u 

9 

12 

24 

32 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  ami  pleurisy. 


FORT  WASHINGTON,  MARYLAND. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  C.  G.  HA1TERSETT,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Washington,  in  latitude  38°  41'  north,  longitude  76°  58'  west,  stands  on  a  high  ridge,  at 
the  confluence  of  the  Piscataway  Creek  with  the  Potomac  River,  14  miles  below  Washington  City. 
This  ridge  extends  from  Swan  Creek,  (a  short,  wide  arm  of  the  river,  half  a  mile  north  of  the  post,) 
nearly  parallel  with  the  river,  and  terminates  in  a  narrow  promontory  below  the  fort.  Behind  is  a 
deep  ravine,  300  feet  wide  at  the  top,  with  sides  sloping  precipitously  about  80  feet,  terminating  in 
a  narrow  plain  about  100  feet  wide ;  this  ravine  opens  on  Piscataway  Creek,  a  small  portion  of 
which,  near  the  creek,  is  marshy  and  covered  with  swamp  willow.  The  ridge  is  composed  of  layers 
of  clay,  sand,  and  marl,  and  many  fossils  are  found  in  the  vicinity  of  the  marl  beds  which  open  on 
the  river  bank.  The  sides  of  the  ravine  were  formerly  heavily  timbered,  but  this  was  cut  away 
during  the  late  war,  and  they  are  now  covered  by  a  thick  undergrowth,  principally  chestnut  and 
locust.  The  river  at  this  point  is  about  1,300  yards  wide  ;  the  channel,  however,  is  not  more  than 
500,  and  entirely  on  the  fort  or  Maryland  side  of  the  river.  The  shore  is  gradually  sloping,  sandy, 
and  hard ;  the  Virginia  side  being  flat  and  muddy,  both  sides  covered  in  summer  by  the  ordinary 
river  grass,  which  is  exposed  at  low  tide,  the  rise  and  fall  of  which  is  between  live  and  six  feet. 
The  shores  of  the  creeks  are  muddy. 

This  site  was  early  occupied  as  a  military  post,  and  the  small  work  which  formerly  stood  here, 
near  where  the  water  battery  now  is,)  known  as  Fort  Warburton,  was  blown  up  in  1814,  by 
order  of  the  officer  in  command,  to  prevent  its  probable  capture  by  the  English  fleet.  The  present 
structure,  laid  out  in  1815,  is  an  irregular  bastioned  fortification  of  stone  and  brick.  The  parade 
of  the  main  work  is  115  feet  above  high-water  mark.  The  entire  government  reservation  contains 
between  40  and  50  acres. 


70  UKSiUmTlOHS  OF  MILITAltY  POSTS. 

The  buildings  originally  constructed  an*  one  brick  building  designed  as  quarters  for  four 
ollicers;  ouo  brick  building  tor  barracks  for  one  company,  (both  inside  the  fort,)  and  one  brick 
building  outside  the  tori,  intended  as  <|iiarters  tor  the  commanding  ollicer.  All  these  arc*  covered 
with  slalc,  and  though  deficient  in  most  of  (he  conveniences  and  appliances  of  modern  architecture, 
are  substantial  buildings.  In  the  winter  of  ISII7-  '(is,  three  small  double  collates,  intended  as  oflicers' 
quarters,  and  one  large  building  tor  barracks,  all  frame  buildings,  were,  erected  outside  the  fort,  and 
in  the  winter  of  lSti.S-'(!!l,  one  long  frame  building  for  laundresses,  and  a  small  house  for  the  hos- 
pital steward.  The  old,  or  brick  barracks  is  in  I  ended  to  accommodate  I  id  men.  It  has  been  recent  I  v 
repaired,  but  is  without  means  for  proper  ventilation,  is  two  stories  high,  with  pia/./.a  facing  the 
nest.  The  upper  stor.v  is  divided  into  two  rooms  for  dormitories,  the  lower  story  has  three  rooms, 
kitchen,  mess  room,  and  one  sleeping  room.  The  sleeping  rooms  a  re  titled  with  iron  bedsteads,  double 
lockers,  and  gun  racks.  This  building  stands  close  to  the  eastern  parapet,  and  the  lower  stor.v  is 
badly  ventilated  and  always  damp;  the  air  space  per  man  is  .'!(>(!  cubic  feet. 

The  new  or  frame  barracks  is  a  two-story  building,  standing  near  the  edge  of  I  he  ravine  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  reservation.  The  upper  story,  originally  a  single  room,  is  now  divided  l>\  a  tern 
porary  partition,  near  the  middle,  which,  though  deemed  necessary  in  cold  weather,  materially 
interferes  with  its  free  ventilation.  A  wide  stairway,  entering  near  tho  middle  from  the  outside, 
and  a  ridge  ventilator  surmounting  the  building,  render  this  the  best  ventilated  room  in  the  gar- 
rison. It  is  intended  to  accommodate  100  men  \\  ilh  an  allowance  of  KiO  cubic  feet  of  air  per  man. 
The  lower  story  is  divided  into  kitchen,  mess  room,  wash  room,  store  room,  and  company  ollices,  all 
badly  ventilated.  The  walls  and  ceilings  of  this  story  are  all  plastered;  of  the  upper  story,  only  the 
sides.  From  its  position  this  building  has  every  facility  for  thorough  drainage.  Two  wide  pia/./.as 
extend  the  entire  length  of  the  building,  front  and  rear,  and  being  raised  from  the  ground  on  brick 
piers  it  could  be  easily  made  a  model  in  point  of  drainage  and  ventilation,  but  it  is  badly  constructed, 
the  southern!  being  propped  up  to  keep  it  from  falling  in.  It  isalso  titled  with  iron  bedsteads,  lock 
ers.  and  gun  -racks.  The  kitchens  in  both  barracks  are  well  furnished,  have  large  and  very  tine 
cooking  stoves,  and  well  selected  mess  furniture;  they  arc  now  artificially  lighted  by  candles,  and 
heated  by  coal  stoves,  burning  anthracite  coal  ;  there  is  no  provision  for  bath-room  or  reading  room 
in  either. 

The  ollicers'  quarters  consist  of  one  brick  building  inside  the  fort,  intended  for  four  ollicers,  the 
set  at  each  end  of  the  building  consisting  of  two  rooms  and  a  basement  kitchen;  the  others  of  sim- 
ilar rooms,  but  without  the  kitchen.  One  brick  building  outside  the  fort,  for  the  commanding  ollicer, 
has  four  rooms  with  a  basement  and  attic.  These  buildings,  as  before  stated,  were  constructed  at 
the  same  time  a.s  the  main  work.  To  accommodate  the  necessary  ollicers,  three  small  frame  cottages, 
each  for  two  sets  of  ipiarters,  have  been  erected.  Two  of  these  cottages  (four  sets  of  quarters)  ha\e 
two  rooms  and  a  small  kitchen  on  the  ground  lloor,  with  low  attic  above  :  the  oilier  cot  tage  is  smaller 
and  without  the  kitchen,  (though  rude  basement  kitchens  have  since  been  added  by  the  ollicers.) 

The  divisiou  to  each  cottage  is  a  thin,  plastered  partition  on  the  ground  lloor,  and  an  open  frame 
one  Oil  the  attic  lloor,  that  on  the  ground  lloor  having  a  door  leading  from  one  set  of  quarters  to 
the  other.  They  are  all  badly  constructed,  of  but  partially  seasoned  lumber,  and  all  leak.  The 
pri\.\  to  the  brick  quarters  is  a  vault,  that  to  the  frame  or  new  quarters,  a  shallow  pit.  These  are 
a  constant  source  of  annoyance.  With  unsurpassed  natural  facilities  for  thorough  drainage,  but  a 
very  moderate  outlay  would  he  required  to  lit  bath  rooms  and  water-closets  to  all  the  buildings* 
and  add  greatly  to  the  health  of  the  post.  No  attention  whatever  has  been  paid  to  this  matter. 
although  drain  tile  of  good  quality  has  been  at  the  post  for  nearly  a  year. 

Theonh  arrangement  fora  guard  house  wasal  the  main  sall.\  port,  where  there  was  one  room, 
with  two  cells  attached,  but  this  had  to  lie  abandoned  on  account  of  its  want  of  \entilation.  A 
casemate  is  now  used  for  this  purpose,  but  it  is  poorly  ventilated  and  very  damp:  the  old  building 
on  the  wharf,  which  was  for  a  time  used  for  this  purpose,  was  abandoned.  A  guard-house  is  much 
needed. 

The  present  hospital  building,  erected  in  1S<>;;,  and  intended  for  temporary  use.  isa  frame  build- 
ing lirj  b\  L'l  feet,  and  l(i  feet  high,  with  a  small  kitchen  connected  with  the  main  building  by  a 
covered  porch.  It  has  two  wards,  separated  by  sliding  doors,  intended  for  eighteen  beds,  and 
allow  ing  an  air  space  of  950  cubic  feet  per  man.  This  building  is  badly  arranged,  and  has  never 


FORT  WASHINGTON,   MAKYLAXI).  71 

been  entirely  finished  ;  (lie  rooms  intended  for  a  dispensary  ;IIH|  ollicc  ;irc  entirely  too  sinall,  iind 
I  here  is  no  phicc  suitable  lor  a.  store-room.  There  is  a  good  cistern,  with  ;i  fora1,  pump  in  the 
kitchen.  The  bath  room  has  never  been  completed.  The  whole  building  being  lined  with  hoards, 
tongticd  and  grooved,  it  is  found  impossible  to  keep  it  free  IVom  the  annoyance  of  bed-bugs.  An 
ellort,  was  made  to  h:i\ e  it  plastered,  but  this  was  unsuccessful.  From  its  exposed  position  and 
pool'  construe!  ion,  it  is  impossible  to  keep  it  comfortably  warm  in  cold  \vcat her.  It  is  1  IN  feet  above 
high  water,  ami  the  highest  point  on  the  reservation.  The  privy  is  some  distance  IVom  the  hos- 
pital, and  similar  to  those  previously  described.  The  hospital  is  well  supplied  with  furniture  and 
appliances,  obtained  IVom  the  purveying  depot  in  New  York.  Another  site  for  the  hospital  must 
soon  be,  selected,  as  the  bank  on  which  it:  now  stands  is  rapidly  crumbling  awav. 

The.  post  bakery  is  in  good  order;  it  has  a  well  constructed  oven  of  the  best  pressed  fire  brick. 
The  water  used  is  hauled  IVom  the  river. 

There  is  a  small  chapel  on  (lie  east  side  of  the  reservation,  intended  also  as  a  school-room,  but 
it  is  not  used  now,  there  being  neither  chaplain  or  teacher. 

The  stables  are  all  in  the  waler  battery,  and  are  well  constructed  of  brick.  The  otl'al,  as  well 
as  the  slops  IVom  the  entile  post,  arc  daily  removed  by  carts,  and  deposited  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  IVom  whence  they  are  removed  by  boals  across  the  river.  I'lach  company  has  a  small  library, 
and  there  is  also  a.  post,  librarv  accessible  at  all  times,  but  no  furnished  reading-room,  the  post 
library  being  in  tin'  adjutant's  ollice,  ami  that  of  each  company  in  its  respective  compan.v  ollice. 

The  water  supply  is  entirely  IVom  cisterns,  and,  when  these  fail  from  dry  weather,  by  hauling 
IVom  the  river.  The  old  cisterns  (t  hose  inside  I  he  fort  and  at  the  com  ma  ml  ing  ollicer's  quarters)  are 
large,  and  have  filters,  while  those  attached  to  the  new  buildings  are  poor  and  have  no  filter.  The 
buildings  occupied  by  the  hospital  steward  and  laundresses  have  no  cistern. 

In  case  of  lire  the  limited  supply  of  water  in  dry  weather  would  result  in  much  loss  of  property, 
there  being  no  means  at  the  post  to  extinguish  fire,  except  the  small  leather  buckets  issued  lor  that 

purpose. 

The  drainage  inside  the  fort  is  by  large  brick  sewers,  one  from  each  building,  running  towards 
the  river,  and  opening  near  it  ;  but  outside  the  fort  the  drainage  is  entirely  superficial. 

The  ground  formerly  occupied  as  a  burying  ground  is  near  the  river,  at  the  foot,  of  the  hill;  is 
low  and  wet,  and  utterly  unlit  for  the  purpose,  and  steps  should  be  taken  with  the  least  practicable 
delay  to  secure  some  propel-  place  to  be  used  for  this  purpose.  A  small  piece  of  ground  near  the 
chapel  was  intended  to  be  so  used,  but  this  is  separated  only  by  a  narrow  road  IVom  the  otlicers 
ipiai'ters,  the  barracks  at  one  side  and  the  laundresses'  quarters  on  the  other.  There  is  no  suitable 
place  within  the  reservation. 

The  National  Cemetery  at  Alexandria,  Virginia,  is  accessible  by  boat  twice,  a  dav,  and  it  is  be- 
lieved would  be  better  II any  place  ncarthe  fort  which  could  be  purchased  for  the  purpose.  Two 

burials  have  occurred  here  in  two  years,  both  in   the  old  ground,  and  both  graves,  though  not  over 
three  feet  deep,  contained  at  least,  half  a.  foot,  of  water. 

There  is  no  ground  suitable  tor  a  post  garden;  a  small  piece  attached  to  eacli  set  of  officers 
i|iiarlers  outside  the  fort  is  used  as  a  garden  by  officers. 

J hiring  the  summer  the  men  are  required  to  bathe  in  the  river  three!  times  a  week,  under  the 
Supervision  of  the  olh'ccr  of  the  das,  but.  no  arrangement  exists  for  this  purpose  during  the  winter. 

.Milk,  butter,  eggs,  poultry,  and  vegetables  are  procurable  from  the  surrounding  country. 

Fort  Washington  has  generally  been  considered  an  unhealthy  post,  owing  to  the  prevalence 
of  malarial  lexers,  and  several  limes  the  garrison  has  been  removed  to  some  point  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river  during  the  sickly  season,  but  for  several  years  preceding  the  present,  comparatively 
few  cases  occurred  here.  During  the  present  month,  however,  (August,  1S70,)  nearly  every  man, 
woman,  and  child  remaining  here  has  been  attacked  with  either  intermittent  or  remittent  fever. 

Fort  Washington  is  easy  of  access,  by  both  water  and  land,  but  the  beauty  as  well  as  health  of 
the  place  has  been  sadly  marred  by  the  destruction  of  the  shade  trees.  The  entire  place  needs 
thorough  police  and  attention  given  to  the  proper  venl  ilaf  ion  of  all  the  buildings.  Where  the 
natural  facilities  for  thorough  police  and  drainage  are,  unsurpassed,  both  from  position  and  the  na- 
ture of  the  soil,  it  is  but  poor  economy  to  construct  buildings  or  to  keep  men  in  conditions  by  which 
all  hygienic  laws  are  set  at  defiance. 


72 


DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  side,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Washington,  Maryland, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


j 

B 

ft  ^ 

i 

1 

i 

i 

$ 

H 

2 

Years. 

1 

§    » 

1 

$    53 

.2 

a 

5 

"-*-* 

* 

fi 

a 

1 

-2  i 

a 

1 

I 

•s  -| 

T3 

§ 

2    « 

g 

cc 
• 

1 

s 

1 

0 

M 

£  * 

5  " 

0 

H 

JH 

5) 

a 

0 

o 

1868 

158  91 

242 

49 

32 

8 

10 

22 

27 

1869  

122.33 

324 

52 

44 

31 

19 

56 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  MONROE,  VIRGINIA. 

REPORT  OP  SURGEON  GEORGE  E.  COOPER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  military  post  of  Fort  Monroe,  Virginia,  is  situated  at  the  extremity  of  a  level,  sandy  beach 
which  forms  the  southern  end  of  tlie  western  shore  of  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  is  known  to  geographers 
as  Old  Point  Comfort.  The  geographical  position  of  Old  Point  Comfort  is  37°  2"  north,  and  76° 
12'  west  of  the  meridian  of  Greenwich.  The  peninsula,  on  the  extremity  of  which  the  fort  is 
erected,  is  surrounded  almost  entirely  by  water.  The  exception  to  this  is  a  strip  of  beach  some  400 
yards  wide,  which  runs  to  the  north  and  looks  eastward.  Over  this  strip  of  beach,  during  heavy 
easterly  storms,  with  a  full  spring  tide,  the  sea  washes,  rendering,  at  such  times,  the  peninsula  an 
island.  On  the  east,  northeast,  and  southeast,  are  the  waters  of  the  Chesapeake  Bay;  on  the  south 
and  southwest  are  those  of  Hampton  Roads,  and  on  the  north  and  northwest  are  those  of  Mill 
Creek,  which  empties  itself  into  and  is  fed  from  Hampton  Roads.  The  connections  with  the  main- 
land are  by  the  narrow  strip  of  beach  above  referred  to,  and  by  a  bridge  over  Mill  Creek,  approached 
by  an  artificial  causeway  some  half  mile  in  length.  The  fort  is  built  at  the  extremity  of  the  penin- 
sula, and  commands  the  entrance  to  Hampton  Roads,  into  which  empty  the  waters  of  the  James, 
Elizabeth,  and  Nansemond  Rivers.  The  waters  on  all  sides  of  the  fort  are  salt,  augmented  or  di- 
minished in  intensity  by  the  fresh  water  floods  coming  down  the  James  River;  though,  at  all  times 
and  in  all  tides,  they  are  highly  saline.  The  country  between  the  point  of  the  peninsula  and  York 
River,  distant  some  twenty  miles  north,  and  thence  across  to  the  James,  is  cut  up  by  numerous  small 
streams,  which  are  more  or  less  brackish,  as  the  rains  are  profuse  or  scanty.  These  small  streams 
all  communicate  with  the  Chesapeake,  Hampton  Roads,  or  the  James.  The  land  upon  which  the 
fort  is  built  is  some  four  feet  above  mean  high-water  mark.  Salt  marshes  are  on  the  north  and  north- 
west of  the  fort,  but  these  seem  to  have  but  little  if  any  effect  upon  its  sanitary  condition. 

The  geological  formation  of  the  peninsula  upon  which  the  fort  is  built  is  ocean  sand  resting 
upon  marl-impregnated  clay.  Boring  to  the  depth  of  8.50  feet,  within  the  inclosureof  the  fort,  has 
shown  nothing  but  sand,  lying  upon  marl-impregnated  clay,  with  here  and  there  small  veins  of 
sharp  bluish  sand  of  fine  grain,  admirably  adapted  for  polishing  and  grinding  metals.  The 
country  on  the  mainland  is  flat,  and  there  are  no  hills  within  a  radius  of  eight  or  ten  miles.  The 
soil  to  the  north  of  Mill  Creek,  which  bounds  the  reservation  in  that  direction,  is  aluminous  and 
quite  productive,  giving,  under  favorable  circumstances,  abundant  yields  of  wheat,  corn,  oats,  and 
potatoes,  as  well  as  of  all  the  market  vegetables.  There  are  few  portions  of  the  country  more  suit- 
able than  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Monroe  for  trucking  farms.  There  are  no  rocks  of  any  description 
in  the  neighborhood. 

The  whole  country  to  the  north  and  northwest  of  the  fort  is  underlaid  by  extensive  beds  of 
marl,  at  depths  varying  from  20  to  50  feet.  The  water  procurable  on  the  mainland,  from  wells,  is, 
in  consequence,  quite  unpalatable,  and,  to  many  persons,  acts  as  a  strong  cathartic,  while  to  others 
it  has  the  effect  of  causing  discharges  of  bloody  urine.  All,  previous  to  the  war  of  secession,  who 
had  the  means,  erected  cisterns  to  collect  the  rain  water  for  drinking  purposes. 


FORT  MONROE,  VIRGIOTA.  73 

The  soil  inside  the  fort,  which  incloses  over  80  acres,  is  artificial,  and  lias  been  brought  from 
the  mainland.  By  careful  cultivation  and  an  artificial  supply  of  water  during  the  dry  seasons, 
vegetables  for  kitchen  use  and  flowers  for  ornament  can  be  raised.  But  few  natural  products  can 
be  seen.  The  dandelion,  wo.rin  seed,  and  wild  garlic  are  met  with  on  the  slopes  and  ramparts,  on 
which  all  the  soil  is  artificial.  The  live  oak  is  found  within  the  inclosure  of  the  work,  having  been 
undisturbed  when  the  clearing  was  made  to  build  the  fort. 

On  the  Chesapeake  Bay  bench,  distant  some  2,000  yard's  to  the  north,  are  heavy  sand  hills,  and 
on  and  around  these  are  found  numerous  live  oaks,  as  well  .as  the  southern  pine.  This  is  said  to 
be  the  most  northern  position  in  the  United  States  at  which  the  live  oak  is  to  be  met  with. 

In  the  gardens  of  the  fort  are  to  be  found  numerous  fig  trees,  which  flourish  exceedingly  well, 
though  the  fruit  crop  of  them  cannot  be  relied  upon,  as  the  late  frosts  of  spring  oftentimes  destroy 
them.  The  forests  and  woodlands  in  the  neighborhood,  on  the  mainland,  furnish  the  varieties  of 
forest  trees,  bushes,  and  shrubs  usually  met  with  in  the  middle  region  of  the  United  States,  viz, 
the  several  varieties  of  pine,  white  oak,  red  oak,  black  oak,  Spanish  oak,  white  and  red  hickory, 
white  and  black  gum,  white  and  red  ash,  wild  cherry,  white  maple,  hackberry,  red  cedar,  red  and 
black  haw,  white  and  black  walnut,  holly,  chincapin,  white  and  yellow  poplar,  beech,  chestnut, 
chestnut  oak,  locust,  dogwood,  white  and  red  elm,  tulip,  poplar,  papaw,  red  and  paper  mulberry, 
slippery  elm,  sugar  nut,  sassafras,  sycamore,  persimmon,  Lombardy  poplar,  bayberry,  common 
willow,  butternut,  crab  apple,  wild  plum,  linden,  and  birch.  Among  the  shrubs  may  be  noted  the 
following:  Laurel,  pokeberry,  stramonium,  alder,  sarsaparilla,  serpentaria,  black  snake  root,  plant- 
ain, sheep  mint,  horse  and  garden  mint,  peppermint,  Indian  turnip,  dog  fennel,  peppergrass,  May 
apple,  partridge  berry,  liverwort,  wild  spice,  nettle,  dewberry,  blackberry, 'gooseberry,  hoarhouud, 
life-everlasting,  pennyroyal,  horseradish,  garlick,  calamus,  wormwood,  boneset,  wild  cress,  blood- 
root,  swamp  lily,  prickly' ash,  ivy,  boxwood,  mullen,  burdock,  belladonna,  yarrow,  sage,  balm,  sumac. 
Wild  flowers  of  all  kinds  fill  the  woods;  the  most  prevalent  are  the  wild  rose,  yellow  jasmine,  and 
honeysuckle. 

The  waters  surrounding  the  fort  are  well  stocked  with  fish,  principally  rock,  sheephead,  bay 
mackerel,  trout,  white  perch,  sun,  spot,  hog,  chub,  green,  flounders,  moss-bunkers,  and  toad. 
Porpoises  are  quite  numerous,  and  white  shark  not  scarce.  Crabs,  both  hard  and  soft,  are  in 
great  quantities.  Oysters  cover  the  banks  where  the  tide  runs  not  too  fast  and  the  bottom  is  not 
sand;  they  are  the  quality  highest  prized  in  all  the  markets.  Those  growing  in  Lynnhaven  Bay 
are  by  many  considered  to  be  the  most  delicious  procurable  in  any  part  of  the  country.  The 
birds  are  those  common  to  the  water  as  well  as  to  the  land ;  but  with  neither  these  nor 
the  animals  am  I  sufficiently  well  acquainted  to  attempt  the  enumeration.  In  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  fort  only  the  tame  kinds  are  to  be  met  with.  Gulls,  apparently  of  many  varieties, 
are  constantly  flying  over  the  water,  but  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  distinguish,  ornithologically,  one 
from  the  other. 

The  climate  of  Old  Point  Comfort  is  comparatively  mild.  The  winters  are  open,  and  the  ther- 
mometer, except  in  extremely  rare  instances,  does  not  fall  below  12°  F.  The  duration  of  the  cold 
periods  seldom  passes  seventy-two  hours,  when  the  cold  snaps  give  way  and  the  mercury  indicates 
an  increase  of  temperature.  The  cold  is,  however,  felt  more  perceptibly-  than  in  those  regions 
where  it  is  continuous,  and  the  system  is  far  more  susceptible  to  the  influence  of  a  decrease  of 
temperature  than  it  is  in  the  more  northern  latitudes.  There  is  but  little  snow  here,  and  that 
which  falls  remains  upon  the  ground  but  a  few  hours. 

The  summers  are  long  and  hot.  The  summer  heat  commences  in  the  early  part  of  May,  and 
continues  until  the  latter  part  of  September.  During  the  months  of  June,  July,  and  August  the 
heat  is  oppressive,  and,  were  it  not  for  the  sea  breeze,  which  commences  to  blow  about  9  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  would  be  almost  imendurable.  Within  the  walls  of  the  fort  the  heat  is  much 
more  oppressive  than  without  them,  as  they  serve  to  obstruct,  in  a  great  measure,  the  free  range  of 
the  breeze  which  may  be  blowing.  When  on  the  beach  or  anywhere  outside  the  temperature  inay 
be  quite  pleasant,  within  the  inclosnre  the  temperature  will  be  most  oppressive.  At  night,  how- 
ever, the  reverse  holds,  as  a  damp,  murky  atmosphere  arises  from  the  ground,  imparting  a  chilly 
sensation,  with  a  feeling  of  moisture,  There  is,  at  night,  a  difference  of  two  or  three  degrees  in 
the  temperature  inside  and  outside  the  fort. 
10 


74  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

During-  the  winter  season,  too,  the  temperature  is  lower  within  the  walls,  and  the  ground  is 
much  damper  than  when  it  is  exposed  to  the  unrestrained  influence  of  the  winds  and  sun.  The 
mean  annual  temperature  of  1867  was  58.19°  F.  The  warmest  day  of  the  year  was  July  6,  when  the 
mercury  indicated  90°  F.  The  coldest  day  was  January  19,  when  the  mercury,  at  7  o'clock,  a.  in., 
indicated  14°  F.  The  mean  annual  temperature  of  1868  was  58.30°  F.  The  warmest  day  was 
July  15,  when  the  mercury  indicated  92°  F.  The  coldest  day  was  December  25,  when  the  mercury, 
at  7  o'clock,  a.  m.,  indicated  19°  F.  The  amount  of  rain  which  fell  in  1867  was  64.26  inches.  The 
greatest  monthly  amount  of  rain  during  the  year  was  in  August,  when  11.40  inches  fell.  The 
amount  of  rain  which  fell  in  1868  was  44.41  inches.  The  greatest  monthly  amount  of  rain  in  1868 
was  in  July,  when  G.94  inches  fell.  The  barometer  ranges  from  29.25  inches  to  30.60  inches,  which 
are  the  extremes  reached  here,  as  indicated  by  the  record  of  four  years. 

For  the  last  three  years  the  opening  of  spring  has  been  much  later  than  it  was  wont  to  be  in 
previous  years,  and  vegetation  has  not  fairly  commenced  till  late  in  April,  though  prior  to  April 
there  were  warm  periods  sufficiently  long  to  cause  a  budding  and  incipient  blossoming  of  the  fruit 
trees,  which  were  subsequently  blighted  by  severe  frosts. 

The  prevailing  winds  of  spring  and  summer  are  southeast  and  southwest;  those  of  fall  and 
winter,  east,  northeast,  and  northwest.  The  easterly  winds  are  the  most  severe  in  February  and 
March,  and  with  them  come  diseases  of  the  throat  and  lungs  to  both  adults  and  infants.  With 
the  latter  croup  is  most  common  in  February  and  early  March,  when  the  winds,  chilled  by  the 
icebergs  on  the  banks,  continue  blowing  from  the  northeast  for  several  successive  days. 

The  fort  is  a  massive  work  built  of  granite,  surrounded  by  a  moat  filled  with  water,  which  is 
fed  by  a  tide-gate  opening  into  Mill  Creek.  The  depth  of  water  in  the  moat  is  8  feet.  Bridges, 
five  in  number,  crossing  the  moat,  furnish  the  means  of  entrance  into  the  fort.  The  officers  and 
men  composing  the  garrison  are  quartered  within  the  walls  of  the  work. 

The  quarters  for  officers  are,  respectively,  brick  buildings,  frame  buildings,  and  casemates.  The 
brick  buildings  are  large,  roomy,  and  well  ventilated,  though  badly  arranged  for  household  con- 
veniences. They  all  have  basement  stories,  which  are  really  iiutenable,  in  consequence  of  their 
excessive  humidity,  caused,  principally,  by  large  fresh-water  cisterns  being  built  in  contact  with 
one  of  the  walls,  one  side  of  which  they  form.  In  the  winter  time  this  excessive  dampness  is  over- 
come by  the  large  fires  kept  in  the  basements.  During  the  summer  time  all  articles  kept  in  the 
basement  stories  are  soon  covered  with  a  greenish  white  mold.  The  same  objection,  as  far  as 
humidity  is  concerned,  is  applicable  to  the  casemates.  They  are  very  damp  and  poorly  ventilated. 
Even  in  the  warmest  days  of  summer  it  is  necessary  to  have  large  fires  in  them  to  overcome  the 
humidity  and  render  them  tenable.  The  use  of  them  as  dwellings  is  very  conducive  to  rheumatic 
affections,  as  well  as  to  diseases  of  the  pulmonary  organs.  Persons  suffering  from  intermittent 
fevers  find  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  have  them  broke7i  up  as  long  as  they  reside  in  the  case- 
mates, without  having  them  dried  by  constant  fires. 

The  quarters  for  the  enlisted  men  are  temporary  frame  structures  erected  on  the  northern  side 
of  the  parade  ground.  The  buildings  are  seven  in  number,  each  120  feet  long  by  25  feet  wide. 
The  houses  are  built  some  40  feet  distant  from  each  other.  Fifteen  feet  of  the  length  of  the  build- 
ings is  made  use  of  for  the  rooms  of  the  first  sergeants,  and  of  that  in  which  the  company  records 
are  kept.  These  buildings  are  not  as  well  adapted  for  the  purpose  they  are  intended  as  they  might 
be;  they  are  not  sufficiently  roomy,  nor  are  they  built  of  the  proper  material,  being  made  of  green, 
unseasoned  lumber.  Kitchens  of  the  same  materials  are  built  to  the  rear  of  each  set  of  company 
quarters,  and  are  separated  from  them  by  a  street  some  25  feet  in  width. 

The  company  quarters  are  one-story  structures,  raised  from  the  ground  5  feet,  and  rest  on 
piles.  The  ventilation  is  by  means  of  windows  and  doors,  as  well  as  by  ventilating  orifices  in  the 
ceiling,  which  can  be  opened  or  closed  as  are  shutters.  These  orifices  connect  with  roof  ventilators. 
The  air  space  for  each  man  is  251  cubic  feet.  In  consequence  of  the  shrinking  of  the  green  lumber 
and  the  opening  of  the  joints,  there  is  more  than  a  sufficiency  of  fresh  air  admitted. 

In  the  winter  time  there  is  great  difficulty  experienced  in  keeping  the  quarters  sufficiently 
warm,  notwithstanding  that  two  large  18-inch  cylinder  stoves  are  kept  burning,  night  and  day,  to 
their  utmost  capacity,  being  attended,  as  they  are,  by  the  room  orderlies.  There  is  no  equability 
of  temperature  in  the  different  parts  of  the  room.  Near  to  the  stoves  the  heat  is  too  oppressive, 
and  distant  from  them  the  cold  is  much  too  perceptible.  There  is  all  the  light  that  could  be 


FORT  MONROE,  VIRGINIA.  75 

required.  It  is  admitted  through  the  glass  windows,  of  which  there  are  even  more  than  are  neces 
sary  for  that  purpose.  The  men  sleep  iu  the  main  room  of  the  company  quarters,  the  same  which 
is  occupied  by  them  during  the  day,  and  in  which,  too,  are  kept  their  boxes,  extra  clothing,  appa- 
ratus for  cleaning  arms,  accoutrements,  &c.  The  bunks  used  in  the  company  quarters  are  similar 
to  those  which  were  made  for  the  hospital  department  during  the  war,  being  iron  frames  with 
wooden  slats.  The  bunks  are  furnished  two  to  three  men,  and  are  covered  with  bed-sacks  tilled 
with  straw,  which  is  replaced  by  fresh  at  least  once  in  each  month,  or  oftener,  if  required.  The 
troops  have  a  sufficiency  of  blankets  and  covering.  The  accommodations  furnished  the  soldiery  to 
assist  them  in  the  way  of  personal  cleanliness  are  very  scarce  and  of  the  most  limited  character. 
The  company  wash-rooms  are,  by  far,  too  contracted,  being  but  12  by  5  feet  in  dimensions,  and  are 
built  to  the  outside  of  the  company  kitchens. 

Tilt-re  is  not  a  sufficiency  of  fresh  water  for  general  use,  and  there  are  no  means  of  washing  the 
whole  person  afforded  the  men,  save  during  the  summer  time,  when  salt-water  bathing  can  be 
indulged  in.  The  greater  part  of  the  command  do  not  wash  their  whole  persons  from  November 
till  June.  During  the  cold  weather  the  troops  have  no  means  of  cleansing  their  persons  except  by 
small  wash-basins.  A  bath-house  attached  to  each  company  quarters,  with  the  means  of  heating 
water  during  the  winter,  would  be  a  great  desideratum  in  a  sanitary  point  of  view.  With  the 
exception  of  small  shelves  at  the  head  of  the  bunks,  a  few  benches,  and  two  or  three  large  tables, 
there  is  no  furniture  in  the  company  quarters.  The  company  kitchens  are  rather  contracted  iu 
size,  but  answer  the  purpose  quite  well.  The  cooking  apparatus  is  all  that  could  be  desired.  To 
each  company  kitchen  a  large-sized  range  has  been  furnished,  and  by  means  of  it  cooking  of  the 
finest  kiud  can  be  done  for  even  a  greater  number  of  men  than  a  full  company.  The  police  of  the 
company  quarters  is  very  good,  as,  too,  is  that  of  the  kitchens  and  all  the  buildings  attached.  The 
company  mess-rooms,  which  are  24  by  24  feet,  are  all  too  contracted  for  the  accommodation  of  a 
full  company.  • 

The  quarters  of  the  married  soldiery  and  laundresses  are  badly  built  and  worse  arranged. 
They  are  two-story  buildings  of  battened  frame,  with  porches  on  the  south  sides,  by  means  of 
which  porches  access  to  the  second  story  is  gained  by  stairs  running  from  the  lower  to  the  upper 
porch,  and  by  no  other  way.  Each  family  has  a  set  of  two  rooms,  one  opening  on  to  the  porch, 
and  connecting  by  a  door  with  each  other.  They  are  miserably  ventilated;  indeed,  no  provision 
for  this  seems  to  have  been  made  or  considered  in  the  construction. 

The  buildings  for  married  soldiery  and  laundresses  are  two  in  number,  and  in  each  of  these 
are  fourteen  sets  of  quarters,  seven  on  the  lower  and  seven  on  the  upper  floor.  The  quarters  on 
the  upper  floor  are,  in  the  summer  time,  rendered  almost  uninhabitable,  in  consequence  of  the 
pipes  from  the  cooking  stoves  on  the  lower  floor  coming  up  through  the  ceiling  and  floor  of  the 
second  stories.  There  are  fourteen  stoves,  doing  the  cooking  of  the  same  number  of  families,  in  a 
frame  building  87  feet  long  by  30  feet  deep.  These  quarters  were  constructed  partly  of  green 
lumber  and  partly  of  old  lumber  taken  from  the  laundresses'  quarters,  which  were  torn  down  in 
18G7.  The  green,  yellow-pine,  lumber,  in  drying  and  shrinking,  has,  to  all  intents,  opened  the  rooms 
adjoining  to  each  other;  for  the  joints  of  the  ceilings  and  partition  walls  have  so  much  opened 
as  to  allow  what  occurs  iu  one  room  to  be  seen  in  the  next  set  of  quarters.  The  quarters  arc 
built  most  disadvantageously  in  case  of  fire;  for,  should  it  occur  in  the  lower  story,  there  would 
be  but  little  chance  of  escape  for  those  occupying  the  upper  one,  the  only  stairs  being  those 
joining  the  porches,  and  there  is  no  fire-escape.  The  use  of  the  lumber  taken  from  the  buildings 
torn  down  in  the  erection  of  the  new  ones  has  served  to  fill  them  with  vermin.  Roaches,  chinches, 
and  bugs  are  endless  and  most  annoying. 

To  partially  isolate  a  case  of  contagious  disease,  or  an  infectious  one,  in  these  quarters,  is  a 
matter  of  impossibility,  and  to  have  even  a  moderate  share  of  quiet  is  impracticable.  Should 
any  disease,  contagious  or  infectious  iu  its  nature,  make  its  appearance  in  these  buildings,  it 
will  go  through  the  whole  of  them  as  if  it  were  a  single  room. 

There  are  no  regular  storehouses  iu  the  fort.  Unoccupied  casemates  are  made  use  of  to  store 
supplies,  as  they  are  to  store  the  immense  supply  of  powder  and  fixed  ammunition  collected  here 
at  the  close  of  the  war,  and  which  the  regularly  built  magazines  will  not  accommodate. 

The  stables  for  public  horses  are  some  quarter  of  a  mile  distant  from  the  fort,  on  the  road 


76  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

leading  to  the  Mill  Creek  bridge.  They  are  kept  in  excellent  order,  and  are  as  cleanly  as  care  and 
labor  can  make  them.  Near  to  the  stables  are  the  storehouses  of  the  quartermaster's  depot, 
large  frame  buildings,  containing  supplies  collected  at  the  closing  of  the  war. 

Inside  of  the  fort  there  are  no  sinks,  in  the  general  acceptation  of  the  term.  Officers  residing 
in  the  casemates  make  use  of  the  officers'  commode  in  the  flagstaff  bastion,  which  is  now  a  series 
of  six  earth-closets,  which  are  admirably  adapted  for  the  purpose,  and  fulfill  every  indication 
required  of  them.  They  are  a  great  improvement  on  the  copper  tank  on  wheels.  The  families  in 
the  casemates  who  have  not  furnished  themselves  with  earth  commodes  are  necessitated  to  make 
use  of  chamber  utensils,  and  to  throw  their  contents  into  the  waters  of  the  moat.  The  water- 
closets  of  officers  not  residing  in  casemates  are  furnished  with  small  boxes,  which  are  removed  at 
different  periods,  longer  or  shorter,  according  to  the  heat  of  the  weather,  and  are  sprinkled  with 
crude  lime,  or  its  chloride,  at  the  option  of  the  men  who  have  charge  of  them.  The  same  arrange- 
ment exists  in  the  hospital  yard,  with  the  exception  of  the  use  of  the  disinfectant,  which  is  regu- 
lated by  order  of  the  surgeon  on  duty. 

The  sinks  for  the  men  are  large  copper  tanks,  mounted  on  wheels,  which  are  run  under  the 
closets,  and  changed  every  twenty-four  hours,  summer  and  winter.  They  are  used  only  during  the 
night  by  the  men,  whose  main  sink  is  at  the  north  side  of  the  fort,  outside  of  the  work,  and  covers 
a  portion  of  Mill  Creek  below  low-water  mark.  The  night-soil  tanks  are  drawn  out  of  the  fort 
and  emptied  into  the  Roads  to  the  northwest  of  the  work,  and  the  filth  is  carried  off  by  the  tide, 
sooner  or  later.  At  times,  during  midsummer,  the  excrement  is  not  carried  off  sufficiently  promptly 
to  prevent  it  from  giving  off  unpleasant  smells,  perceptible  to  persons  passing  in  the  vicinity;  but 
I  know  of  no  injurious  effect  having  been  produced  by  it. 

There  is  no  drainage  or  sewerage.  The  rains,  when  heavy,  collect  on  the  parade  ground,  and 
there  remain  till  soaked  up  by  the  soil  or  evaporated  by  the  sun. 

The  fuel  furnished  for  use  is  coal  and  wood — anthracite,  oak  and  pine.  The  component  parts  of 
the  ration  furnished  the  troops  are,  with  the  exception  of  the  fresh  beef,  excellent.  The  beef  is  not  of 
good  quality,  but  seems  to  be  that  of  the  poorer  class  of  cattle.  I  cannot  see  why  all  the  rations  of  the 
soldier  except  the  beef  should  be  of  the  best  quality  in  the  market,  and  it  not.  It  is  of  as  great  import- 
ance as  any  other  component  part,  and  oftentimes  the  most  important.  The  contracts,  as  a  general 
thing,  do  not  call  for  a  first-class  article,  or,  if  they  do,  it  is  taken  at  so  low  a  rate  as  to  be  patent 
to  every  one  that  it  cannot  be  filled  without  considerable  loss  to  the  furnishers.  The  truth  is,  that 
the  best  quality  of  beef  is  not  issued  to  the  troops,  and  no  complaint  is  made,  because  all  feel 
confident  that  as  good  an  article  is  being  furnished  as  the  price  paid  by  the  terms  of  the  contract 
will  justify.  When  circumstances  are  such  as  to  prevent  the  furnishing  of  a  first-class  article  of 
beef  it  can  be  endured  in  silence,  but  at  Fort  Monroe  there  is  really  no  difficulty.  A  living  price 
will  procure  as  good  an  article  here  as  it  will  in  any  part  of  the  country. 

The  markets  of  Baltimore  are  but  twelve  hours'  distant,  with  daily  water  communication,  and 
from  them  all  the  vessels  of  war  in  the  Roads  are  supplied,  as  are  the  marines  in  the  Norfolk 
navy  yard. 

The  troops  are  supplied  with  vegetables  and  other  articles  needed  by  means  of  their  company 
fund.  As  a  general  thing,  the  troops  are  well  fed,  and  with,  too,  a  sufficient  variety  of  food  to 
keep  them  healthy  and  in  good  condition. 

There  are  neither  company  nor  post  gardens  belonging  to  the  fort,  consequently  everything  not 
issued  by  the  subsistence  department  must  be  procured  by  purchase.  Fish  and  oysters  are 
abundant  in  season,  and  are  to  be  purchased  at  reasonable  rates.  Did  the  companies  own  seines,  the 
men  could  cateh  more  fish  than  they  could  possibly  make  use  of;  as  it  is,  they,  by  means  of  hooks 
and  lines,  procure  quite  a  number,  and  thus  are  enabled  to  change  their  diet  at  will. 

The  general  police  of  the  garrison  is  excellent,  and  is  all  that  could  be  wished  for.  Each  morning 
the  police  party  is  sent  in  every  part  of  the  fort  to  clean  iij>all  that  may  be  found  out  of  order 
and  admirably  well  they  do  it.  The  only  exception  to  this  tine  condition  of  police  is  met  within 
that  part  of  the  garrison  known  as  Carroll  Hall,  a  large  building  in  which  are  the  quarters  of 
many  of  the  younger  officers,  as  well  as  the  library  and  museum  of  the  artillery  school.  This 
building,  interiorly,  is  not  kept  in  as  cleanly  a  condition  as  it  should  be.  It  being  the  business  of 
each  and  every  person  therein  quartered  to  see  the  place  kept  in  good  police,  it  becomes,  in  conse- 


FOKT  MONKOE,  VIRGINIA.  77 

queace,  the  business  of  no  one  in  particular.  The  result  is  that  nothing  in  the  way  of  keeping  it 
clean  is  done,  and  the  staircases  and  halls  grow  day  by  day  more  dirty,  till  the  general  police  party 
are  compelled  to  clean  up  that  which  should  be  done  by  the  officers'  servants.  Were  it  not  for  the 
general  police  party  going  now  and  then  to  Carroll  Hall,  it  would,  by  its  accumulated  dirt  in  the 
halls  and  on  the  staircases,  become  a  disgrace  to  the  garrison. 

The  guard-houses  of  the  fort  are  situated  to  the  right  and  left  of  the  main  entrance,  and  are  rase 
mates  appropriated  for  that  purpose.  The  prison -rooms  are  badly  ventilated,  if  the  name  of  ven- 
tilation can  be  applied  to  air  entering  and  scarcely  issuing  from  an  apartment.  The  prison-rooms 
are  two,  and  to  one  of  these  is  attached  a  cell-room  for  solitary  confinement.  The  main  prison- 
room  includes  both  the  casemated  room  and  the  gun-room,  is  44  feet  long,  and  17  feet  wide ;  has  a 
large  door  and  two  large  windows  in  front,  and  an  embrasure  in  the  rear.  Both  the  windows  and 
the  embrasure  are  shielded  by  immovable  blinds,  which  prevent  the  ingress  of  sunlight  and  inter- 
fere greatly  with  the  wind,  which  otherwise  would  more  freely  enter  the  prison-room.  The  only 
ventilation  to  this  room,  which  oftentimes  has  from  twenty  to  forty  men  confined  in  it,  is  furnished 
through  the  small  embrasure,  not  more  than  3  by  4  feet  wide,  and  which,  too,  is  greatly  interfered 
with  by  the  crossed  bars  built  into  it,  and  by  the  screen  outside.  Into  this  prison-room  sunlight 
scarcely  ever  enters,  and  never  warms.  During  the  Avinter  the  room  is  heated  by  stoves,  which 
keep  it  comparatively  dry  and  comfortably  warm.  In  the  summer  time,  however,  it  is  always  damp, 
and  the  water  condenses  in  large  drops  on  the  walls  and  trickles  thence  to  the  floor.  The  prison- 
rooms  are  well  floored,  and  they  are  made  as  tenable  as  circumstances  will  permit  of,  but  at  night, 
when  the  doors  are  closed,  it  is  unendurable  in  consequence  of  the  very  imperfect  ventilation.  The 
smaller  of  the  prison-rooms  is  worse,  in  point  of  ventilation,  than  the  larger,  as  it  has  not  even  the 
embrasure  to  allow  a  current  of  air  to  pass  through.  The  cells  are  much  worse,  in  a  sanitary  point 
of  view,  than  either  of  the  prison-rooms.  They  are  contracted,  ill  ventilated,  never  warmed,  and 
the  light  of  the  sun  never  enters  them.  They  are  always  cold,  damp,  most  disagreeable,  and  really 
unfit  to  confine  men  in. 

The  hospital  building  is  near  to  the  main  entrance  of  the  fort  and  faces  the  parade  ground.  It 
is  a  structure  of  three  stories  with  garrets,  which  are  used  as  store-rooms  for  bedding,  and  as  a  small 
ward  for  isolating  contagious  diseases.  On  the  front  of  the  building,  on  the  first  and  second  stories, 
there  is  a  large  porch  much  used  by  the  convalescents.  There  seems  to  have  been  no  particular  re- 
gard paid  in  its  construction  to  either  ventilation  or  convenience.  The  wards,  four  in  number,  are 
large  airy  rooms  in  the  second  and  third  stories  of  the  building,  measuring  23T75  feet  by  24r97  feet, 
and  accommodating  in  each  ten  beds.  The  ventilation  of  the  wards  is  afforded  by  a  door  opening 
into  a  spacious  hall  and  by  four  windows,  the  sash  of  which  raise  and  lower  from  above  and  below, 
The  wards  are  heated  by  stoves  burning  anthracite  coal,  and  are  kept  most  comfortably  warm  by 
them  during  the  coldest  days  of  winter.  The  first  floor  of  the  building  is  occupied  as  a  dispensary, 
steward's  room,  and  two  small  store-rooms,  which  are  much  too  contracted  to  accommodate  the  sup- 
plies requiring  storage. 

The  hospital  kitchen  and  mess-room  are  in  a  small  brick  building  in  the  hospital  yard,  immedi- 
ately to  the  west  of  the  main  building.  This  is  sufficiently  large,  and  is  well  adapted  to  the  pur- 
pose. It  has  a  second  story  which  is  used  as  a  dormitory  for  the  cook,  and  as  a  store-room  for 
kitchen  utensils.  Attached  to  the  hospital,  in  the  yard,  is  a  frame  building,  which  was  erected 
during  the  war  of  secession,  and  is  now  used  as  quarters  for  the  hospital  matron. 

The  hospital  building  answers  its  purpose  quite  well,  and  is  objectionable  most  on  account  of 
the  difficulty  experienced  in  carrying  severely  injured  persons  to  the  wards,  which  are  in  the  upper 
stories,  and  approachable  only  by  means  of  the  staircase,  which  has  a  middle  landing,  interfering  much 
with  their  being  carried  from  the  ground-floor  up. 

There  are  no  grounds  proper  belonging  to  the  hospital;  but  being  built  as  it  is,  facing  the 
parade,  there  would  really  be  no  benefit  to  be  derived  from  having  it  other  than  it  is  in  this  respect. 
The  hospital  is  deficient  in  most  of  the  modern  conveniences.  There  is  no  operating  room,  no  post- 
mortem room,  no  wash-room,  no  bath-room.  There  is,  it  is  true,  a  tub  in  an  old  frame  building  in 
the  yard,  but  it  is  but  a  makeshift  for  want  of  a  more  suitable  and  convenient  arrangement.  The 
water-closets  attached  to  the  hospital  are  in  the  yard.  They  are  open  boxes,  which  are  removed 
every  day  or  every  second  day,  according  to  the  heated  condition  of  the  atmosphere.  They  answer 


78  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

the  purpose  as  well  as  anything,  save  earth-closets,  could.  By  the  free  use  of  commercial  carbolic 
acid  as  a  disinfectant  they  are  kept  entirely  free  from  all  disagreeable  smell,  and  a  person  can  stand 
within  a  yard's  distance  from  the  boxes,  and  were  it  not  for  the  smell  of  carbolic  acid,  be  unconscious 
of  it,  nor  would  he  be  aware  of  his  proximity  to  the  water-closets  were  the  fact  not  pointed  out  to 
him.  The  close  stools  used  in  the  wards  are  earth  commodes,  and  they  are  infinitely  superior  to 
anything  of  the  kind  ever  before  furnished  for  the  purpose.  It  is  impossible  to  discover  the  slight 
est  disagreeable  smell  arising  from  them,  no  matter  how  freely  they  may  be  used. 

The  water  used  for  drinking  purposes,  as  well  as  tor  cooking  in  the  hospital,  is  procured  from 
the  large  cistern  attached  to  it.  The  rooting  of  the  building  being  of  slate  furnishes  perfectly  pure 
water,  and  it  isa.s  good  as  can  l>e  procured  anywhere.  The  taste  is  unexceptionable,  but  it  does  not 
quench  thirst  as  does  good  spring  water  running  through  sandstone  rocks.  In  the  warmer  season 
of  the  year,  more  of  the  rain-water  is  required  for  drinking  purposes  thau  would  be,  were  it  slightly 
impregnated  with  some  of  the  earthy  salts.  It  is  generally  believed  by  persons  residing  in  this 
country  that  those  who  use  rain-water  for  drinking  are  not  as  subject  to  malarial  fevers  as  are  those 
•who  are  in  the  habit  of  having  the  water  they  drink  furnished  by  wells  or  springs.  How  much  of 
truth  there  maybe  in  this  1  cannot  tell,  but  as  it  is  the  general  accepted  credence,  there  must  be 
some  foundation  for  it.  The  water  used  in  the  garrison  is  either  rain  water  or  that  produced  by 
condensation  from  sea-water.  There  is  in  the  fort  a  large  condensing  apparatus,  and  much  of  the 
water  used  by  the  troops  for  drinking  and  culinary  purposes  is  thus  procured.  Water,  too,  is  col- 
lected from  the  roofs  of  the  barracks  and  carried  to  cisterns,  which  is  used  for  drinking.  This  is 
somewhat  unpalatable  in  consequence  of  having  run  over  the  shingles,  and  when  warm  it  is  some- 
what nauseating.  The  condensed  water  is  very  disagreeable  to  most  palates,  and  produces,  when 
first  used,  considerable  irritation  of  the  intestinal  canal,  which,  however,  passes  away  in  the  course 
of  a  few  days.  There  is  an  attempt  being  made  to  procure  suitable  water  for  supplying  the  fort  by 
boring.  So  far  this  has  not  been  successful. 

Unfortunately,  there  is  no  garden  attached  to  the  hospital,  and  all  vegetables  which  could  with 
a  garden  be  cultivated  free  of  expense  must  now  be  purchased  by  the  hospital  fund,  which 
depending  as  it  does  on  the  severe  cases  under  treatment  in  hospital,  is  here  seldom  more  than  is, 
absolutely  needed  for  necessaries,  leaving  but  little  margin  for  the  purchase  of  luxuries. 

The  disease  of  the  post  is  fever,  generally  of  a  malarial  type,  though  typhoid,  and  even  pure 
typhus,  present  themselves  for  treatment.  Eruptive  fevers  are  by  no  means  common,  and  rarely, 
when  brought  here,  do  they  show  a  tendency  to  spread  or  become  epidemic.  Twice  in  four  years 
has  scarlatina  been  brought  into  the  garrison,  but  at  neither  time  did  it  extend  beyond  the  house 
in  which  the  patients  were  being  treated.  The  only  exception  to  this  being  the  daughter  of  the 
physician  in  attendance,  who  was  attacked  by  a  sharp  fever,  followed  by  a  rash  similar  in  all  respects 
to  that  of  scarlatina,  but  of  so  mild  a  type  as  to  cause  considerable  doubts  as  to  the  certainty  of 
the  diagnosis.  Measles  of  a  malignant  type,  brought  from  Norfolk,  and  destroying  the  life  of  the 
person  introducing  it,  changed  to  an  apparently  modified  disease,  which,  in  some  cases,  did  not 
infect  an  unprotected  child  sleeping  in  the  same  bed.  So  mild  is  the  disease  here  that,  in  many 
cases,  the  surgeon  is  not  informed  of,  or  called  upon  to  treat,  it.  This  shows  that  the  parents  have 
but  little  fear  of  it,  or  look  upon  it  as  of  little  consequence.  Erysipelas  has  shown  itself  several 
times  since  1865,  at  one  time  of  a  very  severe  type,  and  most  contagious,  but  always  yielding  more 
or  less  readily  to  treatment;  but  in  each  and  every  ease  requiring  the  administration  of  the  salts 
of  quinine  ere  any  effect  could  be  made  upon  the  disease  by  the  adjuvant  remedies,  which  are 
regarded  by  practitioners  as  appropriate  to  the  treatment  of  it.  There  was  an  evident  tendency  to 
periodicity  in  the  fever  attending  all  the  eases  of  erysipelas.  At  certain  similar  times  in  the  twenty-four 
hours  the  pulse  indicated  an  increased  number  of  beats,  the  color  of  the  eruption  1  lecame  more  intense, 
and  there  was  a  well-marked  increase  in  the  temperature  of  the  body.  This  same  condition  of  things 
had  by  the  writer  been  observed  in  the  sporadic  erysipelas  occurring  in  the  southern  part  of  the  Ter- 
ritory of  New  Mexico,  which,  if  not  met  by  prompt  medication,  was  quite  fatal,  and  there,  too,  it 
was  found  that  quinine  was  the  remedy  most  to  be  relied  upon  and  absolutely  necessary  to  eradi- 
cate the  disease. 

Prior  to  the  war  of  secession  there  was  but  little  if  any  malarial  disease,  originating  at  Old  Point 
Comfort  proper,  met  w  ith,  and  Fort  Monroe  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  few  places  in  the  tide-water 
region  of  Virginia  exempt  from  its  influence.  So  highly  was  its  sanitary  condition  regarded  that 


FORT  MOKROE,  VIRGINIA.  79 

it  became  emphatically  the  great  watering  place  of  the  Southern  States.  Pleasure  seekers,  iu 
great  numbers,  congregated  here  during  the  summer  months  to  enjoy  the  salt-water  bathing,  and 
many  invalids  who  had  been  suffering  from  the  effects  of  malarial  cachexia,  came  to  Old  Point 
Comfort  to  recuperate  their  health  by  the  tonic  sea  breezes,  and,  at  the  same  time,  remove  them- 
selves from  the  depressing  influences  of  the  fever  poison  to  which,  at  their  homes,  they  had  been 
subjected.  Now,  however,  the  sanitary  status  has  changed,  and  malarial  disease  is  quite  common 
here.  There  is  no  doubt  whatever  of  its  being  contracted  not  only  on  the  Point,  but  within 
the  wall  s  of  the  fort.  Formerly  the  few  cases  of  malarial  fever  reported  occurred  in  men  who  had 
been  on  picket  guard  at  Mill  Creek  bridge,  or  in  those  who,  going  on  leave,  would  get  drunk  and, 
sleeping  out  during  the  night,  expose  themselves  to  the  malarial  exhalations  on  the  mainland. 
To  what  this  great  change  may  be  attributable  is  not  certain.  Two  hypotheses  are,  with  claims  of 
reason,  advanced.  Before  the  war  occurred,  the  lands  under  cultivation  were  well  drained  and 
well  cared  for.  They  had  been  worked  for  a  long  time,  and  could  not  be  regarded  as  fresh  soil, 
the  upturning  of  which  is  always  productive  of  malarial  disease  in  the  Southern  States;  much  of 
the  country,  too,  was  covered  with  virgin  forests  of  pine,  oak,  and  hickory,  extending  from  a  short 
distance  north  and  west  of  Mill  Creek,  to  Back  River,  thus  intercepting,  to  a  great  extent,  the 
winds  impregnated  with  malarial  exhalations  which  came  from  over  the  swamp  lands  in  its  vicin- 
ity. This  Back  River  is  the  receptacle  of  the  waters  of  the  many  small  streams  and  creeks  which 
head  in  the  swamp  lands,  and  find  their  way  through  it  into  Chesapeake  Bay  at  a  distance  of 
about  a  league  to  the  north  of  the  fort.  The  lands  proximate  to  these  creeks  are  swampy  for  the 
greater  part;  the  waters  upon  them  being  only  brackish.  These  swamps,  when  the  tides  are  low 
and  the  rains  heavy,  as  is  often  the  case  in  late  summer  and  early  autumn,  become  stagnant  fresh- 
water marshes,  and  furnish  all  the  material  necessary  for  the  production  of  southern  autumnal 
fevers.  On  the  banks  of,  and  in  all  the  country  near  to  Hack  River,  malarial  fevers  have  full  sway 
during  the  greater  portion  of  the  year,  and  in  the  autumn,  when  not  promptly  and  skillfully  treated, 
are  very  destructive  to  life,  as  in  many  cases  they  assume  the  malignant  type  here  called  conges- 
tive-remittent, corresponding  to  the  disease  so  admirably  described  by  Professor  George  B.  Wood, 
in  his  work  on  the  Practice  of  Medicine,  under  the  name  of  pernicious  fever.  There  has  been  no 
case  of  this  type  of  disease  at  Fort  Monroe  in  18CG-'G7-'6S,  or  '69,  though  several  have  occurred 
immediately  over  Mill  Creek,  a  distance  of  no  more  than  a  mile  from  the  fort. 

During  the  war  the  greater  part  of  the  forests  to  the  northwest  of  the  fort  was  cut  down,  thus 
giving  free  scope  to  the  winds  blowing  over  the  marshes  of  Back  River.  Much,  too,  of  the  virgin 
land  formerly  covered  by  forest  has  been  turned  up  for  cultivation.  The  cultivated  land,  too,  which 
was  lying  fallow  during  the  five  years  of  the  war,  is  once  more  being  worked,  poorly  it  is  true,  for 
the  drains  are  all  tilled  np  or  choked,  and  the  owners,  wanting  as  they  are  in  labor  or  the  means 
of  procuring  it,  cannot  put  them  in  proper  order.  The  result  of  this  want  of  proper  drainage  is 
that  the  rains  collect  upon  the  low  lands,  to  be  removed  only  by  solar  evaporation. 

Immediately  to  the  north  of  Mill  Creek  many  large  excavations  have  been  made  for  the  pur- 
pose of  procuring  soil  with  which  to  erect  military  works  and  repair  defective  ones.  These  large 
holes,  never  yet  filled  up,  collect  the  rain  water  in  considerable  quantities,  and  form  ponds,  which, 
exposed  to  the  hot  sun  of  summer,  furnish  fruitful  sources  of  malarial  poison. 

The,  other  hypothesis — and  I  regard  it  as  the  correct  one  as  far  as  the  production  of  malarial 
disease  inside  the  fort  is  concerned — is  "  that  large  quantities  of  clay  and  soil  have  been  brought  into 
and  around  the  fort  for  the  purpose  of  repairing  and  filling  up  the  roads  inside  and  outside  of  the 
same,  as  well  as  for  repairing  portions  of  the  work."  This  clay  and  soil  were  procured  at  and  brought 
from  the  western  side  of  Mill  Creek,  in  the  locality  where  malarial  fevers  are  most  common.  Prior 
to  the  spreading  of  this  clay  upon  the  roads  there  were  few  if  any  fevers  of  a  malarial  type  origin- 
ating in  the  fort,  but  in  a  very  short  time  afterward  they  presented  themselves  for  medical 
treatment.  Previous  to  this  the  young  children  who  went  not  outside  of  the  walls  in  the  nigh  t 
or  in  the  early  morning,  did  not  suffer  from  malarial  disease,  but  since  then  children  who  seldom 
go  outside  the  fort,  and  never  off  the  Point,  are  attacked  with  both  remittent  and  intermittent 
fever.  In  addition  to  fevers  of  a  malarial  origin,  diarrhu'as  and  dysenteries  are  frequently  met 
with,  caused  either  by  irritating  ingesta  or  showing  symptoms  and  complications  of  malarial  disease; 
indeed,  there  is  scarcely  any  disease  of  importance  presented  for  treatment  which  does  not  in  its  course 
give  indications  of  malarial  complications,  and  which,  too,  does  not  require  for  its  treatment  anti- 


80  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

periodics  of  some  kind  or  other.  In  early  summer,  which  is  generally  hot  and  humid,  there  is  much 
derangement  of  the  hepatic  secretions,  at  times  excessive,  producing  severe  diarrhoeas ;  at  others 
diminished,  running  oftentimes  into  jaundice.  These  conditions,  if  not  promptly  relieved,  seem  to 
be  but  the  precursors  of  remittent  fever,  more  or  less  severe,  which  is  often  warded  off,  in  cases  of 
torpidity,  by  a  moderate  dose  of  a  mercurial  combined  with  podophyllin  and  a  cathartic,  and  in 
cases  of  excessive  secretions  by  a  large  dose  of  calomel  combined  with  an  opiate.  But  neither  of 
these  articles,  as  a  general  rule,  has  any  permanent  effect  unless  followed  by  Peruvian  bark,  or 
some  of  its  preparations,  till  cinchonism  is  produced.  In  cases  of  continued  torpidity  of  the  liver, 
no  combination  has  been  found  more  efficacious  at  this  post  than  a  combination  of  quinine,  extract 
of  taraxacum,  podophyllin  and  leptandrin.  In  the  course  of  four  years,  there  has  been  but  one  case 
of  acute  hepatitis.  This  occured  in  an  attache  of  the  army,  who  was  a  good  liver  and  a  very  free 
drinker.  Enlargement  of  the  spleen  is  but  seldom  met  with  among  the  troops,  and  when  met  with 
could  always  be  traced  to  intermittent  fever,  from  which  the  patient  had  suffered  at  some  other 
place.  It  yields  very  easily  to  a  combination  of  quinine  and  iodide  of  iron,  aided  oftentimes  by 
muriate  of  ammonia.  The  diarrhoeas  met  with,  when  not  complicated  with  malarial  disease,  yield 
readily  to  astringents  following  a  mild  cathartic.  Seldom  or  never  do  they,  when  contracted  here, 
degenerate  into  a  chronic  condition.  The  only  cases  of  that  disease  which  have  required  treatment 
were  the  results  of  typho-malarial  fever;  fortunately  but  little  of  that  type  of  disease  has  come 
under  observation  here.  I  do  not  remember  a  case  of  severe  dysentery  not  caused  by  irritating 
ingesta,  treated  here  during  the  four  last  years,  which  was  not  malarious  in  its  origin,  and  which 
did  not  require  the  salts  of  quinine  or  some  preparation  of  cinchona  to  be  administered  ere  other 
remedies  had  any  perceptible  effect.  Scarcely,  indeed,  was  any  other  remedy  required. 

Of  epidemic  cholera  there  has  been  but  one  case  since  1865.  This  case  was  fatal.  Cholera 
infantum  is  common,  and  is  often  of  a  severe  type.  The  second  summer  of  a  child's  life  is  here 
looked  upon  by  mothers  with  much  anxious  fear,  and  with  great  reason,  too,  for  with  it  comes  sick- 
ness to  the  children  and  consequent  care  and  trouble  to  themselves.  Until  the  summer  of  1869, 
there  was  no  disease  which  gave  the  medical  officers  on  duty  here  more  trouble  and  anxiety,  or 
was  treated  with  less  satisfactory  results.  There  was  no  disease  in  which  the  mortality  was 
greater,  or  if  the  little  sufferers  did  not  die,  they  remained  puny  or  debilitated  until  the  deciduous 
teeth  were  through,  or  cold  weather  came  to  their  aid.  At  that  time  there  appeared  in  the  New 
York  Medical  Record  a  paper  on  the  treatment  of  cholera  iufantum  by  bromide  of  potassium. 
The  treatment  proposed  and  recommended  by  Dr.  Salvatore  Caro,  of  New  York,  the  author  of  the 
monogram,  was  carefully  carried  out  with  the  greatest  success.  I  know  not  how  it  has  acted  in 
other  portions  of-the  country,  but  at  Fort  Monroe  it  has  done  all  claimed  for  it  by  Dr.  Caro  in 
the  treatment  of  cholera  iufantum  ;  and,  as  far  as  the  experience  of  two  summers  goes,  both  in  the 
practice  of  the  medical  officers  here  and  in  that  of  Dr.  Townsend,  of  Norfolk,  Virginia,  the  bromide 
of  potassium  is  looked  upon  as  certain  in  its  effects  as  is  quinine  in  malarial  disease,  and  as  equally 
prompt  in  its  action.  Since  the  remedy  has  been  used  for  cholera  infantum,  there  has  been  no 
trouble  of  any  account  experienced,  and  then  only  in  consequence  of  the  ignorance  and  stupidity 
of  the  parents,  who  could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  follow  the  directions  given  them. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  autumn  and  in  the  winter  pulmonary  diseases  are  very  common- 
catarrh,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleuropneumonia.  Pleuritis  has  not  been  met  with  save 
in  connection  with  pneumonia.  The  cases  of  pneumonia  were  all  of  the  asthenic  type,  and  would 
bear  but  little  depletion.  With  one  or  two  exceptions  they  have  been  complicated  with  malarial 
diseases,  presenting  all  the  characteristics  of  the  disease  so  common  in  the  Southwest,  and  there 
known  as  winter  fever.  Here,  as  there,  the  only  remedy  which  can  be  relied  upon  for  its  treat- 
ment is  quinine  in  large  doses.  Nothing  else  has  any  effect  upon  it  nor  has  it,  if  not  given 
promptly  and  to  the  fullest  extent  of  the  sedative  influence  of  the  drug.  There  is  much  leucorrhoea 
among  the  females  in  the  garrison,  and  it  is  of  a  very  intractable  kind,  too.  Remedies  serve  only 
to  check  it  or  diminish  the  discharge,  which  generally  returns  on  their  discontinuance.  This 
peculiarity  is  caused,  I  believe,  by  the  relaxing  tendency  of  the  humid  atmosphere  upon  the  mucous 
membranes.  The  amount,  too,  of  the  menstrual  discharge  is,  I  learn  from  some  of  the  females, 
much  greater  than  they  are  subject  to  at  other  and  less  humid  places  at  a  distance  from  the  sea. 
There  is  a  general  belief  here,  true  or  false  as  it  may  be,  that  conception  occurs  more  promptly  than 


FORT  MONROE,  VIRGINIA.  gl 

at  most  other  places.  I  know  not  if  there  be  any  real  foundation  for  such  a  credence,  but  many 
cases  are  cited  of  women  who  were  regarded  as  barren  conceiving  shortly  after  their  coming  to 
Fort  Monroe  or  Hampton,  which  is  some  two  miles  distant.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  number  of 
small  children  met  with,  in  and  round  the  fort,  would  cause  one  to  believe  that  no  obstacle  to 
conception  was  often  met  with. 

Rheumatic  affections  are  often  met  with,  though  they  are  not  so  numerous  as  might  be  antici- 
pated from  the  locality  of  the  fort  and  the  habits  of  the  soldiery.  When,  however,  they  do  show 
themselves,  and  are  not  dependent  upon  syphilitic  or  malaiial  diseases  for  their  origin,  they  are 
intractable,  and  the  treatment  is  both  tedious  and  unsatisfactory. 

Venereal  disease  is  very  common  at  the  post,  and  the  type  varies  from  the  mildest  to  the 
most  malignant.  The  prostitutes  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  fort,  who  are  negresses  of  the  most 
debased  and  filthy  kind,  and  white  women  even  worse  than  they,  are  rotten  to  the  core.  The 
venereal  disease  contracted  from  them  is  almost  as  virulent  as  snake  poison,  and,  in  the  end,  is  little 
if  any  less  destructive,  of  human  life.  In  many  of  the  cases  of  true  chancre  presented,  an  endeavor 
to  treat  them  without  using  any  mercurial  preparation  has  been  made.  In  not  one  case,  however, 
of  unmistakably  true  indurated  chancre,  has  satisfactory  success  followed  the  non-mercurial  mode 
of  medication,  and  it  was  found  absolutely  necessary  to  have  recourse  to  mercury  before  the  disease 
could  be  conquered.  There  is  one  class  of  chancre  met  with  here,  fortunately  but  seldom,  which 
is,  without  exception,  the  most  difficult  to  treat  of  all  presented.  For  want  of  a  more  expressive 
name  it  has  been  designated  the  "glazed  chancre."  This  name  has  been  given  to  it  from  the 
peculiar  appearance  it  presents,  which  is  that  of  skin  denuded  of  the  cuticle  by  vesication,  which 
is  then  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  atmosphere  for  two  or  three  hours,  and  then  covered  with  the 
finest  varnish.  It  has,  too,  much  the  look  of  the  outer  edge  of  a  malignant  pustule  when  the 
detached  skjn  can  be  raised  up  and  the  glazed  fiery  surface  beneath  exposed.  This  chancre  is  not 
dugout;  its  edges  are  regular;  there  is  little  inflammation  of  the  surrounding  tissues,  and  not- 
near  as  much  induration  as  is  met  with  in  an  Hunterian  chancre.  It  is  rather  indolent  and  spreads 
but  slowly,  even  when  not  counteracted  by  medical  treatment.  The  prominently  distinctive  mark 
of  this  chancre  is  the  smooth  and  glazed  surface  it  presents,  the  enlargement  of  the  inguinal 
glands  almost  synchronously  with  the  development  of  the  chancrous  sore,  and  the  appearance  of 
syphilitic  rupia  in  about  three  weeks  time  subsequent  to  it.  liupia,  and  no  other  syphilitic  erup- 
tion, has  shown  itself  as  a  consecutive  symptom  in  each  and  every  case  treated,  which  was  con- 
quered only  after  a  long  and  most  careful  medication.  This  peculiar  form  of  chancre  was  never 
met  with  by  the  writer  except  in  New  Mexico,  until  it  showed  itself  here,  which  occurred  shortly 
after  the  arrival  of  a  company  of  the  Third  Artillery,  which  had  been  stationed  in  that  Territory, 
and  which,  in  all  probability,  brought  the  disease  which  I  have  endeavored  to  descril>e  with  it. 

Gonorrhoaas  are  numerous,  and  quite  difficult  to  treat.  Under  the  most  careful  medicatioli 
the  results,  both  as  regards  the  length  of  time  required  and  the  permanency  of  the  cure,  are  un- 
satisfactory. Whether  this  be  owing  to  special  malignancy  in  the  disease  here,  to  a  peculiarity 
of  the  climate  causing  similar  results  to  those  met  with  in  leucorrhcea,  or  to  the  unsettled  life  of 
the  soldiery,  it  is  impossible,  with -any  degree  of  certainty,  to  determine.  The  frequency  of  mas- 
turbation among  the  troops  interferes,  in  a  great  measure,  with  the  medical  treatment,  as  many 
cases  apparently  cured  have  broken  out  anew  from  the  local  irritation  consequent  upon  this  cause. 
Experiments  have  been  faithfully  and  most  carefully  made  to  test  the  relative  merits  of  nitrate  of 
silver,  sulphate  of  copper,  sulphate  of  zinc,  chloride  of  zinc,  subnitrate  of  bismuth,  permanganate 
of  potash,  carbolic  acid,  corrosive  sublimate,  and  a  number  of  other  remedies  recommended  by 
different  writers  on  the  subject,  as  injections  in  the  treatment  of  gonorrhea,  without  being  able 
to  fix  upon  any  one  as  .being  pre-eminently  the  most  efficacious.  The  decision  arrived  at  is  that 
alternations  between  sulphate,  of  zinc,  permanganate  of  potash,  and  carbolic  acid -give  perhaps 
better  results,  in  most  cases,  than  any  other  method  of  treatment.  Almost  if  not  as  good  results 
have  resulted  from  frequent  injections  of  cold  water  once  in  every  half  hour  as  from  the  most  com- 
plicated medication.  Internal  remedies,  used  more  from  the  force  of  habit  than  from  the  expecta 
tiou  of  decided  results,  have  given  but  little  satisfaction.  Of  all  these  prescribed  none  seemed  to 
have  as  much  effect  as  a  combination  of  balsam  copaiba  and  the  etherial  oil  of  cubebs.  From  what 
I  have  seen  at  tins-post  I  would  be  inclined  to  think  that  there  is  less  tendency  to  the  formation 
11 


82  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

of  uretlir.il  stricture  by  the  use  of  permanganate  of  potash  than  by  any  of  the  irritating  injections 
employed  for  the  cure  of  gonorrhoea. 

Child-bearing  at  Old  Point  Comfort  seems  to  be  a  more  easily  performed  female  function  than 
it  is  in  many  other  places.  During  the  past  four  years,  out  of  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  children 
born,  there  have  been  but  two  cases  of  death  consequent  upon  their  delivery,  and  in  not  one  case 
did  the  mothers  die.  Two  of  the  infants  were  still-born,  in  consequence  of  long-continued  pressure  on 
the  cord  in  breech  presentation.  There  has  been  but  one  case  of  puerperal  convulsions;  no  dan- 
gerously severe  floodings;  no  puerperal  peritonitis;  aud  not  a  case  even  of  mammary  abscess.  One 
peculiarity  attending  the  lying-in  condition  here  is  the  almost  universal  appearance,  about  the  seventh 
day  after  delivery,  of  a  severe  chill,  which  is  the  first  symptom  of  a  remittent  fever  which  then  develops 
itself.  With  this  fever  comes  considerable  tenderness  of  the  abdomen,  severe  pain  in  the  uterus, 
with  somewhat  t>f  assimilation  to  child-bed  fever;  but  both  pain,  tenderness,  and  febrile  excitement 
yield  promptly  to  free  doses  of  quinine.  I  have  observed  no  tendency  to  flooding,  but  a  more  than 
usual  inclination  to  quick  and  permanent  contraction  of  the  uterus  immediately  after  delivery  of 
the  placenta.  Were  it  not  that  the  irritation  set  up  by  child-bearing  develops  the  malarial  poison, 
the  attending  physician,  in  a  case  of  labor,  would  have  little  to  do  except  to  ligate  the  cord  and 
see  to  the  proper  delivery  of  the  secundines.  The  physicians  practicing  in  the  adjacent  counties 
inform  me  that  easy  and  uncomplicated  labor  is  the  characteristic  of  this  whole  region  of  country. 
The  employment  of  an  educated  physician  as  accoucher  is  the  exception,  and  illiterate  negresses 
perform  that  duty  as  they  did  before  the  war.  I  can  learn  of  but  two  cases  of  instrumental  labor 
occurring  in  this  neighborhood  since  18C5. 

Fortunately,  but  few  serious  injuries  requiring  surgical  treatment  have  occurred  at  the  post 
since  the  close  of  the  war,  though  for  the  greater  part  of  the  time  the  command  has  numbered 
near  500  men,  exclusive  of  the  employes.  In  all  the  uncomplicated  flesh  wounds  the  healing  pro- 
cess has  gone  on  rapidly,  and  with  as  much  regularity  as  in  the  most  healthy  stations  of  the 
country. 

I  cannot  close  the  medical  portion  of  this  report  without  referring  to  the.  beneficial  effect  of 
serpentaria  as  a  remedy  in  the  convalescence  of  malarial  fevers  and  in  malarial  cachexia,  when 
combined  with  some  one  of  the  preparations  of  iron.  In  all  cases  of  convalescence  from  remittent 
fevers  it  has  been  my  custom  to  administer  serpentaria,  in  some  form  or  other,  with  much  benefit  to 
the  patient.  The  relapses  so  common  in  the  disease,  when  exposed  to  the  morbific  influences  after 
convalescence,  appear  to  be  warded  off,  and  the  pale  and  clay-like  face  soon  changes  to  the  ruddy 
complexion  of  health.  In  the  case  of  one  of  the  government  pilots,  now  residing  in  as  sickly  a 
district  as  can  be  found  in  Nansemond  County,  where  quinine,  too,  is  wont  to  be  taken  as  part  of 
the  morning  meal,  who  had  suffered  greatly  from  malarial  fevers  and  whose  health  was  absolutely 
broken  down,  the  exhibition  of  the  infusion  of  serpentaria  in  full  doses,  morning  and  night,  has 
changed  his  whole  appearance.  From  being  a  pale  and  cachectic-looking  man,  he  is  now  one  of  the 
most  robust  and  healthy-looking  who  come  upon  the  Point.  The  same,  too,  is,  he  states,  the  con- 
dition of  his  whole  family,  to  whom  he  gives  serpeutaria,  sick  or  well;  while  his  neighbors,  who  do 
not  use  the  remedy  as  a  prophylactic,  are  constantly  suffering  from  malarial  fevers,  and  are,  in 
consequence,  almost  incapacitated  from  performing  the  duties  incident  to  their  stations. 

The  cemetery  of  the  post  is  situated  to  the  west  of  the  ridge  of  sand-hills  to  the  north  of  the 
Point.  It  has  been  used  for  many  years  as  the  garrison  cemetery,  and  in  the  early  part  of  the  war 
was  used  to  inter  such  as  died  at  the  Hygeia  hospital.  The  capacity  of  the  cemetery,  if  all  used, 
would  be  at  least  for  ten  or  fifteen  thousand  graves.  Many  of  the  bodies  there  interred  have, 
since  the  war,  been  removed  to  Hampton  National  Cemetery,  which  is  about  two  miles  from  Fort 
Monroe. 


FOHT  MACON,  NOKTH  CAROLINA ! 


83 


Statement  slowing  the  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Monroe,  Virginia, 

for  the  years  1868  and  18C9. 


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1 

, 

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t 

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;T 

. 

i 

X 

Years. 

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1 

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7. 

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"^       * 

1 

% 

X 

i    = 

"^ 

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£M 
E 

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i 

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5 

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tc 

1868  

480  33 

1,445 

211 

262 

39 

135 

49 

4           278 

4 

1869  . 

477. 

976 

152 

140 

28 

103 

4           1  15 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  MACON,  NORTH  CAROLINA. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  ELLIOTT  COUES,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  DATED  JUNE  30,  1870. 

Fort  Macon  is  situated  iu  latitude  34°  4'  north,  longitude  76°  40'  west  from  Greenwich.  It 
occupies  the  eastern  extremity  of  Borden  or  Bogue  Island,  commanding  Beaufort  Harbor,  one  of 
the  southern  outlets  of  Pamlico  Sound.  The  town  of  Beaufort  lies  about  two  miles  ofi',  a  little  east 
of  north,  across  the  harbor.  Morehead  City,  at  the  same  distance  wostwardh ,  is  the  terminus  of 
the  Atlantic  and  North  Carolina  railroad.  Fort  Johnston,  some  80  miles  distant,  is  the  nearest 
military  post. 

The  island  is  a  mere  sand  bar,  lying  nearly  due  east  and  west,  separated  from  the  mainland 
by  a  narrow,  shallow  sound,  (Bogue  Sound.)  It  is  26  miles  long,  with  an  average  width  of  less 
than  a  mile.  The  sea  front  is  a  gently  undulating  beach,  Hanked  by  extensive  sand-hills,  which 
slope  gradually  to  a  low,  flat  marsh  on  the  sound  side,  a  narrow  strip  of  comparatively  fertile  soil 
intervening.  The  sand-hills  are  constantly  shifting,  and  the  marsh  is  mostly  overflowed  at  high 
tide.  Part  of  the  island  is  wooded,  but  the  eastern  extremity  is  treeless  for  several  miles.  The 
neighboring  island  of  Shackleford  has  the  same  general  character;  the  adjoining  mainland  is  low, 
and  consists  chiefly  of  sandy  tracts,  pine  barrens,  and  swamps.  Beaufort  Harbor  is  shallow, 
and  obstructed  by  numerous  extensive  shoals;  the  channel,  navigable  for  vessels  of  ordinary  ton- 
nage, is  narrow  and  tortuous;  it  sweeps  around  the  point  of  the  island  close  to  the  fort.  The 
deepest  soundings,  for  some  miles,  do  not  exceed  eight  fathoms;  the  average  in  the  main  channel 
is  only  about  half  as  much ;  the  bottom  is  mostly  sandy,  often  shelly,  occasionally  clayey  and 
muddy  in  the  shallowest  places.  Vessels  reach  the  wharf  at  the  railroad  terminus,  but  only  those 
of  lightest  draught  go  to  Beaufort.  The  bottom,  as  well  as  the  coast  line,  is  subject  to  constant 
change,  and  hydrographic  surveys  can  be  relied  upon,  in  detail,  for  only  comparatively  short 
periods. 

This  locality  is  in  the  midst  of  the  auriferous  region  which  extends  from  Long  Island  to  North 
Florida.  There  are  no  rocks  whatever  in  the  vicinity,  except  those  that  have  been  brought  hither. 
The  beach  consists  of  pure  sand  mixed  with  shelly  detritus. 

It  is  evident,  from  the  foregoing  considerations,  that  the  foundations  of  the  fort  are  to  be 
looked  upon  with  some  suspicion,  and  that  in  engineering  operations  the  unstable  nature  of  the 
ground  should  be  held  in  view.  A  useful  lesson  may  be  learned  from  the  fact  that  the  site  of  Fort 
Hamilton  is  now  indicated  by  a  line  of  breakers,  nearly  a  mile  oft'.  The  present  fort  has  been  in 
imminent  danger  from  the  encroachment  of  the  sea,  the  water  having  reached  to  the  base  of  the 
glacis.  It  was  preserved  by  a  system  of  stone  jetties,  by  means  of  which  the  beach  was  carried 
some  200  yards  or  more  away  from  the  fort.  Although  they  have  thus  far  answered  their  design, 
the  fort  must  still  be  regarded  as  in  an  exposed  and  precarious  condition.  The  channel,  as  already 
stated,  sweeps  rapidly  close  in  shore  around  the  point  of  the  island,  with  constant  erosive  action. 
The  trend  of  the  laud  lays  it  open  to  the  prevailing  and  the  most  violent  winds.  The  open  sea 
beats  directly  upon  the  beach,  and  the  sand-hills  are  always  shifting.  As  long  as  the  fort  is  not 


84  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

defended  by  extensive  and  permanent  masonry,  care  should  be  taken  to  disturb  the  surface  as  little 
as  possible,  since  every  formed  or  forming  sand-hill  is  something  of  a  natural  protection.  The  more 
grass  and  weeds  are  allowed  to  grow  about  the  fort  the  better,  as  they  help  to  bind  down  the  sand. 
Any  gully  that  might  be  formed  by  the  rain,  or  other  cause,  in  the  glacis,  would  enlarge  indefi- 
nitely, and  be  difficult  to  remedy. 

Since  1830  the  fort  has  been  only  garrisoned  at  intervals.  It  was  abandoned  in  1849,  and  at 
the  beginning  of  the  late  war  was  in  charge  of  an  ordnance  sergeant.  It  was  taken  possession  of 
by  the  "confederates"  April  12,  18G1,  and  held  by  them  until  its  recapture  April  25,1862.  The 
rebel  officer  in  command  having  refused  to  capitulate,  the  fort  was  bombarded  by  batteries  located 
900  yards  down  the  island  among  the  sand-hills,  and  surrendered  after  an  engagement  of  five  hours' 
duration.  The  loss  of  life  was  trifling,  but  the  fort  was  much  damaged  by  shells.  The  more  neces- 
sary repairs  have  been  made  since  its  recapture.  The  fort  has  been  continuously  garrisoned  of 
late  y<  ars. 

The  reservation  comprises  about  a  mile  of  the  end  of  the  island;  the  limits  are  at  present  indi- 
cated by  a  few  stakes  standing  here  and  there  in  the  mnd  of  the  marsh,  of  which  the  whole  con- 
sists, with  the  exception  of  the  sandy  sea-front  above  mentioned. 

Of  the  geological  formation  and  mineral  products  of  the  vicinity  I  have  no  information  of 
consequence  to  otter.  As  may  be  judged  from  what  has  been  said,  the  soil  is  generally  poor.  Most 
of  the  land  is  unreclaimed,  and  probably  is  unreclaimable,  without  more  trouble  and  expense  than 
such  crops  as  could  be  raised  would  repay.  The  products  of  the  pine  are  perhaps  of  more  import- 
ance, in  an  economic  point  of  view,  than  those  of  agriculture  proper.  Among  the  latter  may  be 
mentioned  cotton,  which  is  cultivated  to  some  extent,  with  an  annual  export  from  Beaufort  and 
Morehead  of  perhaps  !,()!)()  bales.  Sweet  potatoes,  peanuts,  various  kitchen  vegetables,  &c.,  are 
raised,  but  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Macou  will  never  be  noted  as  an  agricultural  region. 

The  latest  authority  (Rev.  M.  A.  Curtis)  on  the  flora  of  the  State  enumerates  1,873  phrenoga- 
mous  plants,  exclusive  of  cultivated  species,  of  which  147  are  naturalized,  the  rest  indigenous, 
and  2,444  cryptogamia,  of  which  over  100  are  edible  fungi.  The  State  is  divided,  by  the  same 
author,  into  three  botanical  districts — the  upper,  middle,  and  lower.  Fort  Macon  is  situated  in 
the  last  of  these.  Wanting  space  for  a  general  list  of  the  plants  found  here,  I  append  a  few  notes 
upon  some  of  the  species  that  are  interesting  or  important,  chiefly  in  an  economic  or  medical 
point  of  view. 

A  common  species  of  crowfoot  (Ranunculus  sceleratm)  is  so  acrid  as  to  be  vesicant.  The  may- 
apple,  whence  the  well-known  podophyllin  is  extracted,  occurs.  Two  species  of  pitcher  plant 
(Sarracenia purpurea  and  S.JJava)  are  common  in  theswamps;  the  first-named  is  noted  in  connection 
with  variola,  but  its  remedial  efficacy  probably  remains  questionable.  Two  species  of  Papaver  are 
cultivated,  but  rather  for  ornament  than  use;  both  are  escaping  and  becoming  naturalized. 
Among  the  ('rucifera  are  several  important  agricultural  products,  e.  g.  three  species  of  Bmssica, 
(kale,  turnips,  and  cabbage,)  radishes,  (Raphanus  taticHx,)  two  varieties,  and  mustard,  (Sinapis 
nir/ra,)  the  latter  frequently  escaping  into  neighboring  waste  places,  while  the  same  order  furnishes 
some  of  the  most  characteristic  weeds  upon  the  fort.  The  Violacecc  are  reputed  emeto-cathartic; 
one  species  ( V.  cucullata)  is  extremely  abundant.  The  troublesome  weed  (Hypericum  perfoUtttwn) 
is  making  its  appearance  in  cultivated  fields.  Curtis  gives  it  from  the  middle  district  only.  A 
larger  number  (about  twelve  species)  of  Caryopln/llacecc  arc  among  the  most  abundant  weeds  of 
the  sandy  soil.  Kosteletxl-ya  Virginica  is  the  characteristic  indigenous  mallow  of  the  salt  marsh. 
Several  other  species  are  highly  ornamental  in  cultivation,  and  one,  cotton,  is  a  staple  product. 
The  beautiful  Chiua  tree  (Melia  azedaracli)  is  established,  and  a  fine  shade.  There  is  but  one 
species  of  Oxalis,  (0.  stricta ;)  it  is  agreeably  acid  to  the  taste,  but  if  taken  freely  produces 
unpleasant  sensations  in  the  fauces  and  stomach.  The  cultivated  rue  (Ruta  graveolens)  is  a  reputed 
remedy  for  fits,  of  but  highly  doubtful  efficacy.  Another  plant  of  the  same  order,  the  prickly 
ash,  (Xantho.ryUtm  CnroUiiianiun,)  is  an  abundant  and  characteristic  indigenous  shrub,  or  small 
tree;  the  leaves  are  full  of  a  highly  aero-aromatic  oil,  and  are  used  as  a  cataplasm  in  neuralgia 
a7id  toothache.  Its  close-set  habit,  prickly  branches,  and  easy  growth  adapt  it  for  hedges.  The 
Vitaceas  furnish  three  important  indigenous  species — the  summer,  fox,  and  muscadine  grape,  of 
which  the  two  last  are  cultivated.  Experiments  now  making  in  wine  producing  from  the  scupper- 


FOKT  MACON,.  NORTH  CAROLINA.  85 

nung,  a  variety  of  V.  milpina,  seem  to  promise  good  results.  Anacardiacece  are  chiefly  represented 
by  several  poisonous  species  of  Elms.  The  only  representative  of  the  Sapindacece  is  the  JiS»culus 
pavia;  au  almost  universal  superstition  accredits  the,  fruit  with  remedial  agency  in  hemorrhoids. 
The  Leguminoscc  afford  numerous  and  highly  important  products;  besides  the  common  peas  and 
beans  which  are  much  grown,  the  peanut  (Arachis  liypogace)  is  a  common  and  favorite  esculent 
Several  kinds  of  clover  afford  pasturage;  of  the  last  named,  one,  Tnfolium  procumbent,  is  an 
important  turf  in  holding  together  the  loose  soil  of  the  glacis.  Besides  its  ornamental  members, 
the  order  Rosacece  gives  us,  among  indigenous  species,  at  least  two  species  of  blackberry,  (Rulus 
villosus  and  E.  trimalis.)  In  the  gardens,  strawberries  are  abundant  and  finely  flavored,  though 
never  large,  and  in  the  orchards,  apples,  pears,  peaches,  and  plums.  Little  attention,  however, 
is  paid  to  those  fruits,  and  I  have  seen  none  but  the  most  ordinary  qualities.  The  prickly  pear 
(Opuntia  vulgarin)  is  an  abundant  and  indigenous  species;  its  fruit  may  be  held  edible,  but  it  is 
small,  and  not  to  be  compared  to  the  rich,  juicy  timas  of  our  Southwestern  Territories.  The 
Cucurbitacece  flourish  vigorously  in  the  sandy  soil;  watermelons,  cucumbers^ canteloupes,  and 
summer  squashes  are  all  abundant,  and  of  excellent  quality.  The  gourd,  (Lagenaria  vulgaris,) 
useful  for  domestic  utensils,  has  become  naturalized.  Umbellifercc  furnish  the  well-known  and 
violently  poisonous  Cicuta  maculitta,  which  is  abundant  in  low  moist  ground,  and  in  the  gardens, 
carrots,  parsnips,  celery,  and  parsley,  none  of  which,  however,  are  much  cultivated.  There  are 
few  indigenous  Caprifoliacece,  of  which  the  alder  and  Shawnee  haw  ( Viburnum  nudum)  are  the 
characteristic  representatives,  but  several  others  are  highly  ornamental  in  cultivation.  Of  the 
madder  family,  Galiiim  trifidum,  here  an  abundant  species,  is  said  to  yield  red  dye.  The  Spigelia 
Marilandica,  a  well-known  anthelmintic,  is  rare.  Of  the  great  number  of  Composite?,  compara- 
tively few  are  of  consequence;  among  them  may  be  mentioned  boneset,  to  which  the  very 
abundant  MiJcania  scandens  is  probably  allied  in  properties  as  well  as  botanical  characters.  Tansy 
(Tanacetum  vulgare)  is  a  common  emmenagogue  in  domestic  practice — species  of  Artemisia, 
Anthemis,  and  Matricaria  parthenium  are  used  as  a  tea.  Mayweed  is  much  too  common  about 
waste  places,  as  may  be  said  of  the  cocklebttrs.  The  yarrow,  white  weed,  two  everlastings, "sow 
thistle,  an  aster,  (near  A.  miser?)  thistle,  golden  rod,  the  sea  oxeye  and  groundsel  are  all  common 
and  characteristic  species;  the  last,  an  introduced  species,  is  extremely  abundant  about  the  fort. 

I  do  not  find  mentioned  by  Curtis  Lactuca  sativa,  (lettuce.)  It  is  the  chief  agricultural  product  of 
the  order.  I  should  not  omit  to  add  that  Chaptalia  tomentosa,  our  only  representative  of  the  com- 
posite sub-order  Labiataflora',  is  common  here.  Of  the  heaths,  the  huckleberry,  ( Vaccinium  corymbo- 
sum,)  and  probably  another  species,  is  the  only  plant  of  economic  consequence,  though  several 
others  are  extremely  abundant  and  highly  ornamental.  All  are  indigenous.  Among  the  holly  worts, 
the  Yaupon,  (Ilex  cassine,)  a  plentiful  shrub,  furnishes  a  drink  often  used  by  the  lower  classes  as  a 
substitute  for  tea.  The  persimmon  is  common;  so  is  the  rosemary  in  the  salt  marshes;  its  roots 
are  reputed  powerfully  astringent.  Seroplmlariacece  furnish  numerous  species,  none,  however,  of 
special  consequence,  though  the  leaves  of  Verbascum  thapsus  are  frequently  used  as  a  cataplasm. 
The  Verbcniacew  are  mainly  the  ornamental  cultivated  varieties.  The  indigenous  Labiates  are  not 
specially  noticeable  in  this  connection,  but  numerous  naturalized  or  Cultivated  species,  as  of 
Mcnthce  salria,  marrubium,  ocymmn,  lavandula,  origanum,  nepeta,  leonurus,  &c.,  are  more  or  less 
useful  for  their  well-known  aromatic  and  carminative  properties. 

Of  Convolvulacea;  the  sweet  potato  (Batatus  edulis)  is  one  of  the  most  important  products.  An 
indigenous  jalap  (Ipomcea  sagittate)  is  very  abundant  in  the  marshes.  Nearly  all  the  Solanacece 
are  important,  tomatoes  and  potatoes  the  most  so;  of  the  latter  many  are  rateed,  but  they 
do  not  keep  in  this  climate,  and  shortly  after  the  season  is  over  nearly  all  those  we  use  are  im- 
ported. Tobacco  is  not  a  staple  here.  Two  species  of  Solarium  are  very  commofl,  8.  Carolinense,  an 
indigenous,  troublesome,  prickly  plant,  and  8.  nigntm,  poisonous.  Other  familiar  representatives  are 
Datura  stramonium,  NicandrapJiysaloides,an([  Physalis  lanceolnta.  Capsicum  is  cultivated.  I  have 
seen  no  belladonna  or  hyoscyamus.  Sabbatia  stellar  is  is  the  characteristic  gentian,  (salt  marshes.) 
Asdepias  variegata,  one  of  the  principal  silk  weeds.  Phytolacca  decandra  is  abundant.  Among  the 
Chenopodiacew  are  numerous  highly  characteristic  species  of  the  sea-shore  or  salt  marshes,  such  as 
samphire  (Salicornia  herbacece)  and  saltwrort  (Salnola  kali)  and  others.  Lambs'  quarters,  (Chenopo- 
ditim  alburn^)  possible  to  be  used  as  a  pot-h.erb?  and  C,  anthelminticum^  a  well  known  vermifuge,  are 


86  DESCRIPTIONS  OP .  MILITARY  POSTS. 

common  weeds.  The  beet  is  much  cultivated.  Buckwheat  is  not  much  cultivated:  I  find  it  occa- 
sionally spontaneous  about  the^.fort.  Several  species  of  Polygon-urn  and  Rumex  crispus  and  B. 
ticctosella  are  abundant.  Amori'g  the  spurgeworts,  Croton  maritium  is  the  characteristic  species  of 
the  sand-hills.  Eiqriiorbia  maculata  is  very  common,  as  is  also  Cliidoscolus  sthmdosm.  I  have  not 
noticed  the  castor-oil  plant  in  cultivation.  Cannablnacete  are  represented  by  the  hop,  (Humulus 
/»/>»/«*;)  the  artocarps  chiefly  by  the  Otaheite  mulberry,  (Broussonetia papyri/era,}  a  thoroughly 
naturalized  and  very  valuable  shade  tree,  and  the  fig,  (Ficus  carica,)  which  flourishes  vigorously  in 
the  open  air,  and  is  much  cultivated.  Important  shade  trees  of  the  neighboring  orders  are  the 
sycamore  and  elm.  Walnuts  are  not  common.  Among  oaksTfRe  live  (Quercus  virens)  is  the  most 
noticeable'species,  though  several  others  occur.  It  grows  here  vigorously.  Of  the  Myricacea,  the 
wax  myrtle  (Myrica  eerifera)  is  very  abundant  about  the  marsh".  The  birches  furnish  the  common 
alder, ^Alnufs  serrulata,)  and  the  willows,  8«lijc  humili-s,  besides  the  introduced  Salix  Babylonica, 
together  with'-' its  curious  curly  variety.  The  products  of  the  pine,  tar,  turpentine,  and  resin,  are 
''among  the  most  iiiportant  resources  of  the  State  in  a  commercial  point  of  view.  Other  Coniferce, 
•//l/ff\  as  the  rod  cedar,  the  white,  and  the  cypress,  afford  valuable  woods. 

Among  endogens  the  sea  wrack  (Zostera  marina)  grows  abundantly  in  shallow  parts  of  the 
harbor;  Typlia  latifolia  and  Saggitaria  in  stagnant  water.  The  orchids  furnish  numerous  ornamental 
species,  all  indigenous.  The  Spanish  moss  (TiUandria  usneoides)  festoons  the  trees  of  the  swamps.  It 
is  held,  with  good  reason,  to  be  an  infallible  index  of  miasmata.  The  irids  are  represented  by  several 
flags,  and  the  abundant  Sisyrinchium  Bermudianum.  Of  several  species  of  Smilax,  8.  tamnoides  is 
probably  the  most  common.  Besides  the  numerous  Liliacece  that  are  cultivated  for  ornament,  the 
inrdigenous^TMCca  gloriosa  is  a  common  and  splendid  species.  The  introduced  garlic  (AHium  vineale) 
i,s •abunilant.  It  imparts  a  disagreeable  flavor  to  the  milk  of  the  cows,  which  eat  it  with  the  grass. 
The  onion  is  commonly  cultivated ;  asparagus  (A.  officinale)  less  frequently.  The  marshes  give  place 
to  several  species  otjuncus,  and  the  sandy  soil  about  the  fort  to  a  pretty  commelyna. 

It  is  impossible,  within  our  limits,  to  speak  duly  of  the  various  important  cereals  that  the  Glum- 
lfer\ afford,  or  to  mention  even  the  principal  of  the  numerous  species  of  Cyperacew  and  Graminea. 
I  will  oiily  refer  to  two  of  the  latter.  In  August  and  September  the  sea-side  oat  ( Uniola  paniculata) 
hides  the  nakedness  of  the  sand-hills,  to  which  it  is  confined,  with  a  luxuriant  growth,  causing 
them  to  resemble  a  field  of  the  cultivated  cereal.  The  saudspur  (Cenchrus  tribuloides)  grows  in 
profusion  everywhere  about  the  fort  and  is  our  most  annoying  plant;  the  bur-like  involucres  beset 
with  acute  spines,  which  ripen  Jate  in  summer  and  in  early  fall,  are  for  a  time  attached,  but  subse- 
quently fall  and  are  scattered  over  the  ground.  The  burs  adhere  to  whatever  touches  them,  and 
the  minute  barbs,  which  resemble,  in  their  effects  at  least,  the  fine  bristles  of  the  Opuutiw,  inflict 
a  painful  woiuid,  liable  to  fester,  especially  when,  as  often  happens,  they  are  broken  off  in  the  skin. 

Fort  Macon  is  a  locality  of  unusual  interest  to  the  zoologist,  its  marine  invertebrates,  famed  in 
particular,  being  very  rich  and  varied.  Want  of  space,  however,  prevents  my  presenting  the  copious 
lists  which  have  been  prepared  in  various  departments.  In  the  following  paragraphs  I  mention 
,  only  a  few  species  that  are  of  consequence  in  an  economic  or  sanitary  point  of  view. 

None  of  our  many  radiates  present  anything  for  consideration  in  this  connection.  Among 
Mollusca  several  species  contribute  largely  to  our  support;  foremost  among  them  the  oyster, 
which  is  abundant,  cheap,  and  of  excellent  quality.  It  should  be  added,  that  those  grown  in  too 
shallow  water  exposed  to  the  air  at  low  tides,  (Raccoon  oysters,)  are  unfit  for  food  and  have  even 
proved  at  times  decidedly  injurious.  The  Quahog  clams  and  one  or  two  other  species  of  the  same 
genus  are  plefltiful,  and  afford  good  food.  The  scollop  is  also  much  used;  the  muscle  is  the  only- 
part  that  is  eaten.  J}he  conchs  (Basifcon  carica)  and  two  other  species  are  eatable,  but  are  scarcely 
used  except  by  tip  lowest  classes.  The  muscle  (Modiola  plicatula)  would  only  be  used  in  the 
absence  of  anytJMg  preferable.  These  are  the  only  species  noticeable  in  this  connection,  out  of 
about  125  spijffs  of  marine  shells  that  I  have  personally  determined.  Articulates  furnish  a  few 
noticeable  species.  The  lobster  does  not  occur  so  fiir  south,  but  two  species  of  crabs  are  very 
abundant  and  excellent  articles  of  food.  Most  of  the  crabs  are  efficient  scavengers;  but  two 
species,  the  sand  (Ocypodc  arenaria)  and  fiddlers,  (Gelanmus  minax  and  G.pugnax,)  deserve  special 
mention  in  this  regard.  The  former  polices  the  sea  beach,  and  the  latter  the  marsh.  Both  are 
extremely  numerous.  Shrimps  of  one  or  two  species  are  found,  but  they  are  scarcely  eaten.  Of 
the  Decapod  crwtacecc  about  40  species  are  enumerated  by  recent  authority. 


FOET  MACON,  NOETH  CAEOLINA.  87 

The  insects  of  the  locality  that  have  any  special  relations  with  man  are  chiefly  those  affecting 
him  injuriously.  Various  species  of  wood-ticks  (Ixodes)  abound ;  while  indoors  the  Cimex  lectularius, 
Pulex  irritans,  and  a  species  of  Blatta,  are  only  too  common.  Plithirim  pubis  is  the  characteristic 
representative  of  the  parasites.  The  garrison,  probably,  is  never  free  from  its  infestation.  The 
prevalence  of  southwest  winds  free  us  in  part  from  the  mosquitoes,  but  these  and  a  sand  midge  are 
often  annoying  pests  in  summer.  The  waters  give  employment  and  support  to  a  large  part  of  the 
population  and  furnish  important  additions  to  the  army  ration.  A  dozen  or  more  of  small  or 
medium-sized  fish  may  always  be  taken  at  the  wharf,  and  fishing  for  these  is  the  chief  amuse- 
ment of  the  troops.  Of  larger  fish  the  "sheephead,"  two  species  of  drum,  and  the  sea  trout,  are 
abundant  in  season  and  easily  secured.  Blue  fish  are  abundant  late  in  summer,  and  trolling 
for  them  furnishes  the  most  agreeable  and  healthful  exercise  that  is  had  here.  The  most  im- 
portant fishing,  however,  in  a  commercial  point  of  view,  is  undoubtedly  that  of  the  mullet,  (Muyil,) 
vast  shoals  of  which  make  their  appearance  late  in  the  fall.  They  are  only  taken  in  the  seine. 
Of  useless  or  hurtful  fish  may  be  mentioned  the  various  species  of  rays,  or  stingers,  as  they  are 
called.  The  wound  from  the  spine  of  the  tail  is  tedious,  painful,  and  even  dangerous.  Sharks  of 
different  species,  including  the  hammerhead,  (Zyganea  malleus,)  are  sufficiently  large  and  nu. 
merous  to  require  the  exercise  of  some  caution  in  bathing.  Like  the  rest  of  the  Carolina  coasts 
this  locality  is  noted  as  a  habitat  of  the  somewhat  celebrated  devil  fish,  (Ceratoptera  vampyrus,) 
which  must  not,  however,  be  confounded  with  any  of  the  smaller  species  of  Raiidce  that  commonly 
receive  the  same  name.  Eeptiles  furnish  only  two  species  of  economic  consequence.  These'arethe 
loggerhead  turtle  (Chclonia  midas)  and  the  terrapin,  (Malacoclemys palustris,)  both  of  which  are  ex- 
cellent for  the  table.  Of  venomous  reptiles  1  have  noticed  but  two — the  rattlesnake  and  copper- 
head; both  are  common  in  swampy  wooded  places.  The  island  itself  seems  singularly  destitute  of 
batrachia,  though  several  occur  in  the  mainland.  I  have  noticed  four  species  of  harmless  snakes 
and  three  of  harmless  lizards  about  the  fort.  One  of  the  latter,  the  glass  snake,  is  the  most 
abundant  and  characteristic  reptile  of  the  island.  The  alligator  is  a  frequent  inhabitant  of  the 
swamps  in  the  vicinity.  Out  of  over  200  species  of  birds  that  I  record  from  the  locality,  several 
species  are  of  special  economic  importance.  With  the  exception  of  the  quail,  which  is  abundant 
on  the  mainland,  though  shunning  the  barren  island,  these  belong,  as  was  to  have  been  antici- 
pated, to  the  waders  and  swimmers.  The  first  named  furnish  (chiefly  in  spring  and  fall  during  the 
migration)  curlew,  plover,  various  kinds  of  snipe,  and  sand  birds  and  rail.  All  these  are  abundant, 
and  may  be  procured  with  little  trouble.  In  November,  and  during  the  winter,  water  fowl  throng 
the  harbor.  They  are  represented  by  two  or  three  kinds  of  geese  and  a  dozen  or  more  of  ducks,  as 
mallard,  teal,  widgeon,  red-heads,  and  raft  ducks-,  but  the  most  abundant  water  fowl,  the  fishing 
duck,  (Merjus  serrator,)  is  hardly  eatable.  The  various  pelagic  birds  that  enter  the  harbor  are 
rather  interesting  in  their  scientific  aspects  than  important  from  our  present  standpoint.  In  a 
sanitary  point  of  view  there  are  three  species  of  decided  consequence :  the  turkey  buzzard,  fish 
crow,  and  herring  gull,  which  effectually  remove  the  garbage  that  is  carried  out  of  the  fort. 

The  list  of  indigenous  mammals  is  comparatively  small.  Deer  (Cervus  Virginianus)  occur  in 
numbers  in  the  vicinity,  and  venison  is  sometimes  as  cheap  as  beef.  They  are  said  to  reside  on  the 
wooded  portion  of  the  island  itself  as  well  as  on  the  main  land.  A  hare  (Lepus  palustrix)  is  the  most 
abundant  and  characteristic  mammal  of  the  island.  The  opossum  is  common.  Among  fur-bearing 
animals  may  be  mentioned  the  gray  fox,  mink,  otter,  and  raccoon.  Our  noxious  species  are 
confined  to  the  rat  and  mouse,  naturalized  species  that  have  permanent  foothold  about  the  fort. 

There  are  no  springs  upon  the  island,  and  the  pools,  &c.,  are  all  more  or  less  subject  to  the 
tides ;  all  the  water  is  brackish  and  most  of  it  somewhat  hard.  It  may  be  procured  anywhere  by 
siuking  a  barrel  or  two.  I  do  not,  however,  indorse  the  current  opinion  that  it  is  sea  water  filtered 
through  the  sand. 

The  mean  temperature  may  be  estimated  at  near  GO0  Fahrenheit.  The  extremes  are  not  great, 
owing  in  winter  to  low  latitude,  comparatively  speaking,  and  the  scarcely  appreciable  elevation  above 
sea  level,  and  in  summer  to  the  almost  constant  southwest  sea  breeze.  Occasionally  a  film  of 
ice  forms,  and  there  are  usually  one  or  two  slight  snow  falls  during  the  winter.  We  are,  how- 
ever, subject  to  sudden  and  decided  changes  of  temperature.  The  humidity  of  the  atmosphere 
is  usually  great,  and  the  dew  point  correspondingly  high.  At  most  seasons  articles  of  dress, 
books,  the  solid  extracts,  &c.,  rapidly  gather  mold,  and  instruments  must  be  constantly  cleaned. 


88  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  prevailing  winds  are  between  south  and  west ;  these  usually  blow  with  great  violence  during 
most  of  February,  March,  and  April,  and  are  subject  to  sudden  shiftings.  One  effect  of  the  shifting 
to  the  northward,  in  summer  at  least,  is  the  wafting  of  malaria  from  the  swamps  of  the  mainland, 
for  the  salt  marsh  itself  is  uot,  I  am  satisfied,  appreciably  miasmatic.  The  seasons  are  of  the  aver- 
age length  for  the  latitude;  but  in  January  a  week  or  more  of  almost  summer  weather  is  liable  to 
occur  to  the  prejudice  of  fruit  trees  by  forcing  the  budding. 

The  fort  stands  on  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  reservation  at  from  250  to  400  yards  from  the 
(present)  watermark,  but  very  high  tides  flood  the  level  shingle  nearly  to  the  foot  of  the  glacis. 
The  glacis  has  a  long  and  gradual  slope  on  the  sea  front,  but  is  short  and  abrupt  on  the  sound  side. 
The  bottom  of  the  ditch  is  just  about  at  high-water  mark.  During  unusually  high  tides  it  is  flooded 
a  foot  or  more  in  depth  by  water  that  enters  from  the  marsh  through  a  culvert  into  a  drain  running 
under  the  glacis.  The  parade  wall,  of  brick,  incloses  an  irregularly  pentagonal  area  of  about  half 
an  acre.  The  parade  is  about  3  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ditch ;  its  longest  diagonal  is  183  feet, 
the  shortest  100  feet. 

There  are  no  barracks  at  the  post;  with  the  exception  of  a  few  married  soldiers  the  troops  are 
quartered  in  the  casemates,  a  part  of  which  have  been  furnished  with  iron-grated  doors  and  win- 
dows to  further  fit  them  for  prison  cells,  for  which  they  are  in  other  respects  well  adapted ;  all  are 
of  solid  masonry  throughout,  plastered  and  ceiled  overhead,  and  with  board  flooring  laid  over  the 
brickwork.  They  are  nearly  of  the  usual  tunnel  shape,  with  low  perpendicular  walls  and  arched 
ceilings;  they  measure  38  by  18  feet  in  superficial  area,  by  15  feet  to  the  ridge;  they  are  warmed 
by  au  open  fire  place,  lighted  in  the  rear  by  embrasures  and  port-holes,  and  in  front  by  a  door  and 
window  of  ordinary  dimensions,  opening  directly  into  the  parade;  ventilation  is  further  provided 
for  by  two  chimney-like  openings  in  the  ridge.  There  are  twenty-four  casemates  of  this  descrip- 
tion, six  of  which  are  used  as  men's  quarters,  five  as  officers'  quarters,  two  respectively  as  prison 
cells,  company  mess-rooms,  company  offices,  and  store-rooms  for  quartermaster  and  commissary 
property,  one  respectively  as  adjutant's  office,  ordnance  store-room,  guard-house,  bakery,  and 
kitchen.  The  triangular  spaces  left  between  contiguous  casemates  at  three  of  the  five  angles  of 
the  fort  are  partly  used  as  magazines  and  partly  as  cook-rooms,  a  brick  wall  separating  them  into 
two  compartments.  With  the  usual  garrison  of  two  companies  the  men  are  overcrowded ;  the 
dimensions  of  the  casemates  afford  only  10,200  cubic  feet,  without  taking  into  consideration  the 
arch  of  the  ceiling  by  which,  with  the  cumbrous  wooden  bunks,  boxes  of  clothing,  &c.,  the  capacity 
is  further  diminished  materially.  With  20  men  in  each  casemate — there  have  never  been  fewer  and 
sometimes  more — the  airspace  per  man  is  only  about  500  cubic  feet.  It  may  be  said  that  the  case- 
mates will  only  accommodate  10  or  12  men,  with  due  regard  to  hygiene,  and  even  when  not  crowded 
cannot  be  considered  as  eligible  quarters.  In  spite  of  the  several  openings  above  mentioned,  the 
ventilation  is  defective.  When  the  doors  and  windows  are  closed  it  is  insufficient,  as  is  readily  per- 
ceived on  entering  a  casemate  at  midnight;  when  open,  there  is  generally  a  strong  draught  of  air 
directly  through  from  one  end  to  the  other.  One  of  these  conditions  produces  morning  languor 
and  depression,  the  other  exposes  the  men  to  taking  cold,  and  no  gentle,  equable  renewal  of  the 
atmosphere  is  practicable.  Most  of  the  casemates  are,  moreover,  extremely  damp ;  in  one  of  them, 
at  least,  a  defect  in  the  conduit  leading  to  a  cistern  causes  constant  trickling  of  water  down  the 
walls.  Although  the  sick  report  does  not  show  the  result  of  these  unhealthy  conditions  in  au 
unusual  number  of  men  actually  unfit  for  duty,  an  injurious  effect  is  perceptible  in  lowering  the 
general  standard  of  health. 

Suitable  barracks  remain  an  especial  desideratum,  and  in  case  of  an  epidemic  it  would  proba- 
bly be  necessary  to  evacuate  the  fort. 

The  men  sleep  in  wooden  bunks,  each  holding  four  persons.  The  bedding  is  sufficient  and  of 
good  quality.  There  are  no  bath  or  wash-rooms — the  men  wash  under  a  shed  in  the  ditch  at  the 
postern  gate.  The  kitchens  are  cramped  in  space,  but  otherwise  eligible.  The  two  mess-rooms 
answer  every  purpose  and  are  supplied  with  proper  fixtures.  There  are  no  water-closets.  A  large 
and  well-constructed  sink  is  located  on  the  edge  of  the  marsh,  within  high  water-mark,  so  that  the 
excreta  are  constantly  carried  away  by  the  tide.  The  general  prisoners  are  confined  in  two  case- 
mates ;  their  mess  and  other  arrangements  are  the  same  as  those  of  the  men,  except  that  they  have 
no  bunks. 


FOHT  MACON,  NOKTH  CAROLINA.  89 

The  married  soldiers  occupy  six  small  wooden  buildings  scattered  irregularly  about  the  fort; 
these  are  of  the  most  wretched  description ;  they  were  mere  sheds  to  begin  with,  and  are  now  going 
to  pieces;  they  all  leak,  and  afford  but  little  protection  from  the  weather,  although  assiduously 
patched  up  with  odd  bits  of  boards  and  pieces  of  canvas.  Nor  is  there  a  sufficiency  of  even  such 
quarters  as  these ;  in  some  instances  different  families  are  crowded  together  in  a  manner  that 
almost  violates  decency. 

Three  cottages  have  recently  been  erected  for  officers'  quarters,  and  a  fourth  is  now  being  built. 
They  are  of  wood,  one  story,  and  finished  with  more  regard  to  economy  than  for  the  comfort  of  the 
inmates.  Each  contains  four  rooms  of  inadequate  dimensions,  two  on  either  side,  separated  by  a 
central  passage,  and  two  small  kitchens  in  the  rear.  The  division  into  sets  of  quarters  becomes  a 
matter  of  mutual  disaccommodation  when  more  than  one  family  occupies  the  same  house.  The 
rooms  are  warmed  by  open  fires,  and  inconveniently  ventilated  by  the  cracks  in  the  doors,  windows, 
and  floors.  The  quarters  are  supplied  with  water  by  the  prisoners,  who  bring  it  from  the  wells  and 
place  it  in  barrels  at  the  back  doors.  There  are  no  water-closets  or  bath  rooms.  Junior  officers 
occupy  casemates  within  the  forts. 

The  use  of  certain  casemates  as  offices  and  store-rooms  has  been  already  mentioned.  Besides 
these,  half  of  a  large  wooden  building,  situated  where  was  once  a  wharf,  before  this  was  washed 
away  by  the  tide  through  lack  of  timely  repair,  is  used  as  a  quartermaster's  storehouse.  A  recently 
constructed  railroad  connects  this  building  with  the  fort,  and  affords  ea^y  transportation  by  means 
of  a  hand-car.  One  of  the  casemates,  opening  in  the  covered  way  leading  to  the  sally-port,  is 
used  as  a  guard-house;  of  its  unfttness  for  the  purpose  there  is  no  question.  The  garrison  prisoners 
are  confined  within,  when  not  at  work,  but  the  guard  generally  occupies  the  covered  way  outside. 

The  hospital  is  a  disgrace  to  the  service.     A  flimsy  wooden  building  was  removed  in  sections 
from  Morehead  City  some  time  near  the  close  of  the  war,  and  put  up  here  as  a  hospital.   It  is  radi- 
cally defective  in  plan,  rudely  built,  and  now  so  much  out  of  repair  that  it  is  liable  to  be  blown 
down  by  one  of  the  storms  that  sometimes  prevail  here.     It  is  situated  about  250  yards  southwest 
from  the  fort.    The  building  was  hastily  erected  upon  a  sand-hill,  without  adequate  support;  the 
foundations  have  given  away  in  all  directions,  and  the  building  has  settled  unevenly  in  the  sand ; 
the  flooring  presents  a  rolling  surface,  gaping  here  and  there,  the  walls  bulge  outward  and  the  roof 
sags  inward ;  none  of  the  doors  or  windows  can  be  closed  tightly,  the  former  have  broken  locks 
and  hinges,  or  none  at  all;  many  of  the  window  lights  are  unglazed,  the  wind  and  rain  are  freely 
admitted  through  openings  in  the  roof  and  walls;  the  interior  woodwork,  as  that  of  the  partition, 
&c.,  is  of  one  thickness  of  undressed  plank,  warped  and  bent ;  there  is  not  a  straight  line  about 
the  building.     The  adaptation  of  the  building  for  hospital  purposes  is  on  a  par  with  its  present 
state  of  repair.     The  building  is  T-shaped;  one  ward  of  ample  dimensions  (54  by  22  by  10  feet) 
occupies  the  whole  stem.    It  will  accommodate  12  patients,  with  an  airspace  of  nearly  1,000  cubic 
feet  per  man.     The  cross  bar  affords  four  small  rooms;  an  inconveniently  narrow  passage  leads 
into  the  ward  from  the  front.    On  either  hand  is  a  small  room,  9f  by  8J  feet  in  superficial  area;  one  is  ' 
used  as  surgeons'  office  the  other  as  dispensary.     The  larger  rooms,  (1C.J  by  14  feet,)  at  the  extremities 
of  the  cross-bar,  are  used  as  steward's  room  and  store-room;  the  former  has  been  rendered  inhabit- 
able by  assiduous  repair,  but  the  stores  in  the  latter  require  to  be  protected  from  the  rain  by  gutta- 
percha  cloths.    The  wash-room  is  merely  a  corner  of  the  ward  partitioned  off.     The  door  leading 
to  the  porch  has  been  nailed  up,  as  the  latter  has  gone  to  pieces  since  the  plan  was  drawn;  the 
veranda  in  front  will  snortly  follow.      The  kitchen  is  a  rough  shed  (12  by  8  feet,)  detached  in  the 
rear.    Until  recently  the  privy  was  a  rough  box  (5  by  4  by  5  feet,)  with  no  door.    There  is  no  mat- 
ron's or  attendant's  room,  mess-room,  bath-room,  water-closet,  or  dead-house.    There  are  no  special 
arrangements  for  ventilation.    The  ward  is  heated  by  a  stove.    No  possible  repairs  will  fit  the  build- 
ing for  hospital  purposes.    The  absolute  and  pressing  necessity  for  a  new  hospital  is  obvious.    It 
is  a  severely  Unfavorable  reflection  that  this  state  of  things  has  endured  so  long  after  the  more 
than  one  inspection  by-proper  authorities,  and  repeated  communications  from  different  medical  offi- 
cers. *     There  is  no  laundry,  chapel,  or  school-house.    One  of  the  casemates  is  used  as  a  post  bakery, 
and  may  be  said  to  have  thus  far  answered  such  purpose  in  an  unsatisfactory  manner. 


*  The  erection  of  a  new  hospital  on  the  plan  given  in  Circular  No.  4,  dated  Surgeon  General's  Office,  April  27,  1867, 
has  been  ordered,  and  proposals  have  been  invited  by  the  quartermaster's  department  for  its  construction. 
12 


90  DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  post  library  consists  of  about  two  hundred  volumes,  representing  a  few  valuable  standard 
works,  much  light  reading,  and  a  number  of  school-books,  (the  latter  unworn  ;)  these  are  piled  up 
in  a  corner  of  the  hospital  steward's  room. 

Drinking-water  is  obtained  from  two  wells,  situated  at  the  end  of  the  glacis ;  it  is  daily  dis- 
tributed in  barrels  by  the  prisoners.  Within  the  fort  are  four  cisterns  that  collect  the  water  from 
the  inner  parapet.  This  water  is  only  used  for  washing.  There  is  no  distribution  of  water  from 
the  cisterns. 

Fire-buckets  are  kept  in  constant  readiness,  but  there  is  no  other  apparatus  for  extinguishing 
fires.  When  the  hospital  took  fire  last  fall  from  a  defective  flue,  it  was  saved,  except  the  roof,  by 
the  individual  exertions  of  the  men  in  bringing  water  in  buckets  from  the  neighboring  marsh. 

The  porosity  of  the  soil  and  the  slope  of  the  glacis  render  the  natural  drainage  unusually 
effective.  The  level  parade  ground  within  is  drained  by  a  system  of  five  sewers,  opening  by  six 
culverts,  one  for  each  side  of  the  pentagon,  and  one  in  the  middle.  The  several  drains  center  here, 
whence  a  single  sewer  conducts  under  the  sally-port  to  the  ditch,  and  the  water  flows  thence  through 
a  tunnel  under  the  outer  parapet  and  glacis  into  the  marsh.  The  drains  are  constructed  of  wood 
and  masonry  ;  they  have  scarcely  pitch  enough  inside  of  the  fort,  but  are  otherwise  well  adapted  ; 
nothing  offensive  is  allowed  to  be  poured  into  them  ;  all  slops  and  garbage  are  twice  daily  removed 
by  the  prisoners,  in  barrels,  and  thrown  far  out  upon  the  beach,  where  they  are  partly  devoured  by 
birds  and  crabs,  and  partly  washed  away  by  the  tide ;  the  most  wholesome  regulations  in  this 
regard  have  always  been  enforced  since  I  have  been  at  the  post. 

The  sea  affords  constant  bathing  facilities  in  summer.  There  is  no  special  provision  for  bath- 
ing in  winter. 

There  are  no  post,  hospital,  or  officers'  gardens.  There  is  daily  (except  Sunday)  communication 
by  rail  with  large  cities  north,  and  a  weekly  line  of  steamships  from  Newberne  (28  miles  distant) 
to  New  York.  The  daily  mail  is  quite  regular.  Letters  require  between  two  and  three  days  to 
reach  Washington  and  New  York. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  probably  represent  a  fair  average  of  the  southern  seaboard  pop- 
ulation ;  they  are  mostly  native  Carolinians,  both  white  and  black,  the  latter  representing  a  con- 
siderable proportion ;  the  greater  number  are  fishermen.  To  their  regular  employment  with  the 
seine  they  add  the  capture  of  an  occasional  whale  in  spring,  and  not  un frequently  become  wreckers 
for  the  time;  most  of  them  cultivate  small  patches  of  ground  about  their  cabins.  The  next  class, 
representing  nearly  all  the  rest  of  the  white  population,  are  the  small  trades-people  and  farmers, 
It  is  difficult  to  specify  the  occupation  of  the  colored  element.  There  are  now  no  aborigines  in  the 
vicinity,  but  tribes  formerly  living  here  have  left  their  traces  in  at  least  one  "  Kjoekkenmoedding," 
(that  on  Harker's  Island,)  in  which  pieces  of  pottery  and  various  implements  may  be  found. 

In  spite  of  some  obvious  violations  of  hygienic  principles  that  have  been  noted  above,  the  gen- 
eral sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good  ;  the  locality  is,  perhaps,  unusually  healthy  for  one  on 
the  southern  coast ;  the  sudden  changes  of  temperature  are  the  chief  drawbacks ;  these,  joined 
to  the  humidity  of  the  atmosphere,  operate  unfavorably  in  pulmonary  complaints.  Phthisis  makes 
rapid  progress  when  fairly  established,  while  common  colds  and  coughs  are  apt  to  prove  tedious 
and  troublesome,  even  when  they  do  not  have  more  serious  terminations.  Pneumonia  requires 
close  attention.  It  is  difficult  to  specify  any  as  the  prevailing  diseases ;  there  have  been  no  epi- 
demics for  some  years  at  the  fort  itself;  its  isolation  appears  to  confer  comparative  immunity,  and 
would  be  an  efficient  furtherance  of  quarantine  and  other  sanitary  measures.  An  importation  of 
yellow  fever  from  Xewberne  to  Beaufort  a  few  years  since  did  not  spread,  and  subsided  with  com- 
paratively small  mortality ;  the  residents  assert  that  it  is  not  known  to  have  originated  there.  A 
moderate  amount  of  malarial  fever  occurs  in  summer;  it  is  of  a  mild  form,  and  the  fyps  tends 
toward  suppression  of  the  chill,  and  corresponding  lengthening  of  the  febrile  state ;  it  is  most  pro- 
bable that  what  little  miasma  is  experienced  is  wafted  by  northerly  winds  from  inland  swamps  ; 
the  marsh  itself  appears  non-malarious.  Nearly  all  the  bow  -el  diseases,  of  which  there  is  a  moder- 
ate amount,  chiefly  occasioned,  I  think,  by  sudden  changes  in  the  weather,  have  proven  of  a  tran- 
sient character,  yielding  readily ;  though  occasionally  cases  of  dysentery,  dependent  upon  or  associ- 
ated with  malarial  conditions,  have  been  found  intractable.  Considering  the  atmospheric  influences 
there  is  a  remarkable  freedom  from  rheumatism.  Venereal  disease  is  at  a  minimum. 


FORT  MACON,  NORTH  CAROLINA. 


91 


Statement  allowing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Macon,  North  Car- 
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92  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT  JOHNSTON,  NORTH  CAROLINA. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  S.  S.  BOYER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Johnston,  North  Carolina,  on  the  west  bank  of  Cape  Fear  River,  four  miles  from  its  mouth, 
is  in  latitude  34°  N.,  longitude  78°  05'  W.,  at  an  elevation  above  the  sea  of  20  feet.  The  vil- 
lage of  Smithville  surrounds  the  fort  on  the  north  and  northeast,  and  on  the  west  and  southwest 
sides.  On  the  southeast  and  east  sides  it  is  bounded  by  the  river.  Wilmington,  the  nearest 
city,  is  30  miles  distant  in  a  northerly  direction.  This  fort  receives  its  name  from  Gabriel  John- 
ston, who  was  governor  of  the  province  of  North  Carolina  from  1734  to  1752.  It  was  erected  by 
the  British  soon  after  France  declared  war  against  England,  in  1744.  Since  that  period  it  has  been 
garrisoned  at  irregular  intervals. 

The  reservation  is  of  an  irregular  shape,  337  feet  on  the  northwest  side,  591  feet  on  the  west 
side,  558  feet  along  the  water  front,  and  548  feet  on  the  northeast  side,  and  is  inclosed  by  a  board 
fence.  Two  brick  walks  pass  through,  one  in  the  center,  the  other  at  the  east  end.  A  number  of 
shade  trees  are  distributed  over  the  ground.  There  is  a  salt  marsh  on  the  northeast  side  and  one 
ou  the  west  of  the  village,  just  outside  its  limits ;  beyond  these  marshes  the  woods  begin  and  extend 
into  the  country.  The  land  is  more  or  less  flat,  soil  marshy,  porous,  and  not  very  productive.  Fish 
are  caught  in  abundance  in  the  Cape  Fear  River  and  Atlantic  Ocean,  both  being  near  the  fort. 
There  are  many  wells  and  a  few  springs  located  in  different  parts  of  the  village  around  the  fort. 
The  wells  vary  in  depth  from  15  to  20  feet. 

The  climate  is  warm  and  more  or  less  equable.  Mean  annual  temperature,  65°  7'.  Warmest 
month,  July;  mean,  81°  5'.  Coldest  month,  January;  mean,  49°.  During  spring  and  part  of  the 
summer  months  the  prevailing  winds  are  south-southwest,  and  bring  with  them  the  breeze  from  the 
ocean.  During  the  remainder  of  the  year  the  winds  are  mostly  north  northeast,  and  have  the  effect 
of  increasing  the  humidity  of  the  atmosphere.  Winds  coming  from  the  northwest  carry  the  malaria 
from  swamps  two  or  three  miles  distant. 

There  is  no  fort  built  upon  the  reservation.  During  the  late  civil  war  it  came  into  the  posses- 
sion of  the  rebels,  and  they  constructed  some  minor  works  upon  it,  which  have  since  been  removed 
.  by  United  States  troops. 

The  barrack  is  a  one-story  frame  building,  100  by  25  by  14  feet,  with  an  open  veranda  passing 
the  whole  length  of  the  southeast  side.  There  is  an  open  fireplace  at  each  end,  and  a  large  stove 
in  the  center,  and  by  these  the  room  is  kept  comfortably  warm  in  cold-weather.  On  the  northeast 
side  of  the  building  are  six  windows  and  three  doors;  on  the  northwest  side  eight  windows  and  one 
door,  and  on  the  southwest  end  two  windows,  thus  affording  sufficient  light  and  ventilation.  The 
room  has  a  capacity  for  CO  men,  with  an  air  space  of  550  cubic  feet  for  each.  Double  wooden  bunks 
are  arranged  in  rows  on  each  side  the  room,  three  feet  apart,  with  a  passage  way  in  the  center  of 
the  room,  8J  feet  wide.  Double  and  single  bedsacks,  filled  with  straw,  are  used  for  bedding.  No 
wash  or  bath-room  is  connected  with  the  barrack.  A  latrine  is  built  on  the  river  at  low-water  mark, 
the  ebbing  and  flowing  of  the  tide  preventing  the  excreta  from  accumulating.  At  high  tide  the 
water  comes  -within  two  feet  of  the  seats. 

The  kitchen  and  mess-room  are  in  a  one  story  frame  building,  40  by  22  feet,  the  former  being  a 
room  21  by  12  feet,  the  latter  taking  up  the  remaining  space,  33  by  21  feet.  One  large  cooking- 
stove  is  used  in  the  preparation  of  food. 

The  laundresses'  quarters  is  a  one-story  frame  building,  with  four  rooms,  each  having  an  air  space 
of  1,890  cubic  feet.  .There  are  two  windows  and  doors  in  each  room,  and  a  piazza  extends  along" 
the  whole  southeast  side. 

One  brick  house  with  a  tin  roof  contains  the  officers'  quarters.  The  main  part  of  the  building 
is  two  stories  in  height ;  that  on  each  side,  northeast  and  southwest,  is  but  one  story.  It  has  twelve 
rooms  in  all.  There  is  a  double  piazza  in  front.  On  the  second  floor  there  are  three  rooms.  Of 


FORT  JOHNSTON,  NORTH  CAROLINA.  93 

those  in  front,  one  is  18  by  15  feet,  the  other  12  by  13  feet.  The  rear  room  is  22  by  15  feet,  each  of 
the  three  being  9  feet  high.  Beginning  at  the  northeast  end  of  the  first  story,  the  room  is  19  by  17 
feet;  height,  same  as  those  in  the  upper  story.  In  the  rear  of  this  room  is  one  14  by  9  feet,  and  7 
feet  high ;  the  next  is  19  by  15  feet,  and  9  feet  high.  In  the  rear  of  this  room  is  one  12  by  9  feet, 
and  7  feet  high.  The  next  is  12  by  10  feet,  and  in  its  rear,  one  17  by  15  feet.  The  next  room  is 
14  by  15  feet.  Next  to  this  room  is  a  hall  running  through  the  building  from  southeast  to  northwest. 
It  is  5  feet  in  width,  and  of  the  same  height  as  the  last  room,  9  feet.  The  first  room,  southwest  of 
the  hall,  is  18  by  14  by  9  feet ;  the  last,  20  by  17  by  9  feet.  These  quarters  are  not  divided  into 
sets.  Each  room  has  an  open  fireplace  for  burning  wood.  Ventilation  and  light  are  secured  by 
means  of  the  windows.  Water  is  supplied  by  hand.  There  are  no  bath-rooms  in  the  house. 

The  office  of  the  commanding  officer  is  located  on  the  southwest  side  of  the  reservation.  It  is 
a  brick  building,  22  by  20  feet,  with  one  room.  One  of  the  storehouses  is  located  alongside  the  gov- 
ernment wharf;  it  is  94  by  29  feet,  and  divided  into  four  rooms,  two  of  which  are  occupied  by  the 
quartermaster  and  commissary  as  an  office.  Of  the  other  two  rooms,  one  is  for  commissary's,  and 
the  other  for  quartermaster's  stores.  The  second  storehouse  is  situated  about  the  central  part  of 
the  reservation.  It  is  a  brick  building,  one  story  high,  and  is  the  old  "block-house"  erected  in  the 
earliest  history  of  the  post. 

The  guard-house  is  located  upon  the  southeast  part  of  the  reservation.  It  is  22  by  18  by  10 
feet,  with  a  porch  facing  the  river.  The  guard-room  is  12  by  18  feet,  and  two  rooms  open  into  it; 
one  is  the  lockup,  12  by  10  feet,  the  other  the  cell,  10  by  G  feet.  The  rooms  are  heated  by  stoves, 
and  ventilated  through  the  windows.' 

The  hospital  is  located  on  the  northeast  side  of  the  reservation.  It  is  a  frame  building  52  by  28 
by  26  feet.  The  central  part  is  two  stories  high,  and  contains  a  ward  on  the  upper  floor  16  by  26 
by  9.J  feet.  On  the  southwest  side  are  four  windows,  and  on  each  end,  two.  In  the  rear  of  the 
ward  at  the  head  of  the  stairs  are  two  rooms,  one  on  each  side;  the  one  to  the  right  upon  entering 
the  ward  is  the  store-room,  12  by  10  feet,  the  other  is  the  bath-room,  12  by  6  feet.  On  the  first  floor 
are  four  rooms  and  a  hall,  the  latter  being  26  by  12  feet,  with  stairs  leading  to  the  second  story. 
To  the  left  of  the  hall  are  two  rooms.  At  the  northwest  end  of  the  hall  is  a  space  6  by  4  feet, 
inclosed  by  a  counter ;  this  is  the  dispensary.  Shelves  and  drawers  are  constructed  along  the 
walls  on  three  sides.  Underneath  the  stairs  is  a  closet.  There  are  two  rooms  northwest  of  the 
hall;  the  first  is  the  dining-room,  14  by  12  feet,  the  second  the  kitchen,  12  by  12  feet.  The  ward 
has  a  capacity  of  twelve  beds ;  air  space  per  man,  748  cubic  feet.  Bathing  and  washing  are  done  in 
the  bath-room,  which  is  provided  with  a  bath-tub  and  wash-stand.  There  are  no  water-closets  in 
the  hospital ;  a  latrine  is  situated  on  the  river-bank,  30  yards  distant. 

The  dead-house  is  a  frame  building,  14  by  8  by  9  feet,  located  on  the  northwest  side  of  the 
reservation. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  frame  building,  9  by  8  feet,  with  an  oven  7  by  6  feet,  capable  of  baking 
140  rations  at  once.  There  is  no  laundry,  chapel,  or  school-house  upon  the  reservation. 

The  stable  is  located  at  the  southeast  part  of  the  reservation,  upon  the  bank  of  the  river  above 
high  water  mark.  It  is  a  square  building,  formerly  used  for  storing  provender,  and  contains  one 
row  of  stalls.  Most  of  the  boards  inclosing  the  south  and  west  sides  are  separated  half  an  inch, 
so  there  is  abundance  of  light  and  ventilation. 

There  is  no  permanent  library  belonging  to  the  post. 

The  water  supply  upon  the  reservation  is  from  two  sources,  a  well  and  a  cistern  ;  the  former  is 
20  feet  in  depth,  and  located  15  rods  from  the  barracks ;  the  latter  is  located  in  the  rear  of  the 
officers'  quarters,  and  has  a  capacity  for  5,000  gallons,  although  it  seldom  contains  that  quantity  at 
one  time.  In  both,  the  water  is  raised  by  a  pump  and  distributed  by  hand.  Should  the  quantity 
become  insufficient,  it  could  be  obtained  from  wells  in  the  vicinity.  Its  quality  is  slightly  brackish- 
From  the  porosity  of  the  soil,  the  natural  drainage  is  good. 

A  bath-house,  20  by  18  feet,  is  erected  upon  the  river  beach,  at  low-water  mark.  The  boards 
on  each  side  are  half  an  inch  apart,  thus  allowing  the  water  to  enter.  There  is  a  partition  running 
nearly  the  whole  breadth  of  one  side  above  water,  which  separates  the  building  into  two  parts; 
the  first  is  divided  into  four  small  dressing-rooms,  the  second  contains  the  water.  The  men  bathe 
daily  in  summer. 


94 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  dead  of  the  command  are  interred  in  a  cemetery  located  upon  the  northern  boundary  of 
Smithville,  which  is  the  property  of  the  village.  The  bodies  remain  here  but  temporarily,  as  they 
are  afterwards  removed  to  the  government  cemetery  near  Wilmington,  30  miles  distant. 

There  are  no  gardens  at  the  post ;  but  six  acres  of  land,  half  a  mile  from  the  fort,  are  hired  for  a 
post  garden  and  cultivated  by  men  of  the  company;  a  variety  of  vegetables  is  raised,  but  the  yield 
is  small. 

The  means  of  communication  with  the  nearest  large  city,  Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  is  by 
water ;  steam-tugs  run  to  and  fro  at  uncertain  times.  There  is  no  established  line  between  the  two 
points.  We  have  a  regular  tri-weekly  mail.  Letters  mailed  here  for  department  headquarters  or 
Washington  generally  reach  their  destination  in  three  days. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good.  Kemitteut  and  intermittent  fevers  are  the 
prevailing  diseases.  Salt  marshes  upon  the  northeast  and  west  sides  of  the  village  around  the  fort 
are  an  undoubted  source  of  malaria,  as  those  persons  living  immediately  upon  their  borders  suffer 
most  from  these  fevers. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Johnston,  North  Caro- 

.  Una,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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1868,  (seveu  months) 

68.14 

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45 

24 

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1 

2 

2 

1869  

69.08 

102 

j 

32 

11 

19 

2 

5 

2 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


POST  OF  RALEIGH,  NORTH  CAROLINA. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  JOHN  B.  WHITE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

This  post  is  situated  just  without  the  limits  of  Raleigh,  between  Crabtree  and  Walnut  Creeks, 
latitude  78°  47'  8",  longitude  35°  47',  and  has  an  elevation  of  317  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
It  has  been  uninterruptedly  garrisoned  since  April  12,  1865,  and  known  as  "Camp  Russell."  Pre- 
vious to  that  date  most  of  the  buildings  within  the  garrison  were  occupied  by  the  confederate  gov- 
ernment for  hospital  purposes,  and  known  as  the  "Pettigrew  hospital." 

The  reservation  contains  about  six  acres,  in  the  shape  of  a  parallelogram,  having  a  slight  inclina- 
tion toward  the  south,  and  situated  about  one  mile  due  east  from  the  city  of  Raleigh.  The  grounds 
in  the  vicinity  are  moderately  rolling — mostly  of  granitic- formation — representing  shades  of  sandy 
and  red  colored  earth,  eagerly  absorbing  and  retaining  water.  The  land  is  under  partial  cultivation, 
and  free  from  marshes.  The  mineral  productions  are  of  the  most  varied  character.  Veins  of 
graphite  and  marble  extend  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the  post.  As  a  rule,  flowers  blossom 
from  four  to  six  weeks  earlier  than  in  the  middle  States;  some  of  them  open  as  early  as  December. 

The  German  element  pervades  the  city  and  suburbs;  the  principal  street  of  Raleigh  presents 
decidedly  a  Teutonic  aspect. 

This  post  has  long  been  noted  for  its  salubrity  and  freedom  from  diseases  due  to  climatic 
causes.  The  maximum  temperature  for  the  year  1868  was  108°  F.;  minimum,  12°  F.  The  annual 
fall  of  rain  was  45  inches;  the  number  of  cloudy  days,  130;  of  rainy  days,  60;  the  prevailing  winds 
are  southwest  and  northeast. 

Within  the  post  limits  are  five  barracks,  ranged  in  lines,  the  axis  due  east  and  west,  and  sep- 
arated by  an  interval  of  38  feet,  sufficient  for  the  sun's  rays  to  fall  on  each  side.  These  buildings 


TOST  OP  RALEIGH,  NORTH  CAROLINA.  95 

were  erected  by  the  confederate  government  for  hospitals.  They  are  frame  buildings,  90  by  26  by 
15  feet,  with  shingled  roofs;  window-son  both  sides  and  ends;  warmed  by  stoves  and  fireplaces. 
The  average  occupation  of  each  barrack  is  50  soldiers,  allowing  465  cubic  feet  of  air  space  to  each 
lodger.  The  bunks  are  double,  in  two  rows,  running  the  entire  length  of  the  room.  The  construc- 
tion of  sixteen  opposite  windows  of  good  size,  and  dormer  windows  in  the  apex  of  each  roof,  with 
ridge  ventilation,  allow  s  \  n-t  ical  motion  of  the  polluted  air  from  below,  and  secures  the  most  desir- 
able amount  of  ventilation.  Besides,  the  elevation  of  each  building  from  the  ground  permits  per- 
fliition  of  the  winds  under  the  same. 

The  sinks  are  distant  from  the  men's  quarters  and  are  well  arranged,  being  provided  with 
drawers,  which  admit  of  constant  correction  and  the  removal  of  refuse. 

Each  barrack  is  well  provided  with  a  kitchen  and  a  mess-room,  which  are  well  furnished  with 
modern  facilities  for  cooking,  &c. 

Married  soldiers  have  separate  quarters,  in  a  long,  narrow  building,  containing  accommodations 
for  fourteen  families.  These  quarters  are  comfortable,  convenient,  and  healthy. 

There  are  at  the  present  time  five  buildings  in  use  by  the  officers,  all  save  one  built  by  the  con- 
federate government  on  a  very  cheap  scale — style  antique — and  when  erected  never  thought  of 
being  more  than  day  rooms  for  the  medical  officers  attending  upon  the  sick.  They  are  built  of 
wood,  one  story  high,  shingle  roof,  built  without  piazzas,  and  unplastered.  The  one  built  by  the 
United  States  government,  in  1866,  is  more  modern,  but  faulty  in  design.  The  rooms  are  narrow 
and  contracted,  varying  in  si/.e  from  a  hall  bed-room  to  the  proportions  of  a  lecture-room.  On  this 
account  assignments  have  with  many  difficulties  been  made. 

The  guard  house,  situated  on  the  northwest  corner  of  the  garrison,  is  a  new  frame  building, 
38  by  13  feet,  one  story  high,  with  shingled  roof;  it  contains  a  guard-room  and-  prison-room  of  two 
cells,  which  are,  with  the  present  strength  of  the  command,  (100  men,)  adequate.  The  building  is 
warmed  by  a  stove  in  the  guardroom;  lighted  by  two  windows ;  ventilation  is  very  imperfectly 
supplied. 

The  building  set  apart  for  hospital  use  is  located  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the  post,  and,  like 
those  before  mentioned,  was  erected  by  the  confederates,  and  faulty  in  construction.  It  is  a  frame 
building  one  story  high,  80  by  21  feet,  with  shingled  roof,  containing  a  ward  48  by  21  feet,  and  a 
convenient  room  for  the  steward,  one  for  wash-room,  one  for  store-room,  and  one  for  storing  bag- 
gage. Natural  ventilation  is  good,  viz.,  by  twelve  opposite  windows  and  openings  in  the  ridge, 
permitting  a  free  vertical  movement  of  vitiated  air  from  below.  Two  large  stoves  are  used  for 
heating  the  hospital.  The  ward  contains  fifteen  beds,  giving  to  each  an  air  space  of  630  cubic  feet. 

There  is  a  post  library,  consisting  of  85  volumes,  of  bad  selection,  much  worn  and  very  incom- 
plete, under  the  direct  supervision  of  the  post  surgeon. 

The  water  used  by  the  command  is  obtained  from  one  well,  situated  without  the  camp  limits; 
in  quantity  and  quality  it  is  all  that  could  be  desired.  Previous  to  the  war  the  water  was  chaly- 
beate; but  during  the  progress  of  the  war  the  shock  of  an  earthquake,  of  a  moment's  duration,  had 
the  effect  to  change  the  well-water  from  a  chalybeate  to  that  of  a  limestone  character.  There  are 
no  cisterns  or  reservoirs  about  the  camp.  Water  barrels  have  been  placed  near  each  building  for 
the  prompt  extinguishment  of  any  fires  that  may  occur. 

Being  situated  on  an  inclined  plane  the  drainage  of  the  post  is  naturally  good.  A  small  creek, 
Some  200  yards  distant  from  the  post,  affords  bathing  facilities  to  the  men  during  the  summer 
months,  and  is  not  without  its  beneficial  effects  in  a  hygienic  point  of  view.  A  special  room  for 
ablution  purposes  is  set  apart  for  the  command  during  the  winter  months. 

The  site  of  the  present  post  is  pre-eminently  healthy,  as  is  also  the  vicinity.  The  climate,  in 
summer  and  winter,  is  mild  and  pleasant,  the  range  of  temperature  is  small,  and  the  place  is  free 
from  malarial  or  epidemic  diseases,  or  those  traceable  to  atmospheric  or  climatic  causes. 


96 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Raleigh,  North  Carolina, 

white  troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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1868,  (eight  months) 

292.37 

267 

1 

63 

25 

1 

43 

14 

1 

29 

2 

1869,  (eight  months)  . 

53.33 

84 

14 

13 

2 

20 

6 

1 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Raleigh,  North  Carolina, 

colored  troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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262.  33 

220 

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1S69  (three  months) 

291.66 

279 

32 

10 

2 

32 

97 

35 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


DEPARTMENT    OF    THE    LAKES. 


POSTS   DESCRIBED. 


Madison  Barracks,  Sacki'tt's  Harbor,  New  York. 
Fort  Ontario,  Oswego,  New  York. 
Fort  Niagara,  YoiingNtown,  Now  York. 
Fort  Porter,  Buffalo,  New  York. 


Fort  Wayne,  Detroit, 
Fort  Gratiot,  Port  Huron,  Michigan. 
Fort  Brady,  Sault  Stc.  Marie,  Michigan. 
Fort  Mackinac,  Mackinac,  Michigan. 


MADISON  BARRACKS,  SACKETT'S  HARBOR,  NEW  YORK. 

REPOKT  OF  SURGEON  E.  P.  VOLLUM,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Madison  Barracks  is  situated  at  Sackett's  Harbor,  New  York,  on  the  soutli  shore  of  Black 
River  Bay,  about  10  miles  from  Lake  Ontario,  and  320  miles  from  the  Atlantic  coast.  It  is  in  lati- 
tude 43°  51'  north,  longitude  76°  15'  west ;  height  of  the  barometer,  2(52  feet  above  the  sea.  Black 
River,  a  stream  of  considerable  size  and  importance  as  an  unfailing  water-power,  falls  into  the  head  of 
Black  River  Bay,  eight  miles  east  of  the  post,  at  the  town  of  Dexter,  a  manufacturing  place;  and 
the  mouth  of  Mill  Creek  bounds  the  reservation  in  the  same  direction.  The  waters  in  the  bay  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  post  change  color  as  the  winds  blow  from  the  northeast  or  southwest.  When 
they  come  from  the  former  direction  the  dark  brown  water  from  Black  River  is  forced  into  Lake 
Ontario  past  the  shore  fronting  the  post ;  coining  from  the  latter  direction,  the  clear  lake  water  takes 
the  place  of  the  river  water.  The  land  in  the  neighborhood  is  free  from  marsh,  but  at  the  head  of 
Black  River  Bay  there  are  some  marshy  places,  which,  however,  do  not  produce  any  appreciable 
bad  effects.  The  surface  of  the  Surrounding  country  is  gently  undulating,  and  the  soil,  originally 
rich,  is  now  somewhat  worn  out  by  careless  cultivation.  'The  timber  is  mostly  cleared  off,  and  the 
country  is  thickly  settled  by  thrifty  farmers  who,  of  late  years,  have  turned  their  attention  to  the 
dairy  and  stock-raising,  while  formerly  grain  was  the  chief  product  of  the  country. 

The  site  of  the  post  is  about  30  feet  above  the  water,  and  excepting  a  short  space  in  front  of 
the  parade,  the  land  overlooks  the  water  by  a  perpendicular  bluff  of  limestone.  Originally  a  deep 
gully,  filled  with  cedars,  occupied  a  portion  of  the  parade.  This  was  filled,  the  rough  place  in  front 
sloped  off,  and  the  boundary  of  the  parade  toward  the  water  was  secured  by  a  stone-wall,  brought 
up  as  high  as  the  plane  of  the  parade,  the  surface  of  which  was  allowed  to  slope  gently  from  the 
officers'  quarters  toward  the  water. 

The  soil  of  the  reservation  is  chiefly  a  dark  loam,  resting  on  a  stratum  of  fossiliferous  lime- 
stone, which  lies  from  one  to  four  feet  below  the  surface.  A  large  part  of  the  surface,  especially 
the  cultivated  portion,  is  flat,  and  difficult  to  drain  in  a  thorough  manner.  The  reservation  con- 
tains 39J  acres,  purchased  in  parcels  at  different  dates,  as  required.  The  whole  is  inclosed  by  a 
substantial  cedar  stockade. 

The  roads  about  the  post  arc  partly  covered  with  broken  stones,  with  a  covering  of  sifted  hard 
coal  ashes  about  an  inch  deep,  thrown  on,  wetted,  and  packed  down  by  a  horse-roller.  The  result 
has  been  a  smooth  and  quite  durable  light  carriage  road  and  foot-path,  which  can  be  easily  and 
cheaply  repaired.  As  the  ashes  accumulate,  it  is  designed  to  finish  off  the  paths  in  front  of  the 
men's  quarters  in  the  same  manner. 

All  of  the  buildings,  except  the  ordnance  sergeant's  quarters,  stables,  ice-house,  and  engine- 
house,  are  constructed  of  limestone,  a  material  much  used  in  the  neighboring  country  for  building 
purposes.  The  stone  is  used  in  pieces  of  various  sizes  and  shape,  and  neatly  fitted  together,  make 
ing  the  walls  about  It)  inches  thick,  and  sufficiently  durable  to  stand  for  centuries  to  come. 

The  roofs  of  all  the  buildings  are  shingled,  except  the  quartermaster  and  commissary  store- 
13 


98  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

bouses  and  guard-house,  which  are  covered  with  tin,  painted.  The  parade  is  a  smooth  grassy 
surface,  552  feet  by  452  feet  in  extent,  bounded  ou  three  sides  by  officers'  and  men's  quarters,  and 
open  on  the  water  side,  allowing  a  beautiful  and  extended  view  of  the  bay  and  opposite  country. 
The  officers'  quarters  face  the  northwest,  and  consist  of  two  rows  of  buildings  on  the  same  line, 
raised  about  two  feet  above  the  ground  and  separated  by  the  sally  port,  which  is  30  feet  wide.  Each 
row  is  217  feet  by  33  feet,  and  consists  of  five  double  sets  of  quarters,  protected  in  front  by  .a  con- 
tinuous portico,  six  feet  wide.  The  first  set  of  quarters  on  each  side  of  the  sally-port  is  two  stories 
high.  In  the  quarters  on  the  right  of  the  sally-port  there  are  two  rooms  on  each  side  of  the  hall  on 
both  stories,  and  a  kitchen  in  a  wooden  extension  in  rear.  The  ceilings  on  both  stories  are  10  feet 
high.  The  lower  rooms  on  the  right,  in  front,  measure  15  feet  by  10  feet  7  inches;  in  rear,  14  feet 
3  inches  by  15  feet  G  inches;  up  stairs,  same  side,  jji  front,  14  feet  7  inches  by  15  feet  6  inches;  in 
rear,  11  feet  8  inches  by  15  feet  3  inches;  left  of  hall,  lower  story,  front,  13  feet  by  15  feet;  rear, 
12 'feet  G  inches  by  15  feet  1  inch;  up  stairs,  front,  13  feet  2  inches  by  14  feet  4  inches;  rear,  13  feet 
3  inches  by  14  feet  5  inches;  kitchen,  23  feet  8  inches  by  11  feet  10  inches,  by  10  feet  high,  with  a 
sky-light.  Inclosing  the  yard,  which  is  25  feet  by  30  feet,  are  a  carriage-house  and  stable  for  two 
horses,  water-closets,  wood  shed,  and  coal-bin,  constructed  of  wood,  and  a  root-house  constructed 
of  stone  and  covered  with  earth  and  sod.  The  walls  of  the  quarters  are  hard-finished.  In  the 
front  of  the  second-story  hall  is  a  bath-roorn,  6  by  16,  the  water  for  which  is  carried  up  by  hand. 
There  are  plenty  of  closets  and  cupboards.  The  first  set  of  quarters,  on  the  left  of  the  sally-port, 
is  the  same  as  the  above  in  every  particular,  excepting  the  bath-room  and  out-houses.  The 
kitchen  is  a  wooden  extension  in  rear  11  feet  9  inches  by  11  feet  4  inches,  by  10  feet  high;  the 
water-closet  is  an  ordinary  wooden  structure  in  the  yard.  The  remainder  of  the  officers'  quarters 
are  all  one  story  and  an  attic  high.  Each  set  consists  of  a  front  and  rear  room  ou  the  first  floor, 
a  front  and  rear  attic  room,  and  a  kitchen;  a  hall  and  stairway  are  in  common  for  the  two  sets,  a 
very  objectionable  arrangement  for  domestic  comfort  and  privacy.  The  height  of  all  the  ceilings 
on  the  first  story  measures  9  feet  2  inches,  and  the  height  of  the  attics  is  8  feet  4  inches  in  the 
middle,  5  feet  2  inches  at  the  side,  with  a  slope  of  8  feet.  The  front  rooms  on  the  first  story  are 
13  feet  by  14  feet  6  inches;  rear  rooms  13  feet  by  15  feet.  The  end  set  of  the  right-hand  row  is 
divided  up  on  the  lower  story  into  three  rooms;  the  front  one  is  34  feet  6  inches  by  15  feet  6  inches 
with  five  windows,  and  is  used  as  a  post  library,  reading-room,  and  school;  the  two  rear  ones  are 
respectively  13  feet  2  inches  by  21  feet  6  inches,  and  12  feet  4  inches  by  13  feet  2  inches,  and  are 
used  as  court-martial  rooms.  The  attic  is  thrown  into  one  apartment,  34  feet  6  inches  by  29  feet  3 
inches,  with  four  dormer  windows  ou  each  side,  and  is  used  as  a  ball-room  and  chapel.  The  end 
set  on  the  left  is  partitioned  off  the  same  as  the  above,  except  the  attic,  which  is  divitled  into  four 
sleeping-rooms,  averaging  each  12  feet  by  12  feet  6  inches.  The  large  room  ou  the  lower  story  has 
five,  windows,  and  is  used  as  an  officers'  mess-room.  A  board  fence,  7  feet  high,  extends  along 
the  rear  of  each  row  of  quarters,  and  separates  the  yards  which,  excepting  the  first  set  described,, 
are  60  feet  by  CO  feet.  A  ditch  for  drainage  runs  underneath  each  row  along  the  middle.  The 
heating  of  the  officers'  quarters  is  effected  at  present  partly  by  coal  stoves  and  partly  by  grates. 
Last  winter  the  wood  fireplaces  heretofore  in  use  were  all  closed  up  and  coal  stoves  were  intro- 
duced; but  it  was  found  that  the  rooms  were  heated  to  an  unhealthy  degree  by  them,  and  this 
winter  grates  are  being  put  in  all  the  rooms  as  rapidly  as  possible.  The  ventilation  in  the  rooms 
having  grates  is  found  to  be  sufficient.  In  front  of  the  portico  is  a  grassed  terrace,  10  feet  wide 
and  the  length  of  each  row,  with  a  stone  path  and  steps  leading  from  each  front  door  to  the  car- 
riage road.  This  road  describes  a  circle  at  each  end  of  the  line  of  quarters  and  in  the  middle  at 
the  sally-port,  and  the  parade  ground  and  the  circles  are  protected  by  rows  of  cedar  posts  turned 
in  the  form  of  cannon,  and  connected  by  chains.  The  circles  are  sodded  and  raised  about  two  feet, 
and  surmounted  by  brass  field-pieces  for  ornament. 

The  men's  quarters  consist  of  two  buildings,  one  story  and  an  attic  high,  constructed  of  lime- 
stone, each  452  feet  long  by  23  feet  wide.  These  buildings  face  each  other  from  the  opposite  sides 
of  the  parade,. and  run  perpendicularly  to  the  water  front.  A  portico  extends  along  the  front  of 
each.  The  windows  of  the  western  barracks  are,  as  formerly,  all  in  the  face  looking  upon  the 
parade,  excepting  two  in  the  kitchens,  but  in  the  eastern  barracks,  in  addition  to  these,  three  windows 
hare  been  cut  into  the  blind  wall,  into  each  squad-room.  Owing  to  the  slope  of  the  ground  toward 


MADISON  BARRACKS,  SACKETT'S  HARBOR,  NEW  YORK.         99 

the  water,  the  buildings  at  that  end  are  considerably  higher  than  at  the  other,  allowing  in  oue  space 
enough  below  the  squad-rooms  for  mess  and  store-rooms — in  the  other  for  coal-cellars.  The  ceil- 
ings of  all  the  rooms  on  the  lower  story  are  9  feet  high.  Each  building  is  subdivided  into  four 
squad-rooms,  G4  feet  by  20  feet ;  two  mess-rooms,  30  feet  by  20  feet ;  two  kitchens,  20  feet  by  19 
feet  9  inches ;  two  wash-rooms,  20  feet  by  7  feet  9  inches;  two  sergeants'  rooms,  20  feet  by  10  feet 
!)  inches ;  and  two  store-rooms,  19  feet  by  10  feet  9  inches.  Omitting  the  first  sergeants,  who  sleep 
in  their  own  rooms,  and  the  married  men,  who  sleep  in  the  attics,  there  are  138  men  who  sleep  in 
the  squad-rooms.  The  greatest  number  who  occupy  one  room  is  20:  this  allows  each  man  49 
superficial  feet  of  space,  and  443  cubic  feet  of  air;  the  smallest  number  is  9,  which  allows  each 
man  142  superficial  feet  of  space,  and  1,280  cubic  feet  of  air.  The  average  for  each  man  in  all  the 
squad-rooms  is  74  superficial  feet  of  space  and  *,QG7  cubic  feet  of  air.  This  is  ample.  Each  squad- 
room  is  thoroughly  fitted  up  with  gun-racks,  lockers  for  the  clothing  and  effects  of  the  men,  tables, 
chairs,  shelves,  and  clothes-hooks.  Each  man  has  an  iron  bedstead,  of  the  hospital  pattern,  to 
himself,  and  his  locker  and  shelf  are  painted  with  his  name  and  company  number.  The  ventilation 
of  the  squad-rooms  is  effected  by  wooden  shafts,  16  inches  square,  reaching  from  the  ceiling  at 
each  end  of  the  squad-room  to  latticed  ventilators  in  the  roof.  The  lower  openings  of  the  shafts 
are  covered  by  ornamental  iron  registers  for  controlling  the  passage  of  air,  and  in  the  attics  an 
aperture  is  cut  into  the  shaft  for  the  ventilation  of  those  apartments.  The  movement  of  the  air 
up  and  down  these  shafts,  as  the  temperature  favors  either  end  of  the  room,  is  found  to  afford  an 
atmosphere,  after  the  men  have  been  sleeping  for  several  hours,  quite  free  from  taint.  Formerly 
the  ventilation  in  the  squad-rooms  was  effected  by  the  draught  of  the  stoves  and  by  letting  down 
the  window-sash  a  little;  a  very  objectionable  way,  as  the  men  often  suffered  from  the  draught  of 
cold  air  while  asleep,  if  carried  out ;  and  if  omitted,  as  was  generally  the  case,  there  was  scarcely 
any  change  of  air  in  the  room  at  all.  A  double  door  opens  into  the  middle  of  each  squad-room 
front  and  rear.  The  heating  is  effected  by  one  coal-stove  in  each  squad-room,  which  is  found  to  be 
sufficient  for  ordinary  winter  weather. 

In  the  eastern  barracks  there  are  nine  windows  in  the  squad-rooms,  six  in  the  dining-rooms 
and  three  in  the  kitchens:  and  in  the  western  barracks,  six  in  the  squad-rooms,  four  in  the  dining- 
rooms,  and  four  in  the  kitchens.  These  admit  sufficient  light.  Candles  are  used  at  night,  bnt  the 
illumination  is  insufficient.  The  wash-roorns  open  out  of  the  squad-roorns,  and  each  is  provided 
with  a  trough  on  each  side,  with  holes  for  basins,  and  a  barrel  of  water  with  a  faucet.  Every  man 
has  a  tin  basin,  which  has  its  appropriate  hook  and  number.  In  summer  a  half  hogshead  is  placed 
in  the  room  for  the  use  of  such  men  as  do  not  bathe  in  the  bay. 

The  kitchens  are  provided  with  Jewett  &  Root's  hotel  cook-stove,  No.  15,  for  wood,  and  every 
necessary  utensil  for  proper  cooking.  The  mess-rooms  are  well  furnished  with  cupboards,  shelves, 
mess-chests,  and  table  furniture. 

The  attics,  90  feet  by  20  feet  by  8  feet  6  inches  high,  are  plastered,  lighted  by  dormer  windows, 
and  each  one  is  partitioned  off  into  several  rooms,  and  till  recently  they  have  been  used  as  laun- 
dresses' quarters,  for  which  purpose  they  are  badly  suited.  They  are  reached  by  a  steep  stairway 
from  the  portico.  Two  or  three  families  have  been  crowded  into  these  apartments  at  a  time,  and  as 
there  was  but  one  common  entrance  they  were  compelled  to  pass  through  each  other's  rooms.  In 
winter  the  laundresses  suffered  great  inconvenience  in  having  to  carry  their  water  and  wash  up  and 
down  the  stairs,  which  were  often  dark  and  icy.  During  the  winter  of  1SC8-'C9,  there  was  one 
fracture  and  a  number  of  injuries  from  falling  on  them.  According  to  Surgeon  H.  L.  Heiskell, 
United  States  Army,  these  miserable  little  low-ceiling  apartments  were  used  in  1839  as.  sleeping - 
rooms  for  the  men ;  and  from  GO  to  90  were  crowded  into  them,  allowing  only  133J  cubic  feet  of  air 
to  ea«h  when  there  were  GO  occupants,  and  one-third  less  when  there  were  90.  The  doctor  says : 
"This  would  seem  to  have  been  designed  as  an  experiment  to  try  how  many  human  beings  could 
be  crowded  into  the  smallest  possible  compass  without  inducing  suffocation."  Happily  such  experi- 
ments are  not  now  so  much  in  vogue  as  in  former  times. 

The  men's  sinks  are  wooden  structures,  set  over  deep  pits,  walled  up,  and  situated  GO  paces  to 
the  rear  of  each  barrack  building.  They  are  emptied  in  the  winter  season,  by  chopping  out  the 
soil  in  frozen  blocks  and  depositing  them  on  the  ice  about  half  a  mile  out  from  shore. 

The  guard-house,  situated  near  the  south  gate,  on  the  main  road  to  the  sally-port,  is  a  very 


100  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

durable,  fine  looking  stone  structure,  54  feet  by  39  feet,  roofed  with  tin.  painted.  The  portico,  sup- 
ported by  five  wooden  columns,  is  39  feet  by  10  feet.  All  the  ceilings  are  9  feet  G  inches  high.  It  is 
partitioned  off  into  a  room  for  the  officer  of  the  day,  14  feet  11  inches  by  13  feet ;  a  guard-room,  20 
feet  by  18  feet;  a  prisoners'  room,  30  feet  by  20  feet,  six  cells,  each  8  feet  11  inches  by  4  feet ;  and 
a  passage  in  front  of  the  cells,  34  feet  by  5  feet.  The  officer  of  the  day's  room  and  guard-room  are 
well  lighted,  by  two  windows  each.  The  building  is  well  ventilated,  except  the  prisoners'  room, 
into  which  pure  air  can  only  enter  by  the  windows,  which  are  seldom  opened  in  cold  weather,  and 
by  a  grated  opening  a  foot  square  in  the  door  leading  into  the  guard-room.  The  cells  have  no  ven- 
tilation whatever,  and  there  is  no  light,  except  a  narrow  spot  that  appears  at  an  aperture  near 
the  ceiling,  12  inches  by  3  inches  in  size.  They  are  dark,  cold,  damp,  and  gloomy,  and  in  them  a 
prisoner  is  smothered  and  punished  in  a  chilly,  storfy  den,  in  a  style  worthy  of  the  dark  ages.  The 
exhalations  of  a  man  in  a  single  night  accumulate  in  sufficient  quantity  to  nearly  extinguish  a 
lighted  candle  set  on  the  floor.  In  them  a  man  is  not  only  deprived  of  his  liberty,  light,  and  his 
life's  breath,  but  his  own  effluvia  turns  upon  him  as  a  poison.  Happily  they  are  seldom  occupied. 
The  heating  is  effected  by  coal  stoves,  and  is  sufficient.  The  guard-room  and  prisoners'  room  are 
furnished  with  the  customary  board  platforms  used  in  the  army  guard-houses  to  sleep  upon.  What- 
ever may  be  said  as  to  the  propriety  of  the  prisoners  being  compelled,  as  part  of  their  punishment, 
to  sleep  in  that  uncomfortable  way,  there  is  no  good  reason  why  the  members  of  the  guard  should 
be  forced  to  catch  the  little  sleep  and  rest  allowed  them  between  their  hours  of  guard  on  hard 
boards  in  the  same  manner.  It  is  a  traditional  cruelty  that  has  become  fastened  upon  the  army, 
like  the  leathern  stocks,  and  should  be  abolished  without  delay.  The  members  of  the  guard,  the 
elite  for  the  time,  always  charged  with  the  most  important  duties  known  to  army  life,  should  be 
lodged  in  time  of  peace  as  comfortably  as  when  they  are  in  quarters ;  and  when  off  post  their 
inducements  for  sleep  should  be  as  good  as  may  be — a  straw  mattress,  at  least.  The  sink  is  a 
wooden  structure,  set  over  a  deep  pit,  walled  up;  and  is  situated  20  feet  in  rear.  It  is  reached 
by  a  covered  way,  opening  into  the  passage  in  front  of  the  cells,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  two 
doors.  The  object  of  the  covered  way  is  to  protect  the  prisoners  from  the  weather  and  to  prevent 
their  escape  at  night. 

The  quartermaster  and  commissary  storehouse  is  situated  near  the  wharf,  midway  between 
the  barrack  buildings,  about  20  feet  below  the  plane  of  the  parade;  and  is  approached  from  that 
surface  by  a  broad  wooden  bridge  leading  to  the  hall  on  the  second  story.  It  is  a  fine  substantial 
stone  structure,  two  stories  high,  137  feet  by  42  feet,  covered  with  a  tin  roof,  painted,  and  sur- 
mounted by  a  look-out  and  a  weather  vane.  The  building  is  put  together  with  the  best  materials, 
and  in  the  strongest  manner.  The  wharf  is  a  wooden  crib,  filled  with  stone,  75  feet  long,  L  shaped, 
Cl  feet  front.  Upon  it  are  a  boat-house  and  a  force-pump  housed  in.  There  is  a  fine  ten-oared 
barge.  The  bakery,  situated  at  the  water's  edge  near  the  quartermaster  and  commissary  store- 
house, is  a  stone  structure,  divided  into  two  rooms.  The  oven,  recently  rebuilt  of  brick,  is  capa- 
cious enough  for  a  regiment.  The  furnace,  for  wood,  is  at  the  side  of  the  oven  and  communicates 
with  it  by  side  apertures,  and  four  flues  run  over  the  top  of  the  oven  from  the  back  to  the  chim- 
ney, situated  over  the  front.  It  is  well  supplied  with  all  the  necessary  fixtures,  and  the  bread  is 
usually  good.  The  ice  house  is  a  wooden  structure,  situated  near  the  water,  32  feet  by  16  feet,  by 
10  feet  to  the  eaves.  It  rests  on  a  stone  foundation  2  feet  high,  on  a  gentle  slope  favoring  the 
drainage,  which  is  allowed  to  sink  into  the  ground.  The  floor  is  made  of  inch  boards,  not  tongued 
and  grooved,  and  the  outer  and  inner  walls,  of  the  same  stuff  tongued  and  grooved,  are  separated 
5  inches  and  filled  with  coarse  sawdust.  An  aperture  in  each  end,  3  inches  wide,  runs  across 
nearly  to  the-eaves  and  communicates  with  the  space  above  the  eaves  inside.  There  is  a  single  door, 
4  feet  square,  on  the  north  side,  5  feet  above  the  ground.  The  roof  is  shingled,  and  projects  3  feet 
over  the  sides,  which  are  whitewashed.  It  is  calculated  for  150  tons.  The  ice  last  winter  was  put 
up  in  pieces  from  2  to  3  feet  square,  packed  in  straw,  and  it  kept  well. 

There  is  a  hand-suction  fire-engine,  a  "double  decker,"  with  room  for  thirty  men  to  work  at  a 
time;  a  hose  cart  and  COO  feet  of  rubber  hose.  Besides  these,  each  barrack  building,  store-house, 
the  hospital,  and  the  guard-house,  are  well  supplied  with  ladders,  hooks,  axes,  and  fire-buckets, 
which  are  always  kept  filled  with  water  and  standing  in  convenient  places.  The  water  supply  for 
this  purpose  is  from  the  bay  and  from  a  well  in  rear  of  the  eastern  barracks,  and  another  in  rear  of 


MADISON  BARRACKS,  SACKETT'S  HARBOR,  NEW  YORK.  101 

the  officers'  quarters.  In  case  of  fire,  tlio  buy  would  be  too  far  off  for  some  of  the  buildings,  and 
the  wells,  if  used,  would  soon  give  out. 

The  post  library  is  supplied  with  250  well  selected  volumes,  which  are  much  used  by  the  men. 
The  reading-room  is  furnished  with  a  long  table,  and  benches,  ink,  pens,  &c.,  and  supplied  with 
several  newspapers  and  periodicals.  The  post  school,  which  is  in  the  same  room  as  the  above,  is 
attended  by  six  of  the  men  and  six  children,  on  an  average.  Divine  service  is  occasionally  held  in 
the  chapel  by  clergymen  from  the  neighborhood,  and  sometimes  there  are  lay  readings  by  the  offi- 
cers. The  water  supply  for  drinking  and  cooking,  as  taken  from  the  bay,  is  a  mixture  of  the  waters 
of  Black  River  and  Lake  Ontario.  At  times  it  is  clear  from  the  lake ;  at  others,  it  is  the  brownish 
water  from  the  river,  according  as  the  winds  drive  the  waters  about  the  bay  and  mix  them  together. 
Formerly  the  Black  River  water  was  regarded  as  unwholesome,  but  this  has  been  proved  to  be  a 
mistake  by  the  experience  of  Watertown,  a  place  ten  miles  off,  of  some  twelve  thousand  inhabit- 
ants, where  for  a  number  of  years  past  this  water  has  been  used  exclusively,  without  any  bad 
effects  whatever.  The  water  is  forced  up  by  a  No.  3  Davis  &  Co.  hand-pump,  situated  on  the  end  of 
the  wharf,  where  it  is  taken  from  a  place  12  feet  deep,  free  from  much  current  and  the  effects  of  sur- 
face drainage.  From  thence  it  is  conveyed  by  a  rubber  hose  to  barrels  placed  on  an  army  wagon, 
and  thus  distributed  about  the  post.  This  arrangement  occupies  five  men  and  two  horses  for  most 
of  the  day,  with  a  decided  damage  to  the  health  of  the  men,  especially  in  winter,  and  a  considerable 
expenditure  for  forage  and  wear  and  tear  of  wagon  and  harness.  An  estimate  of  cost  shows  that 
this  work  could  be  done  cheaper  by  a  steam-pump  and  reservoir,  with  a  great  saving  to  the  health 
of  the  command. 

The  post  garden  comprises  about  ten  acres  within  the  stockade.  It  is  under  the  charge  of  an 
officer  who  is  responsible  for  the  cultivation  and  equitable  distribution  of  the  product  to  the  com- 
panies and  hospital — a  plan  that  gives  satisfaction. 

Shade  trees  have  been  set  out  from  time  to  time  in  various  places  about  the  post,  but  with 
little  success,  owing,  doubtless,  to  the  shallowness  of  the  soil  and  the  prevalence  of  strong  winds 
that  disturb  the  tender  roots  of  the  young  trees.  In  front  of  the  eastern  barracks  there  is  a  fine  row 
of  sugar  maples,  and  here  and  there  are  isolated  trees  that  once  formed  part  of  a  row  of  the  same 
kind;  there  is  also  a  cluster  of  Lombardy  poplars  on  the  bluff  near  the  earthwork  called  Fort 
Pike,  where  they  have  stood  like  stately  sentinels  since  the  war  with  Great  Britain,  visible  for 
many  miles  around.  During  the  past  spring  Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel  R.  C.  Duryea,  First  United 
States  Artillery,  commanding  post,  set  out  about  two  hundred  elms  and  maples  along  the  roads 
bounding  the  outside  of  the  buildings,  a  row  in  front  of  the  western  barracks,  and  along  each  side 
of  the  roads  leading  to  the  gates.  They  were  selected  and  set  out  with  great  care,  and  thus  far 
they  all  promise  to  live.  If  they  do,  they  will  form  a  great  improvement  and  an  enduring  beauty 
to  the  place,  which  is  in  great  need  of  trees  to  break  the  long  hard  lines  of  the  buildings. 

The  drainage  is  effected  by  ditches  leading  to  the  bay.  In  a  few  level  spots  the  ditches  have 
to  be  cleaned  out  occasionally.  During  the  past  six  months  a  great  deal  of  work  has  been  put  on 
the  drainage,  and  but  little  more  can  be  done  without  considerable  labor  in  blasting  out  the  rock 
from  the  bottom  of  the  more  shallow  ditches.  The  hospital  is  situated  at  the  eastern  limits  of  the 
reservation,  about  50  feet  from  the  water.  The  site  is  sandy,  and  elevated  about  15  feet  above  the 
bay,  and  the  grounds,  which  are  well  sodded,  slope  off  in  every  direction  from  the  building,  making 
the  drainage  excellent.  It  commands  a  beautiful  and  extensive  view  of  the  harbor  and  islands 
toward  the  lake;  but  the  situation  is  exceedingly  bleak  in  winter,  from  being  swept  by  the  powerful 
and  searching  winds  that  come  from  the  frozen  bay.  The  building  is  square,  with  wings  on  either 
side,  and  is  constructed  in  the  most  desirable  manner  of  neatlycut  limestone.  It  js  covered  by 
a  hipped  roof,  shingled,  and  painted  olive,  and  presents  a  very  imposing  appearance.  The  main 
building  has  two  stories,  and  measures  56  feet  5  inches  by  53  feet  6  inches,  by  35  feet  high;  and 
the  wings  have  one  story,  and  measure  18  feet  2  inches  by  15  feet  3  inches,  by  20  feet  5  inches 
high.  The  basement  is  dry,  and  is  lighted  by  windows  above  ground.  The  building  is  entered  by 
stone  steps,  12  feet  wide,  front  and  rear,  and  by  basement  doors  under  the  steps.  The  basement 
is  8  feet  4  inches  high.  For  plan  of  division  of  the  basement  and  second  floor  see  Figure  14. 


102 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


1.  Basement. — K,  kitchen;   M,  dining-room;  X,  pantries;   H,  hall;  S,  store-room;  T,  closet; 
V,  matron's  quarters. 


A 


A 


A 


2.  Second  floor. — A,  wards;  S,  lavatories;  T,  closet;  W,  water- 
closet. 

The  kitchen  is  provided  with  a  boiler  and  plumbing  for  send 
ing  hot  water  to  the  bath  on  the  first  story,  and  a  force-pump  for 
sending  water  from  a  rain-water  cistern  to  a  tank  on  the  second 
story.  The  pantries  are  well  fitted  up  with  shelves  and  cupboards. 
There  are  two  wards  opening  into  each  side  of  the  halls  on 
both  stories,  making  eight  in  all,  and  all  of  the  front  and  rear 
wards  communicate  by  passages  8  feet  4  inches  by  4  feet  G  inches; 
from  each  side  of  which  open  closet  rooms,  eight  in  all,  appropriated 
to  uses  to  be  mentioned  below.  The  four  wards  on  the  first  story 
measure  20  feet  by  19  feet  9  inches,  by  12  feet  9  inches  high  each, 
and  those  on  the  second  story  measure  the  same,  except  in  the 
height,  which  is  3  inches  less.  Two  wards  on  each  story  on  the 
south  side  are  generally  the  only  ones  in  use,  and  are  occupied  by 
from  four  to  six  beds  each.  When  there  are  four  patients  in  a 
ward,  omitting  fractions,  each  has  1,290  cubic  feet  of  air,  and  101 
superficial  feet  of  area ;  when  there  are  six,  each  has  8GO  cubic  feet 
of  air,  and  67  superficial  feet  of  area.  On  the  right  of  the  passage, 
between  the  lower  wards  on  the  south  side,  is  a  bath-room,  7  feet  2 
inches  by  8  feet,  by  12  feet  9  inches  high,  in  which  is  a  water- 
closet  ;  the  bath  is  furnished  with  hot  and  cold  water.  Opposite 
the  bath-room  is  a  lavatory,  7  feet  3  inches  by  8  feet,  by  12  feet 
9  inches  high,  furnished  with  ordinary  tin  basins  and  towels. 
Opening  from  the  passage  between  the  wards,  on  the  north  side 
of  the  same  story,  are  two  medical  store-rooms,  each  7  feet  3 

inches  by  8  feet,  by  12  feet  9  inches  high,  furnished  with  shelves  and  double-locks.  The 
second  story  is  reached  by  a  stairway,  4  feet  2  inches  wide,  in  the  hall  leading  from  the 
front,  the  steps  of  which  are  only  6  inches  high,  for  ease  of  ascent  for  the  sick.  Opening  from 
the  right  of  the  passage  between  the  wards  on  the  south  side  of  this  story  is  a  room,  7  feet  7  inches 
by  7  feet  2  inches,  by  12  feet  6  inches  high,  containing  a  water-closet  and  a  water-tank  for  sup- 
plying the  bath  and  water-closets ;  opposite  this  is  a  lavatory,  7  feet  7  inches  by  7  feet  2  inches, 
by  12  feet  G  inches  high.  Opening  from  the  passage  between  the  wards  on  the  opposite  side  are  a 
lavatory  and  closet  of  the  same  size.  A  skylight  in  the  apex  of  the  roof,  with  a  wooden  railing 
about  it,  admits  abundance  of  light  upon  the  halls  and  stairway.  Iron  balconies  project  from  the 
front  and  rear  windows  in  the  hall  of  the  second  story.  The  uses  of  all  the  rooms  are  indicated  by 
tin  signs  over  the  doors ;  the  wards  are  lettered. 

The  wing  rooms  on  each  side  open  out  of  the  front  wards,  16  feet  by  11  feet  2  inches,  by  12  feet  9 
inches  high,  and  each  has  a  rear  door  and  stone  stairway  to  the  ground.  The  one  on  the  south  side 
is  used  as  a  surgery,  the  other  as  a  post-mortem  room.  Both  are  nicely  grained  in  imitation  of  oak. 
Under  each  of  the  wings  is  a  stone  masonry  rain-water  cistern,  arranged  with  a  filter.  The  one  on 
the  north  side  is  not  in  use,  for  want  of  water-pipes  from  the  roof,  which  seem  never  to  have  been 
put  up ;  the  other  is  in  good  order,  and  is  fed  from  the  roof  by  copper  pipes.  Except  in  winter,  when 
all  the  water  is  hauled,  this  cistern  supplies  about  half  the  quantity  required.  The  lighting  is 
ample.  Each  ward,  the  kitchen,  dining-room  and  matron's  room,  have  two  windows  each  ;  the  small 
rooms,  except  the  close  rooms  off  the  passages,  have  one  window  each.  The  windows  on  the  first  and 
second  stories  and  wings  are  furnished  with  double  sash  for  winter  weather.  At  night  kerosene 
lamps  are  used.  The  heating  is  sufficient,  and  is  effected  by  base-burner  hard  coal  stoves,  except 
in  one  ward,  where  there  is  a  wood  fireplace,  for  the  accommodation  of  a  special  class  of  patients.. 
The  ventilation  is  effected  by  fireplaces  in  each  room,  which  are  kept  partly  open,  by  the  draught 
of  the  stoves,  and  by  letting  down  the  tops  of  the  window-sash  when  required.  The  drainage 
from  the  bath,  water-closets,  and  kitchen  passes  off  by  a  main  into  the  ground  under  the  hospital ; 


V 

H 

K        | 

V 

X        X 

v      |T 

v    TS 

M 

1 

Figure  14. 

FORT  ONTARIO,  OSWEGO,  NEW  YORK. 


103 


but  whether  it  goes  to  the  sink  in  the  yard  or  to  the  bay  cannot  be  discovered  without  takin  g  up 
the  floors  and  considerable  excavation,  which  is  not  warrantable,  as  the  drainage  is  good.  Occa- 
sionally the  water-closets  taint  the  air,  as  is  usual  when  they  are  built  indoors,  but  they  are  only 
used  when  the  weather  is  too.  severe  for  the  patients  to  go  to  the  sink  in  the  yard.  The  sink,  situ- 
ated 50  feet  in  rear,  is  built  of  linn-stow,  and  measures  10  feet  by  20  feet,  by  9  feet  high,  and 
is  divided  into  three  apartments.  The  pit,  the  area  of  the  building,  is  very  deep,  and  walled  up 
with  stone,  and  seems  to  drain  into  the  ground,  as  it  always  keeps  the  same  level.  When  the 
writer  took  charge  of  the  hospital  he  found  the  grounds,  which  comprise  about  three  and  a  half 
acres,  a  surface  partly  grassy,  cut  up  by  wagon-roads  and  foot-paths.  The  fences  that  once  inclosed 
it  were  gone,  and  the  trees  and  bushes  that  once  ornamented  it  all  dead,  or  trampled  down  and 
neglected.  Now  a  substantial  picket-fence  incloses  the  grounds ;  foot-paths  describing  ornamental 
figures  have  been  laid  out,  and  hundreds  of  trees,  bushes,  shrubs,  and  plants  have  been  set 
out ;  but,  unfortunately,  owing  to  the  light,  sandy  character  of  the  soil,  but  few  of  these  have  sur- 
vived, except  some  430  feet  of  lilac  hedging  along  the  edge  of  the  bluff,  a  few  rose-bushes  and 
Missouri  currants,  a  few  Lombardy  poplars,  set  out  especially  to  embellish  the  effect  of  the  building, 
and  a  number  of  plum  trees. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  aid;  and  principal  diseases  at  Madison  Barracks, 

York,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


a 

o 

t 

I 

6 

y 

1  ^ 

*  i? 

•9 

i 

«  *. 

| 

Years. 

i 
S 

Whole  mi 
taken  s 

Mnlarinl  f 

Diarrhtea 
dysente 

Venereal 
eases 

Rheiiinati 

Phthisis. 

Catarrliiil 
tious 

• 

1 

^ 
o 

1866.  .. 

259.  75 

1  331 

78 

207 

50 

186 

1 

241 

j 

1869          .... 

94  58 

367 

16 

28 

12 

88 

78 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  ONTARIO,  OSWEGO,  NEW  YORK. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  H.  E.  BROWN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMV. 

Fort  Ontario  is  situated  in  latitude  43°  21'  30"  north,  longitude  76°  32'  30"  west,  and  is  282 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean,  and  49  above  the  level  of  Lake  Ontario.  It  is  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Oswego  River,  at  its  junction  with  Lake  Ontario,  and  faces  the  lake.  The  city  of  Oswego,  a 
flourishing  town  of  about  26,000  inhabitants,  is  in  the  immediate  vicinity. 

The  military  history  of  Fort  Ontario  is  very  interesting.  The  first  mention  that  I  can  find  of 
Oswego,  in  the  early  history  of  the  colonies,  is  that  in  1687  the  Ouondaga  Indians  presented  a 
petition  to  the  mayor  and  common  council  of  Albany  requesting  them  to  establish  a  trading  post 
and  fort  at  this  point.  The  request  seems  to  have  been  disregarded,  as  no  defenses  existed  here  in 
July,  1696,  when  Frontenac,  the  governor  of  Canada  under  the  French  rule,  landed  with  a  force  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  built  a  small  stockade,  and  advanced  into  the  Ouondaga  valley  to  attack 
the  Indians,  (Five  Nations.)  Beyond  burning  a  few  villages,  the  expedition  was  unattended  with 
results,  and  he  returned  to  Canada.  Lord  Bellemont,  while  governor  of  New  York,  saw  the  im- 
portance of  the  location,  both  for  trading  purposes  and  to  keep  the  Indians  in  subjection,  and,  con- 
templating establishing  a  post  at  this  point,  material  was  ordered  from  England  for  the  purpose ; 
but  the  project  was  interrupted  by  his  death,  and  nothing  was  done  until  1725,  (some  authorities 
say  1722,)  when  the  English  and  Dutch,  with  the  consent  of  the  Iroquois,  made  a  settlement  here, 
and  opened  trade.  Governor  Burnet,  of  New  York,  in  May,  1727,  calls  the  attention  of  the  Board 
of  Trade  to  the  importance  of  the  position,  and  states  that  l<  he  has  commenced  a  fort  at  Oswego  in 
order  to  trade  with  the  Six  Nations^  and  with  their  consent."  He  further  announces  that  he  has 


104  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

sent  a  captain,  two  lieuteiiauts,  and  sixty  men  to  protect  the  workmen,  and  that  he  will  always 
keep  a  garrison  of  one  officer  and  twenty  men  there.  This  coming  to  the  ear  of  the  French  gov- 
ernor of  Canada,  Beauharnois,  he,  in  a  letter,  dated  July  20, 1727,  protests  against  the  erection  of  the 
fort  as  a  violation  of  the  treaty  of"  Ghent,  (1713,)  by  the  provisions  of  which  both  parties  were  for- 
bidden to  build  any  works  on  neutral  or  disputed  territory.  Governor  Unmet,  in  reply,  asks 
why,  in  violation  of  that  treaty,  the  French  have  erected  a  work  at  "  Oneagorah,"  (Fort  Niagara,) 
and  states  that  he  proposes  to  go  ahead  and  finish  his  fort  at  Oswego,  which  he  did  in  spite  of  the 
opposition  of  the  French,  who  sent  several  expeditions  of  a  petty  character  to  worry  the  traders. 

This  fort  seems  to  have  been  a  very  simple  one,  only  intended  for  the  protection  of  the  traders. 
Beauharnois,  indeed,  complains  of  it  as  "  a  redoubt  with  galleries,  and  full  of  loop-holes,  and  other 
works  belonging  to  fortifications;"  but  the  circumstances  under  which  he  wrote  would  induce  him 
to  magnify  its  importance  as  much  as  possible.  Burnet  says  the  "  walls  were  four  feet  thick,  of 
large,  good  stone."  In  1741  the  general  assembly  of  the  colony  authorized  the  expenditure  of  £600 
sterling  to  "  erect  a  sufficient  stone  wall  at  a  proper  distance  around  the  trading  house  at  Oswego, 
either  in  a  triangular  or  quadrangular  form,  as  the  ground  will  best  admit  of,  with  a  bastion  or 
block-house  in  each  corner  to  flank  the  curtain."  Subsequently  complaints  were  made  to  the  same 
body  that  the  contractors  having  charge  of  the  work  were  building  the  wall  of  clay,  and  not  of 
stone,  and  were  making  money  out  of  the  job. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities  between  the  French  and  English  in  1714,  the  traders  and 
others  at  Oswego,  fearing  a  raid  from  Canada,  abandoned  the  post,  and  it  remained  in  a  defenseless 
condition  until  1755. 

In  that  year  the  English  authorities  agreed  upon  a  plan  for  the  invasion  of  Canada,  one  portion 
of  which  comprehended  an  attack  on  Fort  Niagara,  with  Oswego  for  a  base  of  supplies.  Accord- 
ingly, Colonel  Shirley,  with  his  own  and  Sir  William  Pepperell's  regiments,  was  ordered  to  Oswego, 
and  arrived  there  about  the  end  of  June,  1755,  accompanied  by  some  New  York  and  New  Jersey 
militia.  They  were  prevented  by  bad  weather  and  sickness  in  the  command  from  completing 
their  original  intention,  and  remained  at  Oswego  during  the  winter,  building  an  intrenched  camp, 
and  fitting  out  a  fleet  for  operations  in  the  spring.  They  also  commenced  a  fort  on  the  east  side 
of  the  river,  which  they  called  Fort  Ontario.  The  result  of  their  work  is  thus  given  in  the  Gentle- 
man's  Magazine,  1756 : 

When  it  was  determined  that  the  army  at  Oswego  should  go  into  winter  quarters,  they  began  a  new  fort  upon  the 
hill  upon  the  east  side  of  the  river,  about  470  yards  from  the  old  one;  it  is  800  feet  in  circumference,  and  will  command 
the  harbor  ;  it  is  built  of  logs,  from  20  to  30  inches  thick  ;  the  wall  is  14  feet  high,  and  is  encompassed  by  a  ditch  14  feet 
broad  and  10  deep  ;  it  is  to  contain  barracks  for  300  men.  On  the  other  side  of  the  river,  west  from  the  old  fort,  another 
new  fort  is  erecting;  this  is  170  feet  square.  A  hospital  of  frame-work,  150  feet  by  30,  is  already  built,  and  may  serve 
as  a  barrack  for  200  men,  and  another  barrack  is  preparing  of  150  feet  by  24. — (New  York  Col.  Docs.) 

While  the  English  were  thus  employed  the  French  were  not  idle.  They  had  long  seen  the  im- 
portance of  weakening  the  alliance  between  the  English  and  the  Six  Nations,  and  of  securing  that 
powerful  confederation  as  an  ally  of  their  own.  No  energetic  steps  seem  to  have  been  taken, 
however,  until  the  fall  of  1755,  when  the  forts  occupied  by  the  French  were  heavily  re-enforced. 
Large  garrisons  were  sent  to  Fort  La  Presentation  from  Ogdensburg,  New  York,  to  Fort  Fron- 
tenac  from  Kingston,  Canada,  and  a  regiment  to  Fort  Niagara.  To  the  latter  post  was  also 
ordered  Captain  Pouchot,  a  young  French  engineer,  to  repair  the  work,  it  being  at  that  time  "  a 
mere  rotten  stockade,  garrisoned  by  but  60  Canadians."  In  February,  1756,  Pouchot  addressed  a 
memorial  to  the  French  authorities,  setting  forth  the  feasibility  of  the  capture  of  Oswego.  'His 
plan  was  well  thought  of,  and  the  celebrated  Montcalm,  then  at  Fort  Frontenac,  assigned  to  organ- 
ize the  expedition.  Preparatory  to  doing  so,  he  ordered  a  body  of  700  French  and  Indians,  under 
command  of  Do  Villiers,  to  proceed  from  La  Presentation  to  the  head- waters  of  the  Oswego  Itiver, 
and  observe  the  enemy  at  Oswego.  This  force  advanced  rapidly,  surprised  and  took  Fort  Bull,  (or 
Brueil,)  on  Wood  Creek,  near  the  head  of  Oneida  Lake,  and  destroyed  a  large  amount  of  provisions, 
destined  for  Oswego.  On  the  7th  of  May,  1756,  a  party  of  Indians  set  out  from  Niagara,  made  a 
raid  upon  the  ship-carpenters  at  work  near  Oswego,  and  returned  with  twelve  scalps  and  three 
prisoners.  These  repeated  successes,  together  with  the  defeat  of  Braddock  at  Fort  Duquesne, 
(the  artillery  captured  there  had  arrived  at  Niagara,)  produced  a  profound  impression  on  the  Six 
Nations,  and  induced  them  to  declare  in  favor  of  the  French.  Through  the  early  summer  the  par- 


FORT  ONTARIO,  OSWEGO,  NEW  YORK.  105 

tisaus,  under  tlie  command  of  De  Villiers,  continued  to  scout  about  the  upper  waters  of  the  Os- 
wego River,  frequently  capturing  the  stores  and  provisions  destined  for  Fort  Ontario,  and  keeping 
the  garrison  in  a  constant  state  of  alarm.  Montcalin  huiried  his  preparations,  and  on  the  4th  of 
August  was  able  to  leave  Fort  Frontenac  with  a  force  of  about  3,000  men.  He  landed  on  the  llth 
at  Four-inch  Point,  east  of  Oswego.  His  forces  were  composed  of  French  troops,  Canadians,  and 
Indians.  He  marched  to  a  swamp  a  short  distance  in  rear  of  Fort  Ontario,  and  sent  his  chief 
engineer  to  make  a  reconnoissance.  That  officer  in  returning  to  the  French  camp  was  unfortunately 
killed  by  an  Indian,  who  mistook  him  for  an  enemy.  Montcalin  now  gave  charge  of  tin;  engineer- 
ing operations  to  Pouchot,  who  was  the  suggester  of  the  siege,  and  who  had  rebuilt  Fort  Niagara. 
He  built  a  road  through  the  swamp  during  the  night,  and  opened  a  battery  within  (50  paces  of  Fort 
Ontario,  and  continued  his  work  with  such  effect  that  the  English  abandoned  the  fort,  and  fled  in 
disorder  across  the  river  to  Fort  Oswego,  (or  Pepperell.)  Montcalm  immediately  sent  a  strong  force 
to  cross  the  river  above,  and  cut  off  all  retreat  on  the  west  bank,  and  opened  fire  the  next  morning 
on  Fort  Oswego  with  a  strong  battery  posted  on  the  river  bank.  Colonel  Mercer,  the  English  com- 
mander, was  killed  by  a  cannon  shot,  and  the  English,  finding  themselves  surrounded,  surrendered 
in  the  afternoon.  Montcalm  captured  120  cannon,  9  vessels  of  war  in  process  of  construction,  and 
an  immense  quantity  of  munitions  of  war  and  of  provisions.  He  took  1,700  prisoners,  many  of 
whom  were  citizens  employed  to  work  on  the  ships.  Montcalm  pledged  his  word  for  the  safety  of 
the  command,  but,  notwithstanding,  100  unfortunate  prisoners  were  delivered  over  to  the  Indians 
for  torture,  to  atone  for  their  losses,  and  a  horrible  scene  of  massacre  now  took  place.  The  sick 
in  hospital  were  dragged  out,  scalped,  and  murdered ;  one  wounded  officer  was  killed  in  his  tent, 
and  a  large  number  of  the  garrison  put  to  the  torture.  The  French  losses  in  the  siege  were  30 
killed  and  wounded  ;  the  English  over  150,  a  large  number  of  whom  were  murdered  after  they 
had  surrendered.  On  hearing  of  the  projected  attack,  the  English  had  ordered  re-enforcements 
.from  Scheuectady  to  Fort  Ontario,  but  receiving  information  of  the  surrender,  they  did  not  pro- 
ceed further  than  Fort  Williams,  on  Wood  Creek.  Montcalm  had  the  artillery  and  munitions  of 
war  removed  to  Niagara,  and  the  forts  dismantled,  and  he  returned  with  his  army  to  Canada, 
where  a  short  time  afterwards  he  fell,  bravely  fighting  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham.  The  forts  thus 
captured  are  described  by  a  French  officer,  present  at  the  siege,  (probably  Montcalm  himself,)  as 
follows.  (Paris  Docs.  No.  12,  in  Documentary  Hist,  of  New  York.) 

Fort  Ontario  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  in  the  middle  of  a  very  high  plateau.  It  consists  of  a 
square  of  30  toises  (180  feet)  a  side,  the  faces  of  which,  broken  in  the  center,  are  flanked  by  a  redau  placed  at  the  point 
of  the  break.  It  is  constructed  of  pickets  18  inches  in  diameter,  smooth  on  both  sides,  very  well  joined  the  one  to  the 
other,  and  rising  8  or  9  feet  from  the  ground.  The  ditch  that  encircles  the  fort  is  18  feet  wide  by  8  deep.  The  exca- 
vated earth  had  been  thrown  up  en  glacis  on  the  counterscarp,  with  a  very  steep  slope  over  the  berm,  (covered  way.) 
Loop-holes  and  embrasures  are  formed  in  the  pickets  on  a  level  with  the  earth  thrown  up  on  the  berm,  and  a  scaffold- 
ing of  carpenters'  work  extends  all  around  so  as  to  fire  from  above.  It  has  eight  guns,  and  four  mortars  with  double 
grenades.  The  old  fort,  Chonagueii,  (Oswego,)  situated  on  the  left  or  west  bank,  consists  of  a  house  with  galleries, 
with  loop-holes  on  the  ground-floor  and  principal  story,  the  walls  of  which  are  3  feet  thick  and  encompassed,  at  a 
distance  of  3  toises,  (18  feet,)  by  another  wall  4  feet  thick  and  10  high,  loop-holed,  and  flanked  by  two  large  square 
towers.  It  has  likewise  a  trench  iucircling  on  the  laud  side,  where  the  enemy  (the  English)  had  placed  eighteen  pieces 
of  cannon  and  fifteen  mortars  and  howitzers.  Fort  George  is  situated  300  toises  beyond  that  of  Chonaguen,  on  a  hill 
that  commanded  it.  It  is  of  pickets,  and  badly  enough  intrenched  with  earth  on  two  sides. 

The  forts  thus  dismantled  remained  unoccupied  until  1759,  when  the  P'nglish,  advancing  to  the 
attack  of  Fort  Niagara,  left  a  camp  of  500  men  here  as  a  corps  of  observation.  The  French  com- 
mander at  La  Presentation,  thinking  they  would  have  no  time  to  intrench  themselves,  advanced  to 
attack  them,  and  would  have  surprised  the  whole  force,  had  not  a  priest,  who  was  along,  insisted  on 
delaying  the  attack  that  he  might  make  a  speech  to  the  troops.  The  English  thus  discovered  the 
approaching  force,  sallied  out  and  defeated  them.  In  July,  1760,  General  Amherst  strengthened 
the  forts  and  collected  a  large  force  here,  which  was  subsequently  used  for  the  final  capture  of 
Canada,  After  this  the  English  kept  a  garrison  at  Forts  Ontario  and  Oswego  until  the  revolutionary 
war.  During  a  large  portion  of  that  contest,  on  account  of  its  isolated  position,  it  was  unmolested 
and  but  slightly  garrisoned.  In  1777  Colonel  St.  Leger  rendezvoused  here  with  700  men  detached 
from  Burgoyne's  army,  and  was  joined  by  Brant  with  700  Indians.  They  marched  to  besiege  Fort 
Stanwix  on  the  Mohawk,  but  were  defeated  and  pursued  to  Fort  Ontario,  when  St.  Leger  hurriedly 
embarked  for  Montreal.  In  1783  Washington  prepared  an  expedition,  under  command  of  Colonel 
14 


106  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

Willett,  to  capture  Fort  Ontario.  The  command  assembled  at  Fort  Stauwix,  and  marched  for 
Oswego,  were  overtaken  by  heavy  snows,  and  suffered  greatly.  When  within  a  few  miles  of  Fort 
Ontario  some  wood-cutters  observed  them  aud  went  to  the  fort  with  the  news,  which  Colonel  Wil- 
lett learning,  he  retreated  without  attempting  the  capture.  Peace  was  soou  after  declared,  and  no 
further  operations  were  conducted.  In  1796  the  post,  with  all  others  that  had  been  in  possession 
of  Great  Britain,  was  transferred  to  the  United  States.  From  that  time  until  the  war  of  1812  the 
fort  was  suffered  to  fall  into  decay,  and  on  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities  it  was  but  partially 
armed,  and  unable  to  resist  an  enemy.  The  English,  influenced  by  the  reports  of  large  amounts 
of  stores  collected  here,  sent  a  fleet  with  3,000  men  to  attack  the  place,  which  appeared  before  the 
town  on  the  5th  of  May,  1814.  The  Americans  prepared  a  battery  on  shore,  aud  in  the  most  gal- 
lant manner  repulsed  an  attempt  to  land  the  troops.  On  the  6th  an  engagement  took  place  of 
several  hours'  duration  between  the  fleet  and  our  forces,  ending  in  the  British  effecting  a  lauding. 
The  Americans,  but  300  in  number,  retreated  in  good  order  up  the  river,  burning  the  bridges  in 
their  rear.  The  British,  not  succeeding  in  capturing  any  prisoners,  burned  the  barracks,  spiked 
the  guns,  and  retired.  Our  loss  was  6  killed,  38  wounded,  and  24  missing.  The  loss  of  the  euemy 
was  235.  From  that  time  to  the  present  Fort  Ontario  has  remained  in  possession  of  the  United 
States,  with  a  small  garrison,  generally  of  one  company.  The  present  garrison  is  Battery  A,  First 
United  States  Artillery. 

The  reservation  embraces  about  75  acres,  extending  from  the  river  on  the  west  to  Ninth 
street,  in  Oswego,  on  the  east,  and  from  the  lake  on  the  north  to  Schuyler  street.  Of  the  geology 
of  the  vicinity  there  is  not  much  of  interest  to  be  said.  The  rocks  belong  to  the  transition 
period,  between  the  primary  and  carboniferous  systems,  (designated  by  the  State  geologist  as  the 
"  New  York  system,"  and  which  probably  correspond  to  the  upper  silurian  and  lower  devonian  rocks 
of  the  English  geologists,)  and  to  recent  formations,  (quarternary  rocks.)  The  transition  rocks 
are  divisible  into  four  groups,  commencing  with  the  oldest:  1.  Pulaski  shales,  consisting  of  sand- 
stone shales,  with  a  large  intermixture  of  carbonate  of  lime,  and  containing  various  fossil  shells, 
but  not  in  great  quantity;  2.  Gray  sandstone;  3.  Medina  or  red  sandstone.  These  two  layers  are 
in  many  places  so  intimately  mingled,  the  color  extending  one  into  the  other,  that  it  is  difficult  to 
distinguish  them.  The  medina  sandstone  is  colored  with  oxide  of  iron;  is  lighter  and  less  compact 
than  the  gray,  which  is  extensively  quarried  for  building  purposes.  The  fossils  are  very  few  in 
number  and  chiefly  fucoids.  4.  Clinton  group,  composed  of  green,  blue,  and  brown  argillaceous 
shales,  alternating  with  greenish-brown  sandstones  and  with  Oneida  conglomerate.  The  quarter- 
nary  rocks  consist  of  clay,  sand,  loam,  boulders,  lake  marl,  calcareous  tufa,  and,  in  some  portions 
of  the  county,  bog  iron  ore.  These  are  all  superficial,  resting  on  the  bed-rock,  and  rather  caused  by 
the  transportation  of  materials  from  elsewhere  than  by  the  decomposition  of  rocks  in  situ.  They 
are  deposited  as  soil  in  ridges  and  small  hills,  completely  hiding  the  bed-rock  from  view.  This 
soil  is  fertile  and  well  adapted  to  the  growth  of  wheat,  barley,  and  other  cereals.  Apples,  pears, 
cherries,  and  the  various  berries  are  raised  in  great  abundance,  as  are  also  the  ordinary  garden 
vegetables. 

There  are  no  springs  or  ponds  of  water  on  the  reservation.  The  ground  is  boggy,  and  saturated 
with  water  in  some  places,  being  merely  the  drainage  toward  the  lake,  from  the  higher  ground 
behind  the  town.  Several  wells  have  been  dug  in  the  fort,  which  obtain  their  water  in  this  way,  at 
a  depth  of  25  or  30  feet.  One  was  bored  to  a  depth  of  280  feet  without  striking  a  spring. 

The  average  monthly  fall  of  rain  for  six  years  was  3.66  inches.  The  largest  fall  in  any  one  month 
was  in  May,  1864,  6.73  inches ;  and  the  smallest  in  June,  1864,  0.88  inch.     It  should  be  stated  that 
these  figures  include  snow  and  rain.    The  yearly  mean  of  temperature  since  1864  has  been  as  fol- 
lows :  1864,  26.46° .  1865,  46.38° ;  1866,  44.88° ;  1867,  45.03° ;  1868,  44.67° ;  1869,  48.65°. 
The  extremes  of  temperature  in  each  year  have  been  as  follows  : 

Date.  Highest  observation.  Lowest  observation. 

1864 July  10,  87° January  2,  6° 

1865 August  31,  86° .January  8,  4° 

1866 July  15,  88° 1 . .  .December  21,  8° 

1867 June  30,  88° December  9,  5° 

1868 July  4,  94° January  10,  5° 

1869 August  2,  91°. . , ..,...•..  .March  1,  6° 


PORT  ONTARIO,  OSWEGO,  NEW  YORK.  107 

The  average  of  the  barometer  during  the  years  named  has  been  29.58°.  I  can  find  no  observa- 
tions which  can  be  depended  on  to  ascertain  the  degree  of  humidity.  There  are  no  prevailing  winds 
peculiar  to  any  period  of  the  year.  In  winter  the  winds  seem  to  blow  in  about  equal  proportions 
from  the  north,  south,  southeast,  and  southwest ;  in  summer  from  the  west  and  northwest ;  and  in 
the  fall  from  the  north,  northwest,  and  west.  As'regards  the  length  of  seasons,  the  winter  may  be 
said  to  commence  with  the  first  fall  of  snow,  about  the  1st  of  November,  and  lasts  until  the  middle 
of  May.  There  are  seldom  more  than  two  months  of  really  warm  weather. 

The  old  fort  was  rebuilt  in  1839,  with  kyanized  wooden  revetment  and  earth  parapet,  under 
charge  of  Lieutenant  Daniel  Leadbetter,  United  States  Engineers.  This  is  now  being  replaced  by 
sandstone  quarried  on  the  reservation. 

The  soldiers'  barrack  is  a  two-story  building,  constructed  in  1842,  of  limestone  quarried  on  the 
lake  shore,  about  30  miles  from  Oswego.  The  building  is  62  feet  front  by  39  feet  deep,  and  24  feet 
from  floor  to  eaves,  and  contains  on  the  first  floor  a  mess-room  and  kitchen,  35  by  27  feet  9  inches, 
and  10  feet  2  inches  from  floor  to  ceiling,  and  a  reading-room  of  the  same  dimensions.  The  second 
story  contains  two  squad-rooms,  each  35  by  28  feet,  and  12  feet  from  floor  to  ceiling;  each  having 
a  small  non  commissioned  officers'  room  partitioned  off  in  one  corner,  giving,  with  the  present  com- 
mand, about  550  cubic  feet  of  air  per  man.  They  are  warmed  in  winter  by  sheet-iron  coal  stoves, 
and  lighted  and  ventilated  by  the  ordinary  windows  and  doors.  The  building  has  a  piazza  10  feet 
broad  in  front,  and  at  either  end  of  the  piazza,  on  the  ground  floor,  are  a  urinal  and  wash-room, 
supplied  by  pipes  from  the  city  water-works.  The  men's  sinks  are  in  the  ditch  of  the  fort, 
outside  the  main  work. 

The  quarters  for  married  soldiers  and  laundresses  consist  of  four  small  wooden  buildings,  and 
one  of  stone,  (the  latter  the  old  post  hospital,)  situated  on  the  reservation  outside  the  work.  Each 
wooden  cottage  contains  three  rooms,  and  is  well  adapted  for  the  purpose.  The  officers'  quarters 
are  two  two-story  limestone  buildings,  each  intended  for  two  sets  of  quarters.  Each  set  of  quarters 
contains,  on  the  ground  floor,  one  dining-room,  15  feet  6  inches  by  14  feet  10  inches,  and  a  kitchen 
of  nearly  the  same  dimensions,  with  a  closet  opening  in  each  room.  The  second  story  contains  a 
parlor,  15  feet  10  inches  by  14  feet,  and  a  bed-room,  15  feet  6  inches  by  14  feet.  There  is  also  a 
small  hall  bed-room,  7  feet  8  inches  by  9  feet  6  inches. 

In  the  attics  are  two  good  rooms,  on  either  side,  measuring,  one  16  feet  by  13  feet,  and  the 
other  nearly  the  same.  There  are  large  closets  in  every  room.  The  quarters  are  comfortable,  well 
built,  well  lighted  and  ventilated ;  the  only  objection  to  them  being  the  common  passage-way  for 
two  families.  There  are  no  arrangements  for  bathing  purposes.  The  water-closets  or  sinks  are 
in  out-houses,  detached  from  the  main  building,  and  are  very  defective  in  their  arrangement.  At 
one  end  of  each  out-house  is  a  cistern,  and  at  the  other  the  sink,  only  separated  by  a  stone  wall, 
and  so  constructed  that  there  is  always  great  danger  of  the  contamination  of  water  in  the  cistern. 
The  water-closets  consist  merely  of  a  well,  communicating  with  the  main  drain  of  the  fort  by  a 
small  drain,  which,  instead  of  leading  from  the  bottom  of  the  sink-well,  opens  some  two 
feet  above  it,  thus  causing  the  drainage  to  be  always  incomplete.  The  sinks  can  be  flushed 
with  water  by  means  of  hose  attached  to  the  fire-plug  on  the  parade,  and  this,  to  some  ex- 
tent, obviates  the  defective  drainage.  There  is  one  other  two-story  building  inside  the  work; 
the  upper  story,  containing  two  rooms,  used  for  ordnance  and  commissary  store-rooms,  and 
the  lower  story  being  in  temporary  use  for  a  guard-house.  The  room  for  the  guard  is  16 
by  13  feet,  and  9  feet  10  inches  from  floor  to  ceiling.  Behind  this  are  two  prison-rooms,  one 
12  feet  6  inches  by  6  feet,  and  the  other  12  feei  6  inches  by  9  feet.  Through  the  center  of  the 
building  runs  a  hall,  26  feet  by  6  feet,  and  on  the  other  side  of  the  hall  is  a  tool-room  and  three  cells, 
each  8  feet  long  by  3  feet  6  inches  broad,  and  9  feet  5  inches  from  floor  to  ceiling.  These  cells  hold 
but  264  cubic  feet  of  air,  and  are  utterly  without  ventilation,  except  a  small  grated  aperture  over  the 
door,  six  inches  square.  Fortunately  they  are  but  very  seldom  used.  The  guard-room  is  warmed 
by  a  coal  stove  in  winter,  but  the  prison -rooms,  behind,  are  never  supplied  with  stoves,  and  are 
very  imperfectly  heated,  being  entirely  dependent  on  what  heat  comes  from  the  front  room  through 
an  open  door  and  a  small  grated  window.  Several  prisoners  have  come  on  the  sick  report  during 
the  past  winter  suffering  from  the  effects  of  cold.  Thejre  are  no  means  of  heating  the  cells  at  all. 
The  permanent  guard-houses  are  on  either  side  of  the  sally-port,  and  are  now  used  for  adjutants' 
office  and  first  sergeants'  quarters. 


108  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  hospital  is  situated  on  the  reservation,  outside  the  fort,  about  275  yards  from  the  sally- 
port. It  is  built  oil  the  plan  indicated  in  Circular  Xo.  4,  Surgeon  General's  Office,  April  24th,  1867 ; 
there  being  a  central  executive  building,  two  stories  high,  with  two  wings,  each  one  story,  and  ac- 
commodations for  twenty  patients.  The  whole  built  of  wood,  lathed  and  plastered.  The  wings  are 
each  44  feet  long  by  24  broad,  and  are  divided  into  a  ward,  33  by  23  feet  6  inches,  a  water-closet  and 
bath-room,  11  feet  by  8  feet  6  inches,  and  an  attendant's  room  of  the  same  dimensions.  Between  these 
small  rooms  is  a  passage  way,  1 1  by  C  feet.  The  hospital  is  warmed  by  coal  stoves — lighted  at  night 
by  oil  lamps  and  candles,  and  ventilated  by  the  ridge  system.  The  water-closets  and  baths 
are  arranged  with  a  pull  connecting  with  the  water  pipes,  so  as  to  keep  a  constant  stream  of 
water  flowing  in  them.  There  is  no  dead  house ;  an  unoccupied  room  in  the  hospital  being  so  used, 
when  required.  The  hospital  is  too  far  from  the  garrison,  is  on  the  lowest  ground  of  the  reserva- 
tion, and  very  much  exposed  to  cold  winds.  The  propriety  of  moving  it  to  a  more  favorable  locality 
is  under  consideration. 

While  stationed  at  the  South  it  was  often  a  matter  of  serious  consideration  to  know  how  to 
isolate  cases  suspected  to  be  epidemic  or  infectious  in  their  character,  the  ordinary  lathed  and 
plastered  wards  being  entirely  unfitted  for  the  purpose  on  account  of  their  liability  to  absorb  and 
retain  the  infection  from  the  sick.  I  have  thought  that  at  all  stations,  when  infectious  diseases  are 
apt  to  prevail,  it  would  be  advisable  to  construct  a  ward  entirely  of  carbolized  wood — no  other 
material  being  permitted  to  enter  into  the  floors,  walls,  or  ceilings.  The  process  for  carbolizing 
wood,  by  the  aid  of  superheated  steam,  is  very  reasonable  in  cost,  does  not  interfere  with  its  being 
worked  into  any  shape  desirable,  uor  with  its  appearance,  and  renders  it  absolutely  impervious  to 
absorption  of  any  kind.  The  only  objection  to  it  is  the  possibly  increased  inflammability  of  the  ma- 
terial used.  The  subject  of  warming  hospitals  becomes  a  matter  of  great  importance  in  stations  so 
far  north  as  this  is.  With  the  mercury  at  or  near  zero,  the  single  stove  in  the  center  of  the  ward 
heats  it  very  imperfectly.  The  beds  nearest  to  the  fire  are  overheated,  and  those  in  the  further 
corners  of  the  ward  are  uncomfortably  cold.  I  believe  it  would  be  a  much  better  plan  to  heat  the 
wards  by  means  of  hot  air,  or  water  pipes,  with  a  coil  under  each  bed,  which  could  easily  be  so 
arranged  as  to  cut  off  the  heat  from  any  given  bed  at  any  time. 

The  post  bakery  has  a  capacity  of  100  loaves  per  day. 

There  is  no  laundry,  chapel,  or  school-house  at  the  post.  A  room  in  the  soldiers'  barracks  is 
fitted  up  as  a  reading-room,  where  the  soldiers  receive  occasional  instruction  from  the  commanding 
officer.  There  is  no  post  library.  There  is  a  library  of  84  volumes  belonging  to  Battery  A,  First 
United  States  Artillery,  kept  in  the  first  sergeant's  quarters.  It  consists  of  a  few  standard  works 
on  history  and  biography,  and  miscellaneous  literature.  The  officers  and  soldiers  have  access  to 
the  Gerritt  Smith  Free  Library,  and  the  City  School  Library  of  Oswego,  two  excellent  collections, 
embracing  over  10,000  volumes,  in  every  department  of  literature.  The  post  is  supplied  with  water 
by  the  City  Water  Company,  obtaining  its  water  from  the  Oswego  Kiver,  about  three  miles  above 
the  city.  The  supply  is  unlimited,  and  of  good  quality.  There  are  also  four  wells  inside  the  work, 
the  water  of  which  is  more  or  less  impregnated  with  lime,  and  of  ordinary  quality,  and  a  cistern  of 
small  dimensions  attached  to  each  officer's  quarters,  the  water  of  which,  on  account  of  its  conti- 
guity to  the  privies,  is  unfit  for  general  use.  The  means  of  extinguishing  fire  are  ample,  by  hose 
attached  to  the,  hydrants  of  the  water  company.  Fire-buckets,  constantly  filled,  are  also  kept  for 
immediate  use  in  the  hospital.  The  post  is  drained  by  means  of  sewers  of  masonry  work,  there 
being  one  main  sewer  encircling  the  parade,  and  having  subdrains  connecting  with  each  building. 
The  main  sewer  discharges  into  the  lake  just  below  the  fort.  The  system  of  sewerage  is  good,  but 
the  construction  of  some  of  the  drains  is  bad,  and  some  of  them  are  out  of  repair.  The  troops 
have  unlimited  opportunity  for  bathing  in  the  lake  in  the  summer  season.  In  winter  there  are  no 
facilities  for  the  purpose. 

The  post  garden  contains  about  2J  acres  of  land,  and  is  cultivated  by  details  from  the  post. 
Last  summer  the  vegetables  raised  were  enough  fcr  a  constant  supply  for  the  command,  and  con- 
sisted of  peas,  beans,  radishes,  carrots,  potatoes,  beets,  onions,  parsnips,  egg-plant,  and  corn. 

Mails  are  received  and  depart  morning  and  evening  to  all  points.  It  requires  twenty-four  hours 
for  a  letter  to  go  to  department  headquarters  at  New  York  City,  and  forty-eight  to  Washington. 
There  are  no  ambulances  at  the  post. 


FOKT  NIAGAEA,  NEW  YORK. 


109 


Acute  diarrhoea  Las  more  or  less  prevailed  during  the  fruit  season  last  summer,  and  in  the  au- 
tumn months  intermittents  of  a  tertian  type  attacked  a  limited  portion,  of  the  command.  Since 
my  arrival  the  troops  have  suffered  from  ordinary  catarrh  to  a  certain  extent,  the  result  of  careless 
exposure  to  the  weather.  I  have  seen  but  one  case  of  pneumonia,  and  none  of  acute  rheumatism, 
originating  here. 

I  believe  the  post  to  be  a  healthy  one,  but  that  the  troops  need  more  and  better  clothing  than 
that  now  issued — during  the  long  and  severe  weather  to  which  they  are  exposed — to  secure  them 
nTom  frequent  attacks  of  a  catarrbal  and  pulmonary  character. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  dincaxeit  at  Fort  Ontario,  New  York,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Typhoid  fever. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  dis- 
eases. 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhs!  af- 
fections.* 

i 

! 

•3 
•3 

K 

1868 

61  16 

Ill 

16 

14 

3 

1 

7 

23 

1869 

54.41 

188 

2 

30 

47 

2 

5 

12 

2 

16 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  NIAGARA,  NEW  YORK. 

INFORMATION   FURNISHED   BY   ASSISTANT   SURGEONS    C.    K.   WINNE    AND   G.   P.   JAQUETT,    UNITED 

STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Niagara  is  situated  on  a  point  of  laud  at  the  junction  of  Lake  Ontario  and  the  Niagara 
Eiver,  latitude  43°  15'  north,  longitude  2°  west  from  Washington.  Elevation  above  the  sea  about  271 
feet.  The  nearest  town  and  post  office  is  Youngstown,  on  the  bank" of  the  river,  one  mile  south;  it 
contains  about  800  inhabitants.  Lewistown,  six  miles  further  south,  also  on  the  bank  of  the  river, 
is  the  terminus  of  a  branch  railroad  from  Suspension  Bridge  and  of  a  steamboat  line  from  Toronto. 
The  laud  near  the  river  is  low  and  sandy,  being  but  a  few  feet  above  high-water  mark.  Immedi- 
ately east  of  this  the  bank  rises  about  20  feet  to  a  level  plateau,  on  which  the  fort  is  built.  The 
underlying  rocks  are  lime  and  sandstones.  The  climate  is  mild.  The  extremes  of  heat  and  cold 
are  seldom  experienced,  making  it  one  of  the  most  comfortable  and  salubrious  locations  in  the 
country.  The  mean  temperature  is  about  48°,  the  highest  98°,  and  the  lowest  7°  below  zero.  The 
amount  of  rain  for  the  past  year  measures  36  inches,  with  snow  included.  The  prevailing  winds 
are  southwest  and  northeast.  The  winter  is  the  longest  season  ;  it  continues  about  five  months  of 
the  year.  The  other  seasons  are  about  equally  divided. 

This  post,  which  has  been  garrisoned  by  the  troops  of  three  different  powers,  exercised  from 
the  time  of  its  erection  an  immense  influence  over  a  vast  extent  of  country  ;  it  served  as  a  center 
of  civilization,  from  which  all  the  commerce  of  that  time  radiated ;  prevented  or  checked  encroach- 
ments of  rivals,  and  served  as  a  depot  for  preparing  expeditious  to  explore  or  devastate  adjacent 
territory. 

In  1675  Louis  XIV  conferred  upon  Eobert  Caralin,  Sieur  de  la  Salle,  a  grant  of  land  at  Fort 
Frontenac,  (now  Kingston,  Canada  West.)  He  extended  and  increased  its  fortifications,  but,  dis- 
satisfied with  his  position  after  the  brilliant  discoveries  of  Marquette  and  Joliet,  determined  to  lead 
an  expedition  and  connect  the  territory  which  he  hoped  thus  to  acquire  with  Montreal  by  a  chain 
of  military  posts.  Empowered  by  additional  letters  patent,  he  commenced  building  a  vessel  called 
Le  Griffon,  on  the  Niagara  Eiver  above  the  falls,  supplies  being  conveyed  from  Fort  Frontenac,  estab- 
lished by  him  iu  1678  or  1679,  from  thence  to  present  site  of  Lewiston,  and  by  portage  over  the  "Three 
Mountains"  to  mouth  of  Ca.yu.ga  Creek.  The  post  of  Niagara  thus  founded  by  him  was  continued, 


110  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

ami  in  1687  converted  into  a  "fort  with  four  bastions"  by  the  Marquis  de  Nonville,  at  that  time  gov- 
ernor of  New  France.  De  Nonville,  returning  to  Montreal  after  an  unsuccessful  campaign  against 
the  Indians,  left  Troyes  with  100  men  in  command  of  Niagara.  The  post  was  soon  after  closely 
besieged  by  the  Senecas,  and  nearly  all  the  garrison  perished  from  disease ;  shortly  after  it  was 
dismantled  and  deserted.  During  the  succeeding  years  of  French  disaster,  other  posts,  including 
Fort  Fronteuac,  were  abandoned,  and  so  remained  until  1725,  when  Fort  Niagara  was  reoccupied 
and  strengthened. 

"-It  had  its  ravines,  its  ditches  and  pickets,  its  curtains  and  counterscarps,  its  covered  way, 
drawbridge,  and  raking  batteries;  its  stone  towers,  laboratory,  and  magazine;  its  mess-house,  bar- 
racks, and  bakery,  and  blacksmith  shop ;"  and  for  worship,  a  chapel  with  a  large  ancient  dial  over 
the  door  to  mark  the  course  of  the  sun.  It  was,  indeed,  a  little  city  of  itself,  and  for  a  long  period 
the  greatest  place  south  of  Montreal  or  west  of  Albany.  The  fortifications  originally  covered  a 
space  of  about  8  acres.  At  a  few  rods  from  the  barrier  gate  is  a  burying  ground ;  it  was  filled 
witli  the  memorials  of  the  mutability  of  human  life,  and  over  the  portals  of  the  entrance  was  painted 
the  word  "  Best."  It  is  supposed  by  De  Yeaux  to  have  been  used  as  a  state  prison,  and  probably 
about  this  time,  "the  dungeon  of  the  mess  house,  called  the  black -hole,  was  a  strong,  dark,  and 
dismal  place  ;  and  in  one  corner  of  the  room  was  fixed  the  apparatus  for  strangling  such  unhappy 
wretches  as  fell  under  the  displeasure  of  the  despotic  rulers  of  those  days.  The  walls  of  this  dun- 
geon, from  top  to  bottom,  had  engraved  upon  them  French  names  and  mementos  in  that  language. 
That  the  prisoners  were  no  common  persons  was  clear,  as  the  letters  and  emblems  were  chiseled 
out  in  good  style." 

In  1755,  during  the  series  of  petty  conflicts  between  the  French  and  English  in  America,  before 
the  declaration  of  war  in  Europe,  an  expedition  was  fitted  out  against  Fort  Niagara,  by  Governor 
Shirley,  of  Massachusetts,  but  after  the  troops  reached  Oswego  nothing  was  attempted,  owing  to 
sickness,  desertion,  and  unfavorable  weather. 

In  1759,  General  Amherst  being  commander-in-chief,  a  force  of  English  colonial  troops  and 
Indians  was  dispatched,  under  General  Pridcaux,  against  Fort  Niagara,  then  garrisoned  by  COO 
French  soldiers,  commanded  by  Captain  Pouchot,  Chevalier  de  St.  Louis.  The  investment  was 
commenced  July  8,  and  continued  after  the  death  of  General  Prideanx,  by  Sir  William  Johnson ; 
four  parallels  were  opened  au.d  batteries  planted.  July  24,  re-enforcements  marching  to  relief  of 
garrison  were  intercepted  on  the  river  road  near  what  is  now  called  Bloody  Eun,  and  defeated 
after  severe  fighting,  the  French  losing  heavily  in  officers.  Further  defense  on  the  part  of  the 
garrison  being  useless,  they,  on  being  summoned,  surrendered.  The  post  was  garrisoned  by  the 
English,  who  continued  to  hold  it,  though  small  detachments  were  frequently  attacked  by  the  hos- 
tile Senecas,  particularly  in  1763,  when,  during  the  Pontiac  war,  the  Indians  made  an  unsuccessful 
attack  upon  the  fort.  Heavily  garrisoned  by  the  English  during  the  Revolution,  it  served  as  head- 
quarters for  the  war  parties  which  devastated  a  large  part  of  the  State  of  New  York,  as  both  the 
expedition  led  by  Colonel  Butler,  which  culminated  in  the  massacre  of  Wyoming  in  1778,  and  that 
which  desolated  Cherry  Valley  in  the  same  year,  started  from  Fort  Niagara. 

The  force  led  by  General  Sullivan  against  the  Indians  in  1779  was  intended,  originally,  also  to 
operate  against  Fort  Niagara,  but  the  campaign  ended  with  only  the  destruction  of  the  Indian 
villages.  Peace  was  declared  between  England  and  the  United  States  in  1783,  but  the  English 
continued  to  hold  Niagara  until  1796,  when  it  was  garrisoned  by  United  States  troops.  In  1799 
another  Indian  war  was  anticipated,  and  the  garrison  re-enforced.  In  May,  1801,  General  W'ilkin- 
son  then  being  in  command  of  the  frontier,  and  directed  to  open  a  military  road  between  the  twd 
lakes,  ordered  Major  Porter,  at  Fort  Niagara,  to  commence  operations,  but  this  road  was  not  com- 
pleted by  the  general  government,  for  in  1802  the  United  States  mail  was  still  carried  from  Utica 
to  the  fort,  via  Buffalo  and  the  Canadian  side  of  the  river.  A  daughter  of  Dr.  Wrest,  surgeon  to  the 
post  from  1805  until  1814,  thus  describes  the  fort  at  that  time : 

It  was  then  surrounded  on  three  sides  with  strong  pickets  of  plank,  firmly  planted  in  the  ground  and  closely  joined 
together;  a  heavy  gate  in  front  of  double  plank,  closely  studded  with  iron  spikes.  This  was  inclosed  hy  a  fence  with  a 
large  gate  just  at  the  hrow  of  the  hill,  called  the  barrier  gate.  The  fourth  side  was  defended  with  embankments  of 
earth,  under  which  were  formerly  barracks,  affording  a  safe  though  somewhat  gloomy  retreat  for  the  families  of  sol- 
diers, but  which  had  been  abandoned  and  the  entrance  closed  long  before  my  remembrance,  having  been  so  infested  with 
rattlesnakes  that  had  made  their  dens  within,  that  it  was  hardly  safe  to  walk  across  the  parade. 


FORT  [NIAGARA,  NEW  YORK.  1 1 1 

June  26,  1812,  tbe  official  declaration  of  war  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States 
reached  Fort  Niagara,  and  vigorous  preparations  were  at  once  made  for  defense  and  means  taken 
to  strengthen  the  work.  But  after  a  feeble  and  pusillanimous  warfare  had  been  kept  up  for  some 
time,  General  McClure  wantonly  binned  the  village  of  Newark,  (now  Niagara  City,)  evacuated  Fort 
George,  and  removed  his  headquarters  to  Buffalo.  Fort  Niagara  was  then  garrisoned  by  370  men 
under  command  of  Captain  Leonard,  United  States  Artillery.  In  the  night  of  December  19,  1813, 
during  the  absence  of  the  commanding  and  several  other  officers,  the  English,  300  strong,  led  by 
Colonel  Murray,  crossed  the  river,  captured  the  sentinels,  and  took  the  work  by  sudden  assault  or 
surprise,  losing  only  five  men  killed  and  six  wounded ;  65  of  the  American  garrison  were  killed, 
and  nearly  all  of  the  remainder  taken ;  27  cannon  of  large  caliber,  3,000  stand  of  small  arms,  besides 
a  large  amount  of  clothing,  garrison  equipage,  and  commissary  stores,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy. 

General  Cass,  who  was  ordered  to  the  frontier,  in  a  letter  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
thus  speaks  of  the  capture  of  the  fort :  "The  fall  of  Niagara  was  owing  to  the  most  criminal  negli- 
gence ;  the  force  in  it  was  fully  competent  for  its  defense."  The  English,  to  retaliate  for  the  out- 
rage perpetrated  by  General  McClure  iu  burning  Newark,  destroyed  the  villages  of  Lewiston  and 
Buffalo,  besides  all  the  dwellings  on  the  lake  as  far  as  Eighteen-mile  Creek. 

The  English  held  Niagara  until  the  close  of  the  war,  and  surrendered  it  to  the  United  States 
in  March,  1815.  This  restoration  was  the  last  event  of  public  interest  that  has  occurred  in  the  his 
tory  of  the  work. 

The  old  barrack  is  a  stone  building  within  the  fort,  134  by  24  feet.  The  walls  are  but  8  feet 
high,  and  as  it  is  situated  very  near  the  western  wall,  the  ventilation  is  very  deficient.  The  bar- 
rack now  occupied  is  outside  the  fort,  in  an  open  and  airy  situation,  and  was  erected  in  1868-'69. 
It  is  a  two-story  brick  building,  the  lower  floor  being  divided  into  kitchen,  mess-room,  and  wash- 
room, the  latter  supplied  with  hot  and  cold  water,  and  furnished  with  a  trough  for  the  reception  of 
basins.  The  wash-room  is  also  used  as  a  bath-room  in  winter — half-barrels  serving  for  bath-tubs. 
The  second  floor  contains  two  dormitories,  each  52  by  22  by  10  feet,  giving  476  cubic  feet  air  space 
per  man.  They  are  heated  by  stoves,  and  lighted  and  ventilated  by  sixteen  windows  each.  The 
bunks  are  iron  bedsteads.  New  sinks  have  recently  been  built  near  the  barrack.  The  kitchen  is 
well  furnished,  containing  a  range  and  apparatus  for  hot  water;  and  the  mess-room  is  commodious 
and  well  lighted. 

Laundresses'  quarters  are  contained  iu  a  new  frame  building  situated  200  yards  south  of  the 
fort;  they  comprise  six  rooms,  and  are  iu  good  condition  and  well  ventilated. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  in  what  is  called  the  old  castle  or  mess-house — a  solid  stone  building 
within  the  fort,  96  by  48  feet,  and  two  stories  high.  It  contains  nineteen  rooms. 

The  guard-house,  erected  in  1869,  is  a  two-story  frame  building,  32  by  26£  feet.  The  first  floor 
contains  two  rooms  for  the  guard  and  six  cells,  the  latter  divided  by  a  hall  measuring  13  feet  8 
inches  by  10  feet  5  inches.  The  cells  measure  7  feet  by  4  feet  4  inches,  and  are  ventilated  by  small 
windows  opening  exteriorly,  and  openings  over  the  door  into  the  hall  between  them.  The  windows 
are  2£  feet  long  and  1  foot  wide,  and  the  openings  1£  feet  long  and  6  inches  wide,  with  a  board  slid- 
ing over  it.  There  is  no  ridge  ventilation,  except  for  the  walls  and  space  between  the  ceiling  and 
roof.  This  is  2  feet  square.  The  second  story  is  divided  into  three  rooms  and  a  hall,  each  10  feet 
high,  and  ventilated  by  windows.  These  rooms  measure  respectively  14  by  24£  feet,  6  by  10  feet, 
9  by  24£  feet.  The  room  designed  as  court-martial  room  is  now  used  as  a  billiard  room  for  both 
officers  and  men.  Fresh  and  foul  air  are  exchanged  through  the  same  openings.  The  whole  build- 
ing is  ventilated  by  windows. 

The  hospital,  located  near  the  river,  about  400  yards  south  of  the  fort,  is  a  temporary  wooden 
structure,  ill  adapted  for  the  purpose.  For  the  general  arrangement  of  the  building  see  Figure  15. 

A,  ward,  23  by  40  feet;  B,  steward's  room,  9  by 
17  feet ;  C,  surgery,  9  by  17  feet ;  D,  attendant's 
room,  10  by  15  feet;  E,  store-room,  10  by  15  feet; 
F,  wash-room  ;  H,  commissary  store-room ;  K,  kitch- 


A 


en,  24  by  17  feet ;  L,  coal  shed.  Figure  15  _Sl,al6i  37  feet  to  l  inch. 


112 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


Its  location,  on  the  high  bank  of  the  Niagara  lliver,  insures  all  the  air  necessary,  and  some- 
times more  than  is  comfortable.  The  rooms  are  ventilated  by  windows  opening  at  the  top,  aided 
by  small  openings  near  the  floor,  the  latter  communicating  by  flues  with  the  attic  above.  Stoves  are 
used  for  heating,  and  kerosene  oil  for  the  artificial  illumination  of  the  building.  The  ward  contains 
nine  beds,  giving  to  each  1,431  cubic  feet  of  air  space.  The  water-closets  are  situated  to  the  right 
and  rear  of  the  hospital.  They  are  two  compartments  in  a  small  wooden  building,  and  conve- 
niently arranged.  The  dead  house  is  a  small  frame  structure,  situated  70  yards  to  the  north 
of  the  hospital.  The  water  supply  for  the  hospital  is  from  the  Niagara  River.  The  water  at  times 
is  unpleasant,  and  at  all  times  unsuitable  for  hospital  purposes,  owing  in  part  to  the  great  number 
of  dead  animals  which  are  thrown  into  the  river  and  find  their  way  to  its  mouth,  or  are  stranded 
along  its  shores  in  various  stages  of  decomposition.  The  most  unpleasant  water  is  obtained  after 
a  severe  storm  of  rain  and  wind.  Besides  the  washings  from  an  extended  surface,  the  bottom  of 
the  river  is  made  to  yield  largely  of  a  deposit,  which,  when  diffused,  does  not  add  to  the  pleasant 
character  of  the  water.  There  have  been,  however,  no  cases  of  disease  traced  to  its  impurities 
nor  any  unpleasant  effect  produced  by  its  use. 

The  laundresses  are  mostly  supplied  with  river  water,  which  is  furnished  by  police  parties,  in  a 
cart  duly  constructed  for  the  purpose.  Buckets  filled  with  water  and  hooks  and  ladders  are  conve- 
niently placed  in  and  about  the  various  buildings  of  the  post,  to  be  used  in  case  of  fire. 

The  country  lying  back  of  the  fort,  though  generally  level,  is  sufficiently  undulating  to  afford 
perfect  drainage.  The  cleared  portions  of  the  public  lands  mostly  discharge  their  waters  into  the 
Niagara  River  by  natural  surface  drainage.  The  portion  still  covered  by  timber  has  its  drainage 
eastward,  and  through  a  small  creek  enters  Lake  Ontario.  The  hospital  grounds  are  especially 
well  provided  with  natural  drainage.  Slops  and  offal  from  the  kitchens  are  consumed  by  swine, 
and  the  excreta  either  buried  or  used  as  a  fertilizer. 

There  are  about  15  acres  under  cultivation  near  the  post,  known  as  thecompjiny  garden.  This 
amount  of  land  produces  sufficient  for  the  use  of  the  entire  garrison. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good.  During  the  past  year  diarrhoea  has  been  the  pre- 
vailing disease.  This  disease  is  probably  produced  more  by  indiscretion  than  by  any  influence  of 
climate,  as  it  is  of  a  temporary  character  and  readily  cured.  The  sudden  changes  of  temperature, 
with  exposure,  are  also  influential  in  its  production.  Malarial  diseases  do  not  originate  at  the  post ; 
they  are  imported,  or  are  developed  in  cases  which  have  endured  the  disease  in  more  southern  lati- 
tudes. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  nick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Niagara,  New  York, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  * 

1 

Years. 

i 

00 

§ 
S 

s  'S 
=>    a 

£      <t> 

i1 

=3 

"3 

1 

Dian-hirn 
dysente 

Venereal  di 

Rheumatis 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal 
tions 

o 

'  1 

fc 

1868      .     .                  

64.66 

156 

11 

25 

10 

9 

23 

1 

1869  

65.58 

54 

6 

5 

8 

2 

8 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  PORTER,  BUFFALO,  NEW  YORK. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  A.  F.  MECHEM,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

This  post  is  pleasantly  located  within  the  city  limits  of  Buffalo,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Niagara  River,  about  half  a  mile  from  where  Lake  Erie  empties  into  that  stream.  Latitude  42° 
53'  north,  longitude  78°  58'  west;  altitude,  660  feet. 

The  post  grounds  at  present  in  use  are  about  200  yards  from  the  river,  and  GO  feet  above  its 
level.  A  part  of  the  ground  was  ceded  to  the  United  States  by  the  State  of  New  York  in  1844, 


FORT  POETER,  BUFFALO,  NEW  YORK. 


113 


and  other  lots  have  since  been  purchased,  making  the  reservation  at  present  about  20  acres,  one 
half  of  which  is  used  for  the  purposes  of  the  post.  The  average  temperature  is  46°  F.;  extreme 
cold,  9°  F. ;  extreme  heat,  90°  F.  The  prevailing  winds  are  west,  northwest,  and  southwest. 

Fort  Porter  proper  was  originally  described  as  barracks  and  defensive  works  at  Black  Rock, 
New  York,  consisting  of  a  block  house  surrounded  by  a  terre-plein  and  outer  battery.  The  work, 
as  completed,  was  a  sunken  redoubt,  with  a  stone  keep  or  citadel,  surrounded  by  a  terre-plein.  The 
keep  or  citadel  was  burned  by  bounty -jumpers  confined  therein  in  1863.  Barracks  for  two  companies 
were  erected  in  April,  1867.  They  consist  of  two  frame  buildings,  115  by  25  feet,  and  two  stories 
high.  The  dormitories  are  in  the  second  story,  each  being  55  by  264  feet,  and  8  feet  10  inches  high, 
giving  518  feet  air  space  per  man. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  one-story  frame  cottages,  without  cellars.  All  the  buildings  are  badly 
built  of  unseasoned  lumber,  and  are  very  uncomfortable  in  the  winter  season. 

The  hospital  is  an  L-shaped  frame  building.  One  wing,  63  feet  long  by  23  feet  wide  and  one 
and  a  half  stories  high,  contains  the  offices,  kitchens,  &c.  The  other  wing,  80  feet  by  27,  and  one 
story  high,  contains  the  hospital  ward,  41  by  26  feet,  and  12  feet  high.  The  ward  is  warmed  by 
stoves,  and  ventilated  by  an  air-shaft  of  ingress  one  foot  square,  which  conveys  the  air  underneath 
the  ward  and  opens  under  one  of  the  stoves,  which  is  partially  surrounded  by  a  zinc  sheathing. 
The  vitiated  and  heated  air  is  carried  off  by  a  shaft  passing  with  the  stove-pipe  through  the  roof. 
The  bath-room,  water-closets,  attendant's  room,  and  mess-room  are  also  in  this  wing. 

The  quartermaster's  and  commissary's  store-house  is  a  frame  building,  56 feet  10  inches  long  by 
20  feet  wide.  It  is  one  story  and  a  half  high,  and  contains  an  office  and  two  store-rooms  on  the 
lower  floor.  On  the  upper  floor  are  two  rooms,  one  used  as  quartermaster's  and  the  other  as  sub- 
sistence store-room.  A  good  cellar  extends  about  one-half  the  length  of  the  building. 

The  guard-house  is  a  stone  building,  one  story  and  a  half  high,  converted  from  a  stable  to  its 
present  use.  On  the  first  floor  are  the  guard-room,  17  by  19  feet,  and  cell  room,  15  by  19  feet,  con 
taiuing  eight  cells,  four  on  each  side  of  a  corridor  opening  into  the  guard-room.  The  prison-room, 
16  by  17  feet,  is  on  the  second  floor,  and  is  tolerably  well  lighted  and  ventilated. 

The  subsoil  drainage  of  the  parade  and  other  grounds  about  the  fort  is  by  means  of  tile  drains 
emptying  into  the  larger  earthen  pipe  drains,  which  carry  off  the  drainage  and  sewage  from  the 
barracks,  and  some  of  the  officers'  quarters.  All  the  contents  of  the  sewers  and  drains  of  this  part 
of  the  post  are  discharged  into  the  Erie  canal,  at  least  50  feet  below  the  lowest  part  of  the  post 
grounds  now  used,  and  100  yards  from  the  stable,  which  is  the  building  nearest  the  mouth  of  the 
sewer.  The  drainage  and  sewage  from  the  hospital  and  the  officers'  quarters,  which  are  on  the. 
higher  ground,  are  carried  off  by  means  of  earthen  pipe  drains  connecting  with  the  city  sewer. 

The  post  is  supplied  with  good  water  by  means  of  iron  pipes  extending  from  the  Buffalo  City 
reservoir  to  the  fort.  The  reservoir,  two  squares  distant  from  the  fort,  is  filled  with  water  pumped 
from  the  Niagara  River.  In  winter  the  supply  is  insufficient,  as  it  is  necessary  to  allow  the  water 
to  run  from  the  hydrants  in  very  cold  weather  to  prevent  it  from  freezing  in  the  pipes,  the  feed- 
pipe not  being  large  enough.  The  supply  fails  in  some  of  the  officers'  quarters  and  at  the  hospital, 
which  is  on  higher  ground,  and  the  last  point  that  the  water  reaches.  Independent  of  this  supply, 
the  officers'  quarters  have  large  cisterns,  which  are  filled  with  rain-water  from  the  roofs  of  the 
buildings. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases,  at  Fort  Porter,  Buffalo, 

New  York,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


114  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

FORT  WAYNE,  DETROIT,  MICHIGAN. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  B.  J.  D.  IRWIN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Wayne,  Michigan,  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Detroit  River,  about  two  and  half 
miles  from  the  city  of  Detroit,  Michigan.  Latitude  42°  23'  north;  longitude  82°  58'  west;  height 
above  the  sea  580  feet. 

Since  the  first  settlement  at  this  point,  which  took  place  toward  the  close  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  it  has  constituted  an  important  military  station,  receiving  its  garrisons  from  the  several 
nations  which  have  consecutively  exercised  dominion  over  the  regions  of  country  in  its  vicinity. 
The  first  settlement  of  Europeans  at  Detroit  consisted  of  a  religious  mission  under  the  Jesuits, 
which  was  promptly  followed  by  a  military  trading  post,  established  under  an  officer  then  in  the 
service  of  the  French  government.  After  remaining  in  possession  of  its  Gallic  owners  some  sixty- 
odd  years,  it  passed  from  beneath  their  authority,  and  became  a  part  of  the  colonial  possessions  of 
Great  Britain.  In  the  early  part  of  the  present  century  it  again  changed  owners,  and  became  a 
part  of  the  vast  territorial  domain  of  the  United  States,  embraced  within  what  was  at  that  time 
known  as  the  Northwest  Territory. 

During  the  occupancy  of  Detroit  by  its  French  and  English  owners,  and  subsequent  to  the  change 
that  brought  it  under  the  control  of  its  present  possessors,  the  troops  stationed  for  its  protection 
were  quartered  at  points  which  have  long  since  been  absorbed  by  the  growth  and  expansion  of  the 
city. 

The  site  of  Fort  Wayne  was  selected  some  thirty  years  ago,  shortly  after  which  the  Engineer 
Department  of  the  army  commenced  the  construction  of  a  stockade  fort  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
grounds. 

The  military  reservation  pertaining  to  the  United  States  at  this  place  consists  of  an  irregularly 
oblong  plat  of  ground,  containing  some  63  acres,  lying  parallel  with  and  fronting  the  river.  The 
geological  features  of  the  reservation  present  but  few  peculiarities.  The  formation  consists  of  drift 
or  subaqueous  deposits.  A  thin  superficial  stratum  of  yellow  sandy  clay  rests  upon  a  strata  of  sand 
and  gravel.  Some  few  points  in  the  vicinity  of  the  river  margin  present  accumulations  of  dark 
loam,  the  result  of  successive  deposits  of  vegetable  de~bris.  The  watershed  of  the  country  back  of 
the  military  reserve  manifests  itself  by  the  appearance  of  several  small  springs,  which  discharge 
their  contents  along  the  paludal  margin  of  the  river.  The  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort  is  almost 
a  plain  or  dead  level,  and  presents  the  general  physical  characteristics  of  the  Michigan  peninsula. 

The  military  reserve  and  the  neighboring  country  produce  an  abundant  supply  of  white  oak, 
black  oak,  walnut,  and  hickory. 

To  the  south  of  the  fort  the  American  side  of  the  river  is  fringed  with  an  extensive  border  of 
marshy  bottom  land,  which  extends  some  ten  or  twelve  miles.  At  a  point  about  a  mile  south  of 
the  fort,  the  river  Rouge  enters  the  Detroit  River  at  almost  a  right  angle.  Much  of  the  laud  border- 
ing on  the  Rouge  consists  of  marsh  or  swamp,  and  is  intersected  in  many  places  by  small  streams, 
lagoons,  and  stagnant  quagmires,  wherein  the  aquatic  vegetation  is  of  the  rankest  and  most  prolific 
character. 

The  average  mean  temperature  at  Detroit  from  1831  to  1842  was  given  as  47.21°  F.  During 
the  last  year  the  mean  temperature  at  this  post  was  48°  F.  The  lowest  range  of  the  thermometer 
was  at  7  a.  m.,  February  28th,  when  it  descended  to  3°  ;  the  highest  at  2  o'clock  p.  m.,  August  20th, 
when  it  reached  90°  F.  March  was  the  coldest,  and  July  the  warmest,  months  in  the  year.  The 
amount  of  rain  was  44.  53  inches.  Extremes  in  June  and  February,  9.10  inches  during  the  former, 
and  amount  inappreciable  during  the  latter  month.  Snow,  amounting  to  9.65  inches  of  water,  fell 
during  the  year.  The  prevailing  winds  were  from  the  southeast  and  southwest.  Fierce  thunder- 
storms are  very  frequent  during  the  summer  and  autumn  months. 

The  original  design  of  the  fort  appears  to  have  undergone  extensive  changes,  as  the  works  have 
received  almost  a  complete  remodeling,  and  now  consist  of  an  extensive  permanent  fortification 


FORT  WAYNE,  DETROIT,  MICHIGAN.  115 

constructed  of  brick  and  stone,  and  the  necessary  earthen  additions.    When  completed,  the  works 
are  to  be  armed  with  some  sixty  or  seventy  guns,  many  of  which  will  be  of  the  heaviest  caliber. 

The  interior  of  the  main  fort  is  a  perfect  square,  and  affords  a  parade  ground,  or  place  cFarmen, 
containing  84,759  square  yards. 

The  quarters  for  the  troops  at  this  station  consist  of  two  kinds  :"  Those  constructed  of  stone 
situated  within  the  fort,  and  those  built  of  wood  on  the  outside  of  the  fortifications.  The  barracks 
consist  of  an  oblong  stone  structure,  three  and  a  half  stories  high,  facing  the  north,  and  built  per- 
pendicular to  the  eastern  and  western  sides  of  the  square.  The  exterior  is  plainly  but  neatly  fin- 
ished. It  is  186  feet  long  and  36  feet  6  inches  wide.  The  front  is  devoid  of  balconies  or  galleries, 
but  the  rear  of  the  building  has  solidly  constructed  balconies,  ten  feet  in  depth  on  the  second 
and  third  stories,  extending  the  whole  length  of  the  structure. 

The  quarters  were  evidently  designed  and  finished  for  the  accommodation  of  a  battalion  of  five 
small  companies  of  troops.  The  building  is  divided  into  five  equal  divisions,  which  are  in  turn  sub- 
divided into  halls,  dormitories,  dining-rooms,  &c.  The  halls  are  33£  feet  long,  6  feet  wide,  and  11£ 
feet  high. 

Cast-iron  stairways,  of  a  graceful  and  substantial  kind,  lead  from  the  ground  floor  to  the  several 
stories  of  each  set  of  quarters. 

The  facilities  for  heating  the  quarters  consist  of  large  open  fireplaces  in  the  dining-rooms  and 
dormitories.  Wood  stoves,  placed  in  the  center  of  the  sleeping  apartments,  are  used  in  preference 
to  fireplaces. 

In  addition  to  that  afforded  by  the  doors,  windows,  and  chimneys,  the  walls  of  the  building,  on 
each  floor,  are  perforated  with  ventilators  for  furnishing  a  constant  supply  of  pure  air  and  aiding 
in  removing  the  impure  gases  generated  by  the  occupants. 

The  amount  of  cubic  space  allowed  to  each  occupant  of  the  sleeping  apartments  is  seldom  in 
excess  of  300  feet.  The  quarters  occupied  by  Battery  G,  Fourth  Artillery,  are  furnished  with  iron  bed- 
steads. New  wooden  bunks  are  used  by  troops  composing  two  companies  of  infantry. 

The  dormitories  connect  with  ablution-rooms  and  the  balconies  previously  described.  These 
quarters  are  unexceptionably  good  and  well  adapted  for  troops  serving  in  this  latitude.  They  are 
every  way  superior  to  the  wooden  or  frame  quarters  at  the  post.  The  sinks  are  badly  arranged 
and  miserably  constructed,  being  nothing  more  than  a  temporary  shed  over  an  open  trench,  which 
latter  is  shifted  as  often  as  it  becomes  filled  to  repletion.^  The  kitchens,  store-rooms,  and  mess- 
rooms  occupy  the  first  floor  of  the  barracks,  which  are  divided  into  five  equal  sections,  allowing 
one  to  a  company.  While  the  dining-rooms  are  unexceptionable,  the  facilities  heretofore  afforded 
for  cooking  were  inadequate,  owing  to  the  stoves  and  kitchen  furniture  being  frequently  out  of 
order,  by  reason  of  breakage  and  wear. 

On  the  grounds  outside,  and  to  the  south  of  the  fortifications,  a  number  of  wooden  buildings 
have  been  erected.  The  officers'  quarters,  hospital,  guard-house,  quarters  for  the  post  band,  non- 
commissioned officers,  married  soldiers,  and  laundresses;  the  store-houses,  bakery,  sutler's  store, 
artillery  stables,  quartermaster's  stables,  ice-house,  work-shop,  and  corrals  are  irregularly  scattered 
over  the  grounds,  covering  an  area  of  some  300  yards  from  east  to  west,  and  500  yards  from  north 
to  south.  Excepting  the  officers'  quarters,  the  buildings  are  one-story  frame  structures,  of  a  frail 
and  very  imperfect  character.  The  fortifications  being  in  an  unfinished  state,  almost  everything 
else  at  the  station  partakesin  a  great  measure  of  their  character.  The  buildings  situated  outside  of 
the  defensive  works  appear  to  have  been  constructed  with  a  view  to  meeting  the  temporary  wants 
of  the  garrison  until  such  time  as  casemate  quarters  and  other  buildings  suitable  fora  permanent 
stronghold  could  be  furnished.  Owing  to  these  facts,  but  little  has  been  done  where  much  might 
have  been  accomplished  in  improving  the  quarters,  grounds,  drainage,  &c.  The  quarters  occupied 
by  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  well-constructed  pavilion  barracks,  divided  into  twenty- 
four  sets,  which  are  excellent  and  ample  for  the  wants  of  the  command. 

The  officers1  quarters  are  two-story  frame  cottages,  built  somewhat  in  the  cheap  tenement 
style.  The  house  for  the  commanding  officer  is  unexceptionable  in  its  most  minute  details,  while 
the  remainder  of  the  officers'  quarters  are  miserably  constructed,  badly  arranged,  and  unsuitable, 
owing  to  a  variety  of  defects.  The  rooms  are  all  under  the  regulation  size,  varying  from  10  feet 


116 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


square  to  14  feet  square.  The  lighting  is  sufficient.  The  ventilation,  especially  in  winter,  super- 
abundant. The  quarters  are  built  to  face  the  east  and  the  river,  to  which  they  are  parallel.  There 
are  three  double  buildings,  with  common  entrances  to  halls  which  lead  to  four  sets  of  quarters. 
Owing  to  the  frail  nature  of  the  material  used  in  their  construction  and  to  the  fact  that  the  buildings 
are  raised  about  two  feet  above  the  ground,  they  are  intensely  cold  and  uncomfortable  during  the 
winter  season.  Their  position  is  a  very  bad  one,  and  they  are  necessarily  crowded,  both  as  to  loca- 
tion and  in  their  subdivision  into  so  many  sets  of  quarters.  The  privies  are  inconveniently  situated 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  dining-room  doors.  Bath-rooms  have  been  constructed  for  the  quarters 
on  the  lower  floors,  but,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  a  supply  of  water,  they  are  seldom 
used  for  their  legitim  ate  purpose. 

The  artillery  stables  have  been  occupied  temporarily  as  commissary  and  quartermaster's  store- 
rooms since  the  battery  was  dismounted.  They  are  properly  fitted  up  for  the  purpose,  and  in 
good  condition. 

The  guard-house  is  on  the  southwest  corner  of  the  new  parade  ground,  outside  of  the  fortifica- 
tions, and  is  a  strongly  constructed  frame  building,  54  feet  long  by  30  feet.  It  is  divided  into  the 
guard-room,  30  feet  by  26  feet  by  12  feet,  two  prison -rooms,  and  seven  small  cells.  The  ventilation 
is  by  twelve  windows  and  two  doors  and  a  chimney.  The  windows  in  the  cells  and  prison-rooms 
are  heavily  barred  with  close  iron  gratings.  The  heating  is  afforded  by  one  large  No.  10  wood- 
stove,  placed  in  the  center  of  the  guard-room.  There  are  no  stoves  or  fireplaces  in  the  cells  or 
prison-rooms. 

Until  recently  the  hospital  consisted  of  a  main  or  pavilion  building  of  one  story,  and  a 
detachment  of  one  and  a  half  stories  high.  The  main  building  is  a  frame  structure,  resting 
on  posts  three  feet  above  the  surrounding  level,  weather-boarded  on  the  outside,  with  shingle  roof. 
Its  site  is  a  little  westward  of  about  the  center  of  the  reservation,  south  of  the  southwest  bastion 
of  the  main  fortification,  forming  a  large  part  of  the  west  side  of  the  parade  grounds.  During 
the  autumn  of  18G9  it  was  moved  on  rollers  to  its  present  position,  and  early  in  the  present  year 
it  was  remodeled,  repaired,  and  improved  in  accordance  with  plans  submitted  by  the  medical  officer, 
which  were  carried  out  under  his  own  supervision.  An  extension,  15  feet  to  the  entrance  end  of 
the  building,  was  erected,  affording  suitable  accommodation  for  an  office  and  dispensary.  Four  of 
the  small  rooms,  used  as  store-rooms,  office,  dispensary,  and  steward's  quarters,  were  removed  and 
their  space  thrown  into  the  ward,  thereby  enlarging  it,  and  giving  22,666  cubic  feet  of  air  space, 
which  is  occupied  by  twenty  beds,  giving  1,133  cubic  feet  of  space  to  each  occupant  of  the  ward 
when  all  the  beds  are  filled.  Each  bed  has  an  allowance  of  83.J  feet  superficial  space  for  its 
occupant.  The  exterior  of  the  building  is  120  feet  G  inches  long  by  24  feet,  surrounded  by  a  porch 

11  feet  high  by  8  feet  wide.  The  roof  of  the  porch  is  supported  by 
twenty-eight  handsome  pillars.  The  building  is  lighted  and  ven- 
tilated by  thirty-three  windows,  five  doors,  and  partial  ridge  venti- 
lation. The  plan  of  the  hospital  is  shown  in  Figure  16. 

A,  ward,  73  by  23  feet;  B,  bath-room;  D,  dispensary;  E  E, 
steward's  quarters ;  L,  lavatory ;  K,  kitchen ;  M,  mess-room ;  O, 
office ;  R,  reading-room ;  S  S,  store-rooms.  Height  of  ward,  13  feet 
6  inches.  It  is  heated  by  the  necessary  number  of  wood  and  coal 
stoves.  On  the  west  side  and  at  right  angles  to  the  end  of  the 
pavilion  are  two  buildings,  each  containing  one  and  a  half  stories, 
j|  constructed  over  brick  cellars,  7  feet  deep.  They  are  12  feet  distant 
from  the  main  structure,  allowing  the  porch  to  extend,  without  inter- 
ruption, around  the  main  building,  thereby  affording  a  full  and  unim- 
peded circulation  of  air.  The  detachment  on  the  north  end  is  24  feet 
by  16  feet,  and  is  subdivided  above  and  below  into  two  compart- 
ments, which  are  set  apart  for  and  used  as  quarters  by  the  hospital 
steward  on  duty  at  the  post.  Prior  to  moving  the  main  building, 
this  was  used  as  the  kitchen,  dining-room,  and  attendant's  sleeping 
apartments.  Parallel  with  this,  on  the  corresponding  end,  a  new 
structure,  36  feet  by  18  feet,  has  been  recently  erected,  the  main  floor 


E  p   E 


M 


A 


Figure  16.— Scale,  30  feet  to  1  inch. 


FORT  WAYNE,  DETROIT,  MICHIGAN.  117 

of  which  is  divided  equally  into  a  spacious  kitchen  and  dining-room.  The  upper  or  half  story  is 
intended  for  an  extra  ward,  to  be  used  in  case  of  necessity. 

The  exterior  of  the  building  is  painted  a  light  salmon  color,  relieved  by  dark  bases  and  mold- 
ings, and  light  green  blinds  and  lattice  work.  The  interior  wood-work  is  painted  white,  and  the 
walls  and  ceilings  hard  finished  and  kalsomiued.  The  flooring  is  of  pine,  except  that  in  the  ward, 
which  is  of  white  ash.  On  the  outer  or  west  side,  a  yard  containing  137  feet  by  130  feet  is  inclosed 
by  a  substantial  board  fence.  Two-thirds  of  this  is  platted  and  laid  out  as  a  flower  garden,  with 
graveled  walks  and  sodded  borders;  the  remaining  or  outer  portion  contains  the  dead-house, 
laundry,  wood-house,  fowl-house,  and  privies.  There  are  no  water-closets  in  the  hospital  buildings, 
but  that  in  the  yard  is  a  well  arranged  structure,  recently  erected.  The  dead-house  is  a  neat  frame 
house,  15  by  15  feet,  fitted  up  with  table  and  other  suitable  conveniences.  The  baggage  of  patients 
is  properly  labeled,  and  kept  in  one  of  the  store-rooms.  From  the  lower  yard  a  door  leads  into  the 
hospital  garden.  Owing  to  the  limited  amount  allowed  for  the  repairs  and  alterations  of  the 
hospital,  the  dispensary,  bath-room,  and  office  have  not  been  completed. 

Prior  to  changes  recently  made,  the  buildings  used  for  the  accommodation  of  the  sick  at  this 
post  were  not  only  inadequate,  but  in  many  particulars  were  defective  and  unsuitable  for  the  vise 
of  the  invalids. 

The  original  plan  of  the  building  was  spoiled  by  endeavoring  to  get  all  the  necessary  apart- 
ments and  subdivisions  of  a  hospital  within  one  long  narrow  structure,  causing  the  space  to  be  cut 
up  into  rooms  but  little  larger  than  closets,  as  the  central  hall,  5  feet  wide,  left  but  15  feet  for 
lateral  subdivisions,  which  constituted  the  store-rooms,  office,  dispensary,  steward's  quarters,  &c. 
As  the  ward  occupied  the  center  of  the  pavilion,  it  escaped  in  a  measure  this  defect.  The  strongest 
objection  to  the  hospital  lay  in  the  fact  that  formerly  when  a  patient  entered  it  he  had  to  remain 
by  his  bed  until  he  was  pronounced  well  and  returned  to  duty,  as  the  institution  afforded  no 
accommodation  for  the  convalescent.  This  has  been  remedied  by  the  erection  of  the  spacious 
porches  heretofore  described,  where  comfortable  seats  afford  him  rest  and  enable  him  to  indulge  his 
choice  of  sunshine  or  shade  as  his  inclinations  or  wants  may  dictate.  Hitherto  a  sojourn  in  the 
hospital  was  little  better  than  a  mild  form  of  imprisonment;  but  now  the  inmates  who  wish  to  do 
so  can  enjoy  themselves  in  many  ways  without  offending  or  annoying  others  who  may  require  or 
desire  strict  quiet  or  repose.  Everything  about  the  place  has  a  bright,  cheerful  aspect,  causing  the 
sick  man  who  enters  to  feel  that  within  the  institution  he  shall  find  comforts  and  conveniences,  as 
well  as  medicines,  to  aid  in  his  restoration  to  health.  With  the  small  amount  allowed  to  remodel 
the  hospital,  I  have  endeavored,  as  far  as  practicable,  to  remedy  the  defects  and  errors  perpetrated 
in  the  original  construction  of  the  buildings. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  suitable  frame  building,  30  feet  by  18,  with  brick  ovens  capable  of  baking 
for  one  thousand  men.  The  building  is  divided  into  a  capacious  well-ventilated  work-room,  store- 
room, and  a  sleeping  apartment  for  the  baker. 

There  is  no  general  laundry  at  the  post,  the  washing  of  the  command  being  done  by  the  laun- 
dresses at  their  quarters. 

The  post  chapel  consists  of  a  frame  structure,  44  feet  long  by  24  feet  wide,  by  15  feet  high,  with 
a  gabled  roof,  a  vestry-room,  10  feet  by  10,  and  a  vestibule  or  entrance,  10  by  S  feet,  which  is  carried 
up  above  the  main  building,  forming  a  contracted  steeple. 

The  stables  consist  of  a  strongly  constructed  frame  building  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  250 
feet  long  by  20  feet  wide.  One-half  thereof  is  subdivided  into  quartermasters'  and  commissary 
store-rooms,  and  the  remainder  into  stables  for  officers'  private  horses  and  those  pertaining  to  the 
transportation  of  the  post.  It  is  built  of  heavy,  rough  plank,  and  is  well  ventilated. 

The  post  library  is  a  room  15  feet  square,  and  adjoins  and  opens  into  the  school-room.  There 
are  some  200  volumes  of  miscellaneous  light  reading.  It  is  under  the  charge  of  the  post  treasurer, 
supervised  by  the  post  council. 

The  supply  of  water  is  furnished  from  the  Detroit  River ;  that  for  the  use  of  the  troops  quar- 
tered within  the  fort  is  hauled  in  barrels  from  the  dock,  which  extends  into  the  river  75  or  100  yards. 
The  officers  and  all  others  domiciled  outside  of  the  fortification  formerly  were  supplied  by  a  wind- 
mill, which  worked  irregularly  and  afforded  but  a  meager  supply.  In  the  summer  or  calm  seasons 


118  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

the  wind-mill  ceased  to  be  reliable,  and  in  winter  tlie  supply  from  the  river  is  frequently  cut  off, 
owing  to  the  pipes  freezing  up  where  they  pass  over  the  shallow  margin  of  the  river.  During  the 
summers  of  1868  and  18G9  the  water  supplied  for  the  use  of  the  garrison  was  very  bad,  as  it  was 
taken  from  the  stagnant  margin  of  the  river  where  the  vegetable  growth  and  accumulated  drift  and 
debris  discharged  from  the  city  are  carried  down  by  the  current,  lodged  and  .accumulated  in  im- 
mense quantities,  rendering  the  water  impure  and  injurious  in  its  effects  upon  the  health  of  those 
who  were  obliged  to  use  it. 

The  proximity  of  the  cistern  to  that  part  of  the  interior  of  the  work  wherein  the  privies  and 
cess-pools  have  been  excavated  and  filled  np  from  time  to  time  during  the  last  ten  or  more  years, 
renders  it  most  probable  that  the  water  is  contaminated  in  percolating  through  the  porous  sandy 
soil  impregnated  more  or  less  with  the  drainage  from  the  privies.  The  cistern  should,  correctly 
speaking,  be  denominated  a  well,  as  it  is  not  lined  with  cement,  and  has  the  bottom  open  to  allow 
water  to  ooze  up  through  the  sand.  The  internal  use  of  this  water  is  quickly  followed  by  nausea, 
purging,  and  diarrluea.  Upon  examination  it  is  found  clear  and  free  from  sediment,  but  possessing 
a  disagreeable  saline  or  brackish  taste. 

Upon  my  recommendation  the  use  of  this  cistern  water  has  been  positively  interdicted.  A 
small  old-fashioned  hand  fire-engine  was  furnished  for  the  use  of  the  post  in  the  early  part  of  last 
year,  and  has  been  in  daily  use  in  filling  up  the  water-tank  since  the  wind-mill  was  destroyed  in 
the  autumn.  A  steam  fire-engine  has  recently  been  added  to  the  material  of  the  post. 

The  level  nature  of  the  ground  in  the  vicinity  causes  the  drainage  to  be  defective  in  an  extreme 
degree.  A  system  of  sewerage  is  connected  with  the  interior  of  the  fort,  but  it  is  frequently 
choked  or  disarranged.  Slops,  offal,  rubbish,  and  excreta  of  the  post  were  deposited  in  the  shallow 
water  on  the  river  bank  or  margin  about  300  yards  abore  the  water-pipe  during  the  year  1868.  The 
point  of  discharge  of  the  drain  or  sewer  from  the  fort  bears  this  same  relation,  while  the  sewer 
from  the  officers'  quarters  draining  the  privies  empties  into  the  river  about  50  feet  above  the  mouth 
of  the  pipe  which  carries  water  from  the  river  for  the  use  of  those  quartered  outside  the  main  work. 

During  the  summer  and  autumn  the  men  of  the  command  are  ordered  to  bathe  daily,  and  are 
conducted  to  the  river  at  dusk  by  the  first  sergeants  of  the  companies.  In  winter  there  are  no 
facilities  afforded,  nor  is  there  any  disposition  on  the  part  of  the  men  to  indulge  in  general  ablu- 
tion. 

The  cemetery  is  located  near  the  extreme  southwest  angle  of  the  reserve,  and  is  surrounded 
by  a  neat  picket-fence.  The  area  inclosed  is  150  by  75  feet. 

Instead  of  a  post  garden  the  troops  at  this  station  cultivate  company  gardens.  The  amount 
cultivated  consists  of  a  piece  of  rich,  loamy  soil,  measuring  1,100  by  140  feet.  The  hospital  garden 
contains  250  feet  by  100  feet.  That  set  apart  as  an  officers'  garden  has  an  area  of  400  feet  by  100 
feet.  They  are  cultivated  by  details  from  the  command,  and  yield  an  abundance  of  almost  all 
varieties  of  table  vegetables. 

The  rations  procured  through  the  post  commissary  have  been  abundant,  and  are  generally  of 
good  quality,  with  occasional  exceptions,  owing  to  meat  or  flour  contractors  endeavoring  to  furnish 
articles  inferior  in  quality  to  that  called  for  by  their  contracts.  Eggs,  milk,  butter,  chickens,  and 
all  varieties  of  fruits  and  vegetables  are  abundant  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post. 

The  clothing  issued  for  the  use  of  the  troops,  especially  that  furnished  to  the  infantry,  is  very 
inferior  in  quality  when  compared  with  that  in  use  some  few  years  ago.  The  artillery  clothing 
has  been  of  fair  average  quality,  and  much  better  than  that  supplied  for  the  foot  soldiers.  In  any 
of  the  infantry  companies  it  would  be  a  difficult  matter  to  find  the  clothes  of  any  two  men  alike  in 
color,  texture,  or  finish.  While  the  uniform  is  inferior  in  quality,  it  is,  to  the  soldier  who  is  obliged 
to  purchase  it  nolens  volf.nn,  quite  expensive,  costing  much  more  than  similar  articles  sell  for  when 
sold  by  private  parties. 

The  medical  supplies  are  obtained  from  the  purveying  depot  in  New  York  City,  and  are 
received  in  good  condition. 

From  the  physical  and  geological  peculiarities  of  the  military  reserve  and  the  neighboring  coun- 
try, it  will  be  readily  inferred  that  fever  of  a  malarial  type  usually  constitute  a  large  proportion  of 
the  sickness  prevalent  among  the  troops  at  this  station.  The  number  of  cases  of  intermittent  fever 


FOKT  WAYNE,  DETROIT,  MICHIGAN.  119 

during  the  year  1868  was  228 — 164  of  the  quotidian  typo,  and  64  of  the  tertian  variety.  More  than 
three-fourths  of  the  cases  took  place  during  the  last  six  mouths  of  the  year.  The  malady  became 
epidemic  toward  the  latter  part  of  July,  and  continued  to  make  serious  inroads  on  the  strength  of 
the  command  until  the  month  of  November.  It  attacked  all  classes,  young  and  old,  male  and 
female,  and  the  robust  as  well  as  the  weak  and  feeble.  In  some  few  cases  the  fever  assumed  quite 
a  severe  type.  Three  young  children  and  an  adult  female  had  the  disease  ushered  in  by  violent 
convulsions.  The  prevalence  of  diarrhoea  during  the  summer  and  autumn  months  was  doubtless 
owing,  in  a  great  degree,  to  the  causes  that  gave  rise  to  the  malarial  fevers.  Malarial  emanations 
from  the  contiguous  and  surrounding  paludal  and  marshy  grounds;  the  deleterious  effects  produced 
by  the  use  of  impure  water,  and  injurious  consequences  resulting  from  the  constant  upturning  of 
extensive  portions  of  the  subsoil  of  the  reservation  in  grading  and  finishing  the  ditches  and  glacis 
of  the  fortifications,  were  the  fruitful  sources  engendering  the  element  that  produced  the  diseases 
having  their  origin  in  miasmatic  poison.  In  the  treatment  of  the  fever  it  was  frequently  necessary 
to  administer  a  mild  mercurial,  following  it  with  a  cathartic,  in  order  that  the  liver  and  intestines 
should  throw  off  their  torpor  and  resume  their  normal  functions.  Afterward  sulphate  of  quinine, 
in  ten  to  twenty-grain  doses,  was  given  at  bedtime.  In  many  cases  the  quinine  failed  to  break  up 
the  recurrent  paroxysms.  Relapses  were  frequent.  Suspecting  that  the  quinine,  sulphate  of  qui- 
nine, and  quinedia,  was  not  a  pure  and  reliable  article,  it  was  determined  to  try  other  remedies. 
With  this  view  twenty-four  cases  were  treated  with  chloride  of  sodium  in  drachm  doses,  given 
every  hour  during  the  period  of  intermission,  for  four  consecutive  hours  before  the  expected  par- 
oxysms. The  disease  yielded  readily  to  this  remedy,  and  but  few  of  the  cases  required  more  than 
one  or  two  days'  treatment  with  this  cheap  but  very  reliable  anti-periodic.  Seven  of  the  cases  had 
septenary  relapses.  Fourteen  cases  were  treated  with  "cedron  bean,"  of  which  live  had  relapses. 

Some  two  years  ago  Lieutenant  A.  M.  llaphall,  United  States  Army,  while  attached  to  the 
United  States  legation  at  Bogota,  Colombia,  received  from  some  of  the  natives  of  that  country 
specimens  of  bean  which  was  reputed  by  them  to  be  not  only  a  "remedia"  for  calmtura,  i.  e., 
levers  of  a  periodical  type,  but  believed  to  possess,  when  carried  about  the  person,  preventive  or 
prophylactic  powers  in  warding  off  attacks  of  disease  of  this  nature.  The  beau  consisted  of  a  large 
nut,  resembling  in  size  and  form  a  butternut.  In  its  dried  state,  the  only  form  in  which  I  have 
seen  it,  the  bean  consists  of  a  thick  porous  epicarp,  within  which  are  contained  two  oblong  beans 
or  kernels  of  a  yellowish  gray  color,  and  weighing  from  one  to  two  drachms  each.  In  color  and 
fracture  they  bear  some  resemblance  to  a  piece  of  rhubarb.  To  the  taste  it  is  bitter,  but  not  other- 
wise disagreeable.  When  the  disease  was  at  its  height  Lieutenant  Raphall  informed  me  of  the 
reputation  of  this  remedy,  and  kindly  placed  at  my  disposal  three  or  four  of  the  beans,  the  efficacy 
of  which  I  at  once  proceeded  to  test.  Learning  from  him  that  the  inhabitants  of  Bogota  and 
Panama  took,  as  a  dose,  a  portion  "  sufficient  to  cover  a  five-cent  piece,"  I  prescribed  the  powdered 
bean  in  five-grain  doses,  given  morning  and  evening,  and  was  greatly  gratified  to  find  in  it  another 
efficacious  and  reliable  remedy  in  the  treatment  of  intermittent  fevers.  It  requires  only  from  ten 
to  thirty  grains  to  break  up  an  attack.  In  its  action  it  was  entirely  free  from  any  of  the  disagree- 
able effects  of  quinine.  The  relapses  were  fewer  than  when  the  disease  was  treated  with  chloride 
of  sodium  or  sulphate  of  quinine.  The  limited  quantity  in  my  possession  prevented  me  testing  its 
efficacy  any  further,  or  varying  its  mode  of  administration.  1  have  no  hesitancy  in  pronouncing 
it  a  valuable  anti-periodic,  and  doubt  not  that  future  experiments  will  demonstrate  the  existence 
of  a  powerful  and  valuable  vegetable  alkaloid  which,  in  all  probability,  will  prove  at  least  equal, 
if  not  superior  as  a  remedy,  to  the  preparations  obtained  from  Peruvian  bark.  I  regret  my  ina- 
bility to  indicate  the  botanical  history  or  character  of  the  tree  or  shrub  from  which  the  "cedrou 
bean"  is  obtained,  further  than  that  "it  is  the  drupe  and  seed  of  Simaba  cedron,  a  tree  botanic-ally 
allied  to  the  Quassia  excelsa  and  Q.  amara.n  It  is  used  as  an  antidote  to  the  poison  of  venomous 
reptiles,  being  given  internally  and  applied  to  the  wound. 


120 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  *fcfc,  and  principal   diseases  at  Fort  Wayne,  Michigan, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


1 

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X 

ifl 

Years. 

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X 

19 

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Q 

a 
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P 

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(X 

0 

1 

1868 

338.  75 

751 

2 

228 

118 

47 

66 

25 

1 

47 

2 

1869              .     . 

330.58 

612 

1 

264 

7C 

25 

75 

29 

2 

36 

1 

IiK-hult!  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  aiitl  pleurisy. 


FORT  GRATIOT,  PORT  HURON,  MICHIGAN. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  M.  K.  TAYLOR,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Gratiot  is  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the  St.  Clair  River,  about  1,300  feet  south  of  the 
forty-third  parallel,  in  longitude  82°  24'  west.  The  distance  from  the  fort  to  the  light-house,  at  the 
foot  of  Lake  Huron,  is  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  and  the  general  direction  north-northeast.  Ele- 
vation above  the  sea  598,  and  above  the  lake  20  feet.  North  of  the  post,  and  adjoining  the  reser- 
vation, is  the  little  village  of  Gratiot,  containing  two  or  three  hundred  inhabitants.  Port  Huron  is 
south  of  the  post,  and  one  mile  distant.  The  Detroit  branch  of  the  Grand  Trunk  railroad  passes 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  post. 

The  early  military  history  of  the  posts  along  the  northern  frontier  is  inseparably  connected 
with  the  history  of  the  discovery  and  early  settlement  of  the  same  region.  As  is  well  known  the 
French  were  the  explorers  and  subsequent  occupants,  and  they  brought  with  them  the  habits  and 
national  traits  peculiar  to  that  people. 

In  a  military  point  of  view  the  geographical  importance  of  this  post  was  very  early  appreciated. 
The  site  was  first  occupied  by  a  fortified  trading  post,  which  was.  in  1(586,  taken  possession  of  by 
M.  Du  Shut,  then  commanding  at  Mackinac,  under  instructions  from  the  French  governor  general, 
Count  Frontenac.  The  English  were  making  strenuous  efforts  to  connect  their  interests  on  Hud- 
son Bay  with  those  of  New  York,  and  thereby  hem  in  the  French,  looking  ultimately  to  their 
entire  extinguishment  along  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  occupation  of  this  post,  therefore,  had  a  double 
purpose;  one  to  thwart  the  English  schemes,  and  the  other,  say  the  instructions,  "to  protect  our 
savages  who  may  go  to  the  chase,  and  serve  them  as  an  asylum  against  their  enemies." 

In  1701  the  post  was  abandoned  for  the  establishment  of  a  fort  at  Detroit.  This  point  was 
occupied  again,  however,  as  a  military  station  in  1763,  when  the  English  began  to  make  permanent 
settlements  in  the  country. 

In  1807,  soon  after  General  Hull  became  governor  of  the  territory,  the  post  was  occupied  by 
the  forces  at  his  command,  and  immediately  after  the  surrender  of  the  English  forces  to  General 
Harrison,  in  1813,  at  Detroit,  the  post  was  again  without  military  occupation ;  but  in  May,  1814,  a 
party  arrived  from  Detroit,  consisting  of  Major  Forsyth,  Captain  Gratiot,  and  Captain  Cobb,  with 
a  detachment  of  about  40  men,  with  instructions  from  General  Harrison  to  locate  the  post  and 
erect  works.  The  fort  thus  established  was  rebuilt  in  1828  upon  the  present  plan. 

"  The  lake  and  river  shore  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  fort,"  says  Assistant  Surgeon  Motte, 
"  is  a  low,  gravelly  ridge,  extending  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  margin  of  the  lake,  when 
the  ground  suddenly  rises  to  the  height  of  25  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  lake,  and  retains  this  ele- 
vation, with  little  variation,  to  near  the  shores  of  Black  River.  This  elevated  ground  gradually 
approximates  the  St.  Clair  toward  the  fort,  and,  a  few  rods  below,  it  becomes  a  perpendicular 
bluff  in  immediate  contact  with  the  water." 

This  geological  section  belongs  to  the  upper  portion  of  the  devonian  group.    The  subcarbon- 


FORT  GRATIOT,  PORT  HURON,  MICHIGAN.  121 

iferous  system  outcrops  about  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  west  of  this;  while  upon  the  Canadian  side  of 
the  St.  Clair  River,  the  boundaries  of  the  oil-hearing  strata  underlying  this  section  are  defined  by 
the  outcrops  in  the  vicinity  of  Petrolia,  Knniskillen,  and  l.othwell.  The  general  dip  of  the  several 
strata  is  to  the  westward,  beneath  the  great  coal  basin  in  the  central  portions] of  this  State.  The 
peculiar  situation  of  this  region  has  led  many  to  believe  that  petroleum  oil  might  be  obtained  by 
boring  to  the  depth  of  a  few  hundred  feet,  as  the  geological  stratilications  have  been  little  disturbed 
by  the  upheavals  between  this  and  the  oil-bearing  regions  of  Canada.  The  result  of  explorations, 
though  not  favorable  to  the  capitalists  engaged  in  them,  gave  a  very  complete  knowledge  of  the 
underlying  formations,  which  may  be  made  of  some  practical  value. 

All  the  wells  sunk  in  the  vicinity  pass  through  the  following  formations  from  above  down- 
ward: 1.  Soil  and  yellow  sand,  8  to  12  feet;  2.  Compact  blue  clay,  85  to  100  feet;  3.  Vein  of 
coarse  sand  and  gravel,  1  to  10  feet;  4.  Limestone  shale,  intercalated  with  thin  veins  of  sand 
.  and  gravel,  875  feet;  making  a  total  depth  of  about  1,000  feet.  Immediately  beneath  the  strata  of 
blue  clay  immense  quantities  of  gas  have  escaped  in  many  places,  and  continued  to  do  so  even  after 
the  lapse,  of  twenty-live  years ;  and,  at  the  depth  of  two  or  three  feet  in  the  limestone  shales,  pure 
water  has  always  been  obtained,  which  has  risen  in  the  wells  about  to  the  level  of  Lake  Huron,  or 
within  ten  to  twenty  feet  of  the  surface  of  the  earth.  At  the  depth  of  about  500  feet  salt  water  veins 
were  struck,  with  a  supply  and  strength  quite  sufficient  to  warrant  investments  for  the  manufacture 
of  that  commodity.  The  soil  is  mostly  a  sandy  loam,  and  the  proportion  of  marsh  is  small.  Most 
of  the  surrounding  country  is  covered  with  forest.  Among  the  vegetable  productions  are  oak,  elm, 
maple,  ash,  hickory,  black  walnut,  pine,  &c. 

The  physical  peculiarities  of  the  St.  Clair  and  Black  Rivers,  which  form  the  peninsula  on  which 
the  post  is  situated,  are  notewort  hy  in  many  respects.  The  latter  is  formed  chiefly  by  the  superficial 
drainage  of  the  bottom  lands  situated  to  the  west  and  northwest,  the  smaller  tributaries  constitut- 
ing its  origin  arising  in  the  upland  districts  of  the  interior  portions  of  the  State.  Its  course 
through  the  low  districts  is  tortuous,  the  current  sluggish,  the  water  highly  colored  with  decom- 
posing vegetable  matters,  to  the  extent  of  suggesting  its  appropriate  appellation.  In  the  early 
settlement  of  this  region  it  was  navigated  by  small  sail  vessels,  and  later  for  many  years  a  little 
steamer  traversed  its  turbid  waters  for  several  miles  in  the  interior.  Now,  however,  its  surface  is 
nearly  covered  with  the  products  of  the  lumber  trade,  and  millions  of  logs  are  annually  floated  down 
its  current  with  the  spring  freshets,  ultimately  to  be  manufactured  into  lumber  by  the  numerous 
mills  situated  within  a  few  miles  of  its  termination. 

The  St.  Clair  River  presents  many  interesting  features,  alike  as  regards  its  physical 
relations  and  its  connection  with  the  early  settlement  and  military  occupation  of  the  country. 
That  the  stream,  has  undergone  some  very  important  changes  since  the  historic  period  scarcely 
admits  of  doubt.  Tradition  and  the  configuration  of  the  adjacent  country  both  indicate  it. 
According  to  the  Indian  tradition  the  ancient  river  channel  was  fully  a  half  mile  east  of  the 
present,  and  their  canoes  passed  from  Lake  Huron  directly  to  the  head  of  Samia  Bay.  The  river 
was  then  a  broad,  shallow  stream,  fully  four  or  five  times  its  present  width,  and  scarcely  20  feet  in 
depth.  The  changes  effected  are  the  result  of  the  lake  currents  carrying  down  the. sands  along 
the  eastern  shore  until,  approaching  the  outlet,  they  have  gradually  accumulated  and  encroached 
on  the  river,  thus  forcing  the  stream  into  a  narrower  channel  to  the  westward,  with  a  corresponding 
increase  of  the  rapidity  of  the  current,  and  a  final  excavation  of  the  clay  bottom  to  its  present 
depth  of  about  65  feet.  Within  the  past  ten  years,  and  since  the  time  Captain  (now  General) 
Meade  made  the  survey,  the  shore  has  receded  fully  100  feet,  and  nearly  as  much  of  an  accretion 
has  taken  place  on  the  Canada  side.  In  confirmation  of  the  view  that  the  channel  has  become 
narrower,  is  the  statement  of  Major  Rogers,  of  the  British  army,  the,  officer  who  took  possession 
of  the  country  in  1700,  and  who  says  "  the  river  where  it  leaves  Lake  Huron  is  about  500  yards 
wide,"  a  distance  more  than  twice  its  present  width. 

The  officers'  quarters  and  barracks  are  so  situated  as  to  inclose  a  parallelogram  100  feet  wide 
and  1'JI  feet  long,  which  is  used  for  the  parade  ground.  To  the  rear  of  the  buildings  is  a  pasture 
field,  and  to  the  south,  between  the  buildings  and  the  railroad,  is  the  post  garden.  The  field  south 
of  the  railroad  is  the  drill  ground,  and  is  also  occupied  by  the  Port  Huron  Driving  Park  Associa- 
tion as  a  race-course. 
16 


122  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  buildings  occupied  by  the  enlisted  meii  as  dormitories  are  two  in  number,  and  built  of 
wood.  The  size  of  each  is  as  follows :  Of  the  main  building  at  the  north  end  of  the  parade  ground, 
100  by  30  feet,  and  10  feet  between  floor  and  ceiling ;  of  the  detached  building,  40  by  30  feet,  and 
10  feet  between  floor  and  ceiling.  On  the  east  end  of  the  main  building  13  feet  are  taken  off  and 
divided  into  two  apartments  for  the  use  of  the  first  sergeants.  This  leaves  the  dormitory  space 
occupied  by  the  companies  as  follows :  One  87  by  28i  by  10  feet,  and  one  40  by  30  by  10  feet,  to 
be  occupied  by  145  men,  the  present  strength,  or  au  allowance  to  each  of  about  254  cubic  feet  of 
space.  In  the  main  building  the  men  are  furnished  with  old-fashioned  bunks,  with  two  tiers  of 
beds,  each  to  accommodate  two  men.  These  bunks  are  about  4£  feet  wide  and  Oi  feet  long,  and  are 
occupied  by  four  persons,  and  are  placed  so  closely  together  as  to  allow  room  barely  to  get  between 
them. 

lu  the  detached  building  the  men  sleep  on  a  raised  platform  elevated  about  a  foot  and  a  half 
above  the  floor,  slightly  inclined  toward  the  middle  of  the  room,  and  extending  three-fourths . 
round  the  interior  of  the  building.  It  is  needless  to  say  the  barracks  are  over-crowded,  par- 
ticularly so  as  the  windows  are  all  located  upon  the  side  fronting  the  parade  ground,  and 
there  are  no  arrangements  for  ventilation  through  the  roof.  In  consequence  of  this,  the  men 
situated  at  the  backside  of  the  room  get  no  air  except  that  which  has  first  traversed  the  bedding 
and  persons  intervening,  of  an  almost  unbroken  line  of  sleepers.  The  barracks  are  warmed  by 
wood  stoves,  and  lighted  at  night  by  kerosene  lamps. 

The  allowance  of  air  space  recommended  by  the  English  surgeons  for  each  man  in  quarters  is 
COO  cubic  feet,  and  the  regulations  of  the  military  authorities  have  fixed  the  average  at  450  feet.  In 
the  place  of  those  bunks  so  common  in  the  American  army,  they  have  adopted  iron  cots  for  one  man 
only,  with  the  heads  of  the  iron  frames  fastened  to  the  building,  and  so  made  as  to  be  turned  up  during 
the  day  against  the  wall,  and  by  an  additional  device  the  cots  form  seats  for  the  men.  As  for 
bedding,  each  man  is  allowed  an  iron  bedstead,  a  rug,  a  paillasse,  a  bolster,  two  blankets,  and  two 
sheets.  I  must  believe  that  the  addition  of  these  sheets  to  the  allowance  of  enlisted  men  when  in 
quarters  is  a  necessity  to  their  health  and  comfort,  as  it  admits  of  more  personal  cleanliness,  and 
by  the  greater  facility  with  which  such  articles  are  washed  contributing  to  the  improvement  of 
the  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  dormitories. 

Men  sleep  in  their  drawers  from  the  first  to  the  last  of  the  week,  and  sometimes  from  two  to 
three  weeks  together,  and  the  blankets  are  rarely  washed  every  quarter  of  a  year.  What  must  be 
the  effect  of  the  necessary  accumulations  of  the  absorbed  effluvia  of  the  body  by  these  woolen 
fabrics,  particularly  in  close  quarters  and  in  warm  weather,  is  not  difficult  to  imagine.  I  believe 
the  government  will  ultimately  see  the  necessity  of  some  refo  'inatory  measures  in  this  direction, 
and  will  feel  constrained  to  adopt  them. 

The  kitchen  in  rear  of  the  main  barrack  is  well  arranged,  and  of  sufficient  size  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  one  company  for  cooking  purposes.  The  mess-room  and  kitchen  of  the  other 
company  are  very  insufficient,  being  only  30  by  16  feet,  and  entirely  unfinished  on  the  inside.  The 
kitchen  is  separated  from  the  mess-room  by  a  thin  board  partition.  The  table-room  is  only  suffi- 
cient to  allow  of  seating  about  one-third  of  the  company  at  once.  It  is  therefore  impracticable  to 
serve  the  food  of  the  men  as  it  should  be,  and  some  complaints  have  been  made  in  consequence. 

Married  soldiers'  quarters  within  the  garrison  grounds  are  mere  huts,  but  a  building  below  the 
railroad  is  used  for  some  families,  where  the  rooms  are  more  comfortable. 

The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  one  building  for  the  commanding  officer,  and  four  for  the  line 
and  staff  officers,  arranged  to  accommodate  two  families  each. 

Shallow  wells  have  been  sunk  on  the  reservation,  and  are  readily  filled  with  surface  water 
to  within  four  or  five  feet  of  the  top,  and  afford  a  moderate  supply  of  very  inferior  quality, 
suitable  only  for  the  use  of  public  animals  and  general  police.  One  well  has  been  sunk  a  few 
feet  in  rear  of  the  hospital  building,  and  another  in  rear  of  the  adjutant's  office.  The  water  in 
the  first  is  not  used  for  any  purpose ;  while  that  of  the  latter,  which  is  several  feet  deeper,  is  used 
for  general  police  purposes  and  for  the  government  horses.  At  the  foot  of  the  bluff  there  are 
several  places  where  small  springs  appear.  The  water  supply  of  the  post  is  very  deficient  as  to 
quantity  and  quality.  The  present  arrangements  are  as  follows:  A  moderate  supply  of  cistern 
water  to  most  of  the.  officers'  quarters — the  wells  before  alluded  to — and  a  very  limited  quantity  of 


FORT  GRATIOT,  PORT  HURON,  MICHIGAN. 


123 


lake  water  obtained  by  a  penstock  connecting  with  the  reservoir  of  the  Grand  Trunk  machine 
shop.  The  cistern  water  at  most  of  the  officers'  quarters  is  sufficient  for  all  the  ordinary  purposes 
of  domestic  use,  and  if  a  filtering  apparatus  were  constructed,  would  do  well  for  drinking  pur- 
poses, though  it  is  generally  colored  either  by  the  dropping  foliage  of  the  surrounding:  trees,  or  by 
collections  on  the  roofs  of  the  buildings  of  the  soot,  dirt,  and  other  matters  thrown  out  by  the 
passing  locomotives.  The  total  amount  of  all  the  cisterns  would  be  soon  exhausted  in  the  event 
of  a  conflagration  of  any  magnitude  breaking  out  in  the  garrison  buildings.  The  supply  from  the 
reservoir  of  the  Grand  Trunk  railroad  is  very  limited,  and  often  entirely  cut  oft'.  The  height  of  the 
reservoir  is  barely  above  the  surface  of  the  parade  grounds,  and  to  take  advantage  of  this  supply 
a  depression  has  to  be  made  in  the  earth,  so  as  to  secure  even  a  moderate  flow.  The  penstock  is 
tapped  near  the  magazine  for  the  purpose  of  affording  the  enlisted  men  drinking-water,  but,  like 
the  supply  to  the  officers,  the  flow  is  often  stopped  when  the  head  is  exhausted  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  the  railroad.  In  a  word,  therefore,  the  supply  of  wholesome  water  for  the  post  is  very 
short,  and  better  accommodations  in  this  respect  are  greatly  needed. 

The  natural  drainage  of  the  post  is  by  no  means  what  a  casual  inspection  of  the  situation  ' 
would  lead  one  to  expect.    The  superficial  deposits  of  soil,  with  the  substratum  of  fine  sand  inter- 
mixed with  a  small  proportion  of  clay,  render  percolation  down  to  the  thin  layer  of  coarse  sand  and 
gravel  immediately  overlying  the  clay  beds  exceedingly  slow;  hence,  when  the  surface  drainage  is 
not  good,  the  water,  after  heavy  rains,  will  remain  in  pools  for  several  days. 

The  surface  of  the  surrounding  country  is  quite  level  and  the  drainage  very  bad.  Public  and 
private  enterprise  has  done  something  to  reclaim  the  lands  and  render  them  tillable,  but  not  a 
moiety  has  been  accomplished  as  yet,  compared  with  what  is  absolutely  needed.  The  effect  of  this 
condition  upon  the  general  healthfulness  of  the  region  is  seen  iu  the  character  of  the  prevalent 
diseases  and  the  mortality  of  the  inhabitants. 

The  general  character  of  the  diseases  of  this  section  may  be  inferred  in  part  from  what  has 
been  said  in  relation  to  the  medical  topography  and  drainage.  A  clearer  understanding  of  its 
salubrity  may  be  obtained,  however,  by  an  examination  of  the  mortuary  records  of  the  city  of 
Port  Huron  for  the  last  ten  years,  whence  it  appears  that  the  average  mortality  "for  that  city  is  at 
the  rate  per  annum  of  one  in  every  sixty  of  its  inhabitants.  This  is  a  greater  death  rate  than  the 
average  of  the  whole  State,  the  latter  being  one  in  sixty-eight.  The  diseases  are  chiefly  those  of 
a  malarial  "origin,  embracing  remittent,  intermittent,  and  typho-malarial  fevers,  and  along  the 
lake  and  river,  pulmonary  diseases,  often  complicated  with  malarial  manifestations.  Rheumatism 
for  the  last  year  has  been  quite  prevalent  in  its  milder  forms,  chiefly  in  consequence  of  the 
extreme  variability  of  the  seasons.  From  observations,  it  would  appear  that  typhoid  fever,  in  the 
restricted  sense  of  this  term,  is  of  very  rare  occurrence,  nearly  all  diseases  approaching  this  condi- 
tion assuming  the  typho-malarial  form. 

Statement  slwwing  menu  strength,  number  of  sick,  andprincipal  diseases  at  Fort  Gratiot,  Mich  if/an,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

i 

! 

• 

1 
* 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Typhoid  fever. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Diphtheria. 

Epidemic  ca- 
tarrh. 

Venereal  dis- 
eases. 

Rheumatism. 

Catarrlial  af- 
fecSonB.* 

33 

1 

9 

rd 

<M 

O 

I 

1868 

54.66 

102 

2 

45 

6 

1 

1 

2 

3 

8 

10 

2 

1869 

115.  08 

320 

3 

113 

24 

11 

3 

16 

33 

25 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


124  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT  BRADY,  MICHIGAN. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON   M.  K.  TAYLOR,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Brady  is  situated  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  Snult  Ste.  Marie,  Michigan,  in  latitude 
46°  30'  north,  longitude  84°  43'  west;  altitude  COO  feet. 

The  military  history  of  this  post  extends  back  to  1750,  at  which  time  the  French  claimed 
jurisdiction  over  all  the  territory  north  of  the  Ohio,  and  sought  to  establish  posts  at  the  more 
important  places,  for  the  purpose  of  controlling  the  trade  of  the  lakes,  and  excluding  the  English 
as  far  as  possible  from  obtaining  a  foothold  on  Lake  Superior,  as  well  as  to  establish  a  depot  of 
supplies  and  afford  protection  to  the  traders. 

The  Marquis  de  la  Jonquiere,  Lieutenant  Governor  General  of  "New  France,"  as  Canada  was 
then  called,  on  the  18th  of  October  granted  the  Chevalier  De  Repentigny,  an  ensign  in  the  Cana- 
dian troops,  and  Sieur  De  Benne,  captain  of  a  Condi  regiment,  six  leagues  of  laud  fronting  on  the 
Ste.  Marie  River,  and  extending  six  leagues  deep  as  a  "  seigniory,"  with  the  condition  that  they 
should  take  immediate  possession,  establish  a  fort,  cultivate  the  soil,  and  raise  stock  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  French  element  then  trading  along  the  lakes.  A  short  time  previously,  however,  a 
small  fort  had  been  established,  and  Repentigny  had  been  in  command;  but  it  seems  to  have  been 
only  a  temporary  arrangement.  Under  the  authority  and  orders  following  the  grant,  that  officer 
proceeded  to  the  post  with  a  small  body  of  French  troops,  and  built  a  stockade  a  little  east  of  the 
present  stables  and  out-house,  a  portion  of  the  inclosure  extending  within  the  old  boundary  of 
Fort  Brady.  The  French  held  possession  until  1762,  after  the  fall  of  Quebec,  when  the  command- 
ant or  governor,  as  he  was  called,  hastily  departed,  and  left  the  post  in  charge  of  Jean  Baptiste 
Cadotte,a  trader  and  voyageur  in  the  employ  of  De  Repentigny.  In  the  course  of  the  same  season 
a  small  detachment  of  British  troops,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Jenette,  arrived.  On 
December  22d  following  the  post  was  burned,  and  the  English  seem  to  have  held  only  nominal 
possession  until  1802,  when  another  small  force  was  sent  to  occupy  it.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  how- 
ever, from  the  abandonment  of  the  post  by  De  Repentigny  until  many  years  thereafter,  it  was 
under  the  control  of  Cadotte  and  the  French  Indian  element.  At  the  time  of  the  massacre  of 
Mackinac,  during  the  Pontiac  war,  this  was  the  headquarters  of  the  Indian  forces  engaged.  From 
the  reoccupation  by  the  English  in  1802  until  1820,  only  a  small  force  was  present,  probably  as  a 
mere  exhibition  of  military  possession  for  the  purpose  of  protecting  the  traders. 

In  1820  the  late  General  Lewis  Cass,  then  Indian  agent  for  the  northwest  Indians,  made  a  trip 
around  the  lakes,  visiting  the  shores  of  Lake  Superior  and  afterwards  of  Lake  Michigan,  going  as 
far  as  Chicago,  and  when  he  landed  at  this  place  on  his  voyage  up,  the  British  flag  was  flying  at 
the  head  of  the  rapids,  near  the  termination  of  the  canal.  He  proceeded  in  person  to  haul  it  down 
and  raise  his  own  in  its  place.  There  were  nearly  two  thousand  native  and  French  residents 
whose  sympathies  were  intensely  Canadian,  and  consequently  this  act  of  his  so  enraged  them  that 
they  were  on  the  point  of  attacking  him  at  once.  Through  the  intervention  of  a  few  of  the  Eng- 
lish half-breeds  the  Indians  were  quieted,  and  the  general  allowed  to  go  in  peace.  On  his  return, 
however,  from  his  voyage  around  Lake  Superior,  General  Cass  concluded  a  treaty  with  the  Chip 
pewas  on  June  20, 1820,  for  the  purchase  of  sixteen  square  miles  of  land,  with  a  river  front  extend 
ing  from  a  large  rock  near  the  national  boundary  above  the  falls,  to  the  Little  Rapids,  at  the  head 
of  Sugar  Island,  the  Indians  reserving  the  right  to  fish  undisturbed.  This  purchase  constituted 
the  original  military  district.  Its  boundary  was  about  three  and  a  half  miles  along  the  river,  by 
four  and  one-third  miles  deep.  This  rock  still  remains  as  one  of  the  leading  peculiarities  on  Ash- 
man's Bay,  being  a  large  boulder  lying  in  shoal  water  about  twenty  rods  from  the  ship  channel, 
entering  the  upper  end  of  the  canal.  In  1822  the  government  of  the  United  States  determined 
upon  its  permanent  occupancy,  and  accordingly  General  Brady  was  directed  to  proceed,  in  the 
autumn  of  that  year,  to  this  place  with  six  companies  of  infantry,  and  erect  a  stockade  and  build- 
ings. The  present  hospital  and  bakery,  the  first  of  which  was  built  for  officers'  quarters,  and  the 
latter  for  a  guard-house,  are  all  that  are  left  of  the  structures  then  erected.  The  old  stockade  and 


FOET  BRADY,  MICHIGAN.  125 

buildings  remained  until  186C,  when  they  were  so  dilapidated  that  it  was  determined  to  enlarge 
the  garrison  grounds  and  to  erect  new  buildings. 

The  occupation  of  the  post  by  troops  has  been  interrupted  in  two  instances.  The  first  was 
during  the  Mexican  war  when,  at  the  outbreak  of  hostilities,  the  regular  troops  were  withdrawn 
and  replaced  by  a  company  of  the  first  regiment  of  Michigan  volunteers,  under  Lieutenant  E.  K. 
Howard,  who  remained  here  until  the  spring  of  1848.  These  troops  constituted  part  of  an  organi- 
zation specially  mustered  into  the  government  service  for  this  purpose.  From  that  time  until  the 
1st  of  June,  1849,  the  post  was  unoccupied  by  troops.  The  second  instance  occurred  in  conse- 
quence of  threatened  hostilities  in  Minnesota,  in  1857,  when  the  troops  were  transferred  to  Fort 
Snelling,  and  the  public  property  turned  over  to  the  custody  of  an  ordnance  sergeant.  It  remained 
unoccupied  until  May  8,  1866,  when  Company  D,  Fourth  United  States  Infantry  arrived,  from 
which  time  to  the  present,  one  or  two  companies  have  been  on  duty. 

The  boundaries  of  the  reservation  have  been  a  source  of  much  trouble  from  the  beginning,  but 
more  particularly  was  this  the  case  when  attention  was  drawn  to  the  mineral  wealth  of  the  country 
west,  with  corresponding  commercial  activity  along  the  lakes  and  enhanced  value  of  the  lands. 
Conflicting  titles,  growing  out  of  long  previous  occupation  or  pre-emption,  unsettled  every  one  in 
his  possessions,  and  from  this  annoyance  the  post  was  not  exempt.  To  determine,  therefore,  what 
was  necessary  for  military  purposes,  and  should  be  permanently  reserved,  as  well  as  to  determine 
the  titles  to  the  lands,  Congress  passed  an  act,  dated  September  26,  1850,  authorizing  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  commission  to  adjudicate  claims  and  for  making  an  authoritative  survey  of  boundaries. 
Under  this  act,  Lieutenant  Wescott,  United  States  Army,  was  detailed  to  survey  the  tract  reserved 
for  the  occupation  of  the  garrison.  Since  then  various  encroachments  have  been  made  under 
different  pretexts,  until  now  it  appears  likely  that  the  military  are  to  be  dispossessed  of  fully  one- 
half  of  the  ground  really  needed  for  culture  in  raising  vegetables  for  the  use  of  the  post. 

Fort  Brady  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  St.  Mary's  River,  six  miles  from  Lake  Superior, 
and  at  an  elevation  ranging  from  33  feet  to  26  feet.  The  eastern  portion  of  the  garrison  grounds 
slopes  gently  to  the  river,  but  that  between  the  commanding  officer's  quarters  and  the  river  forms 
an  abrupt  bluff  of  about  26  feet  in  height.  To  the  rear  of  the  garrison  inclosure,  at  a  distance  of 
400  feet,  there  is  a  boulder  ridge  ranging  from  30  to  34  feet  above  the  surface  «f  the  river  in  front, 
which  is  the  dividing  elevation  between  the  river  slope  on  the  one  hand  and  the  watershed  to  the 
creek  in  the  swamp  on  the  other.  This  boulder  ridge  extends  from  the  head  of  the  rapids  to  ]  lax- 
Lake,  a  distance  of  four  miles,  and  constitutes  what  may  be  called  the  second  terrace.  Back  of 
this  ridge,  ranging  from  a  third  of  a  mile  wide  at  the  head  of  the  rapids  to  a  mile  and  a  half  at 
the  head  of  Hay  Lake,  there  is  a  slight  depression  of  three  to  five  feet,  the  surface  of  which  is  wet 
and  known  as  the  "  Swam]),''  through  which  runs  a  small  stream  most  of  the  year.  In  dry  weather 
in  summer,  and  when  the  lake  above  is  at  loxv  water,  this  stream  may  be  dry,  but  in  high  water  of 
Lake  Superior,  with  strong  winds  from  the  north  or  northwest,  water  will  floxv  from  Ashman's 
Bay  at  the  head  of  the  rapids  through  this  little  stream  to  Hay  Lake  ,probably  falling  about  2'2 
feet  in  four  miles.  Back  of  this  swamp  are  the  highlands,  at  an  elevation  of  from  100  to  150  feet 
above  Lake  Superior.  On  the  Canadian  shore,  at  a  distance  of  from  six  to  ten  miles,  there  are 
high  lands  ranging  from  400  to  600  feet  above  Lake  Superior,  and  on  Sugar  Island,  in  St.  Mary's 
River,  the  elevation  in  the  central  portion  attains  to  300  or  400  feet. 

All  the  swampland  situated  between  the  hills  on  the  river, from  the  head  of  the  Portage, as  it 
is  called,  to  Hay  Lake  is  susceptible  of  cultivation  if  properly  drained,  and  would  unquestionably 
be  very  productive;  but  as  it  is  now  the  line  of  cultivation  does  not  extend  beyond  the  boulder 
ridge  except  for  a  short  distance  along  the  Mackinac  road.  The  swamp  is  densely  covered  with 
conifercc  and  thick  beds  of  moss,  which  hold  water  like  a  sponge,  almost  from  one  year  to  another. 

The  St.  Mary's  River  properly  commences  at "  Pointe  aux  Pins,"  six  miles  above  the  falls,  where 
the  river  leaves  the  lake  at  a  right  angle  with  the  general  trend  of  its  shores.  From  its  commence- 
ment to  the  head  of  the  rapids  its  current  is  moderate,  but  gradually  accelerating  until  reaching 
the  falls,  the  waters  plunge  tumultuously  over  the  rocks  on  a  declivity  of  18  feet  in  three-quarters 
•  if  a  mile. 

The  quantity  of  water  discharged,  according  to  Lieutenant  Henry,  United  States  Army,  is 
about  200,000  cubic  yards  per  minute.  The  greatest  depth  on  the  rapids  does  not  exceed  eight  feet, 


126  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

and  tliis  only  for  a  channel  a  few  hundred  feet  in  width.  On  either  side  of  the  channel  the  water 
is  very  shallow,  being  rarely  more  than  three  feet  at  ordinary  stages,  except  in  the  pools.  Below 
the  falls  the  river  has  variable  depths  of  from  16  to  100  feet.  In  the  middle  of  the  stream  on  the 
rapids,  and  below  for  nearly  a  mile,  the  water  is  about  two  feet  higher  than  it  is  on  either  shore,  so 
that  the  surface  presents  a  divided  convexity. 

The  geological  peculiarities  of  this  vicinity  belong  to  the  lower  Silurian  system,  but  geologists 
differ  as  to  the  proper  place  of  the  out-cropping  rocks.  Exposed  on  the  rapids  and  barely  covered 
by  the  soil,  for  some  two  hundred  yards  on  the  American  side,  a  ferruginous  sandrock  appears, 
varying  in  color  from  a  light  fawn  to  a  dark  red.  According  to  American  geologists,  among  whom 
may  be  mentioned  Professor  Hall,  of  New  York,  and  Winchell,  of  the  University  of -Michigan,  and 
Messrs.  Foster  and  Whitney,  United  States  geologists,  these  rocks  belong  to  the  lowest  in  the  silu- 
riau  system,  namely,  the  Potsdam  sandstone,  and  until  quite  recently  this  has  been  accepted  as 
satisfactory.  The  Canadian  geologists,  however,  have  classified  them  as  belonging  to  the  chazy 
system,  or  the  second  in  the  series  above  the  Potsdam,  which  involves  a  corresponding  correction, 
as  Sir  W.  E.  Logan  says,  of  the  whole  geological  classification  of  the  upper  peninsula.  These  rocks 
are  nearly  destitute  of  fossils,  and  hence  the  difference  in  opinion  in  relation  to  their  position.  No 
fossils  have  been  found  in  this  immediate  vicinity,  but  on  Laquamenon  Bay,  where  the  rocks  again 
appear,  one  species  of  lingula  was  seen  by  Dr.  Hall,  and  the  same  was  found  by  Sir  W.  E.  Logan 
on  the  Island  of  Lachache,  near  the  Canadian  shore.  In  consequence  of  this  paucity  of  fossils,  and 
from  the  peculiar  relations  of  the  superimposed  rocks  on  the  Canadian  side,  the  latter  bases  his 
opinion;  and  if  this  classification  were  established,  says  the  authority,  "the  copper-bearing  portion 
of  the  Lake  Superior  rocks  might  reasonably  be  considered  to  belong  to  the  calciferous  and  Pots- 
dam formation."  On  the  Canadian  side,  at  a  distance  of  from  three  to  four  miles,  the  laurentian 
system  appears  at  an  elevation  above  the  lake  of  from  300  to  600  feet,  forming  the  metalliferous 
rocks  of  that  region,  the  metals  found  being  chiefly  copper  as  sulphuret,  and  iron  as  hematite, 
with  some  plumbago,  though  not  as  yet  in  such  quantities  as  to  repay  for  investment  in  working 
the  mines.  The  limits  of  the  Potsdam  or  chazy  system  are  denned  by  a  slightly  elevated,  well- 
timbered  ridge,  appearing  about  one-third  of  the  distance  from  here  to  Mackinac.  South  of  this 
ridge  the  Black  River  limestones  appear,  and  as  we  proceed  in  that  direction,  the  other  diluvial 
series,  underlying  the  coal  measures  of  the  lower  peninsula.  It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  the  St. 
Mary's  River  defines  the  boundary  between  the  Canadian  azoic  system  and  the  diluvial  rocks  of 
the  American  side. 

The  special  geology  of  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  post  has  some  interesting  features  in  a 
sanitary  point  of  view.  It  has  been  stated  that  the  sandstones  crop  out  on  the  rapids  and  appear 
on  the  surface  about  500  feet  on  the  American  side,  barely  covered  by  a  light  soil.  This  occurs  to 
the  west  of  the  garrison  inclosure  about  1,500  feet,  and  can  be  traced  to  the  hills  in  the  rear.  It 
forms  the  barrier  to  the  drainage  of  the  great  lake  above,  and  has  resisted  for  ages  the  combined 
disintegrating  action  of  water,  ice,  and  frost  in  maintaining  the  general  level  of  that  vast  inland 
sea.  Superimposed  on  this  are  the  clay  hills  forming  the  table  lands  between  this  and  Mackinac, 
which  are  stratified  in  the  following  order  from  the  surface  downward,  as  appears  by  a  dry  well 
sunk  about  two  miles  from  the  river,  viz:  first,  soil  and  clay,  20  feet;  second,  clay  marls,  5  feet;  third, 
boulders,  10  feet ;  fourth,  gravel,  10  feet ;  fifth,  sandrock,  10  feet — total,  55  feet.  The  rock  in  this 
instance  is  dense  and  very  hard,  light  colored,  and  of  the  same  color  as  that  on  the  rapids.  The 
superficial  strata  of  these  rocks  are  light  colored,  compact,  with  matted  patches  colored  with  oxide 
of  iron,  very  hard  to  work,  and  withstand  the  weather  most  excellently.  Beneath  these  it  readily 
splits  into  thin  layers,  and  there  is  more  oxide  of  iron  mixed  with  its  constituents,  so  that  on  expo- 
sure, it  readily  disintegrates  and  crumbles  into  a  dark  red  sand.  Below,  it  becomes  hard  again, 
has  a  dark  brown  color,  and  is  more  compact.  Within  the  fort  limits  these  several  strata  appear 
as  follows,  from  the  surface  downwards : 

First.  Soil,  fine  sand,  infiltrated  with  a  little  clay  from  one  to  one  and  a  half  feet  thick. 

Second.  A  hard,  compact  ferruginous  stratum,  consisting  of  sand  with  clay  and  iron  cement 
almost  impervious  to  water,  and  difficult  to  disturb,  except  with  a  pick;  depth,  three  inches  to  one 
foot.  This  almost  totally  prevents  the  water  from  percolating  through  to  the  loose  lake  sands  of 


FOBT  BKAUY,  MICHIGAN.  127 

variable  depths  beneath,  and  hence,  wherever  it  is  thickest,  water  stands  until  removed  by  evapor- 
ation, unless  drained  off  by  surface  ditches. 

Third.  White  sand,  loose,  pervious  to  water.  In  the  lower  parts  of  the  garrison  water  may- 
be obtained  in  it  by  sinking  shallow  wells,  except  during  the  dryer  seasons  of  the  year.  It  appears 
to  be  the  natural. under  drainage  of  the  swamp.  Southwest  of  the  officers'  quarters,  near  the  anyle 
of  the  inclosure,  and  also  along  the  Portage  road  in  several  places  where  the  side  ditches  cut  the 
dense  stratum  above,  water  comes  to  the  surface ;  depth  from  two  to  three  feet. 

Fourth.  A  second  dense  stratum,  consisting  of  white  sand  and  clay  and  a  little  lime,  moderately 
pervious  to  water,  and  rather  hard  to  disturb  with  a  spade  simply ;  depth  variable,  from  a  few 
inches  to  one  and  a  half  feet. 

Fifth.  Lake  sand  of  variable  depth,  extending  down  to  the  boulders. 

Sixth.  Boulders,  infiltrated  with  sand  and  gravel  to  variable  depths,  extending  down  to  the 
saudrock  in  places. 

The  inclination  of  the  several  strata  is  toward  the  river,  but  when  the  same  has  been  cut  away 
by  the  river  at  a  former  higher  level,  the  boulders  appear  very  profusely  on  the  surface.  These 
boulders  are  quite  peculiar  in  their  character;  they  consist  of  large  granite,  gneiss,  greenstone,  por- 
phyritic  trap,  and  other  azoic  water-worn  masses,  weighing  in  many  instances  more  than  30  tons, 
with  smaller  rocks  closely  intervening,  and  the  interstices  filled  with  loose  sand  and  gravel.  Their 
general  lithologieal  characters  would  indicate  that  they  had  been  transported  from  the  north  shore 
of  Lake  Superior  by  glacial  action,  and  that  they  had  been  subjected  to  very  great  attrition. 

The  shores  of  the  lake  and  river  exhibit  terraces  corresponding  to  the  different  water  levels  of 
past  periods.  There  are  four  of  these  on  the -river  below  the  rapids  and  three  above,  which  cor- 
respond with  the  terraces  on  the  lake  shore.  The  business  part  of  the  village  of  Sa-ult  Ste.  Marie 
is  built  on  the  first,  counting  from  the  river.  Fort  Brady  stands  on  the  second  river  terrace,  with 
an  elevation  above  the  first  of  from  10  to  12  feet.  The  boulder  ridge  constitutes  the  second  lake  or 
third  river  terrace.  All  along  the  clay  bluffs  the  last  in  the  series  may  be  distinctly  seen.  Those 
terraces  may  be  traced  nearly  the  whole  length  of  the  river,  and  according  to  Messrs.  Foster  and 
Whitney,  constitute  one  of  the  characteristic  features  of  the  Lake  Superior  shore. 

It  is  altogether  probable  that  at  no  very  remote  geological  age  the  great  falls  of  the  St.  Mary's 
River  were  at  the  Auebish  Rapids,  which,  by  a  gradual  wearing  away  of  the  rocks,  have  been 
slowly  approaching  the  lake  above,  at  the  same  time  lowering  its  surface.  There  is  no  evidence, 
however,  of  any  change  in  the  character  of  waterfall  occurring  within  the  historic  periods  of  this 
country.  Though  I  think,  with  careful  attention  to  the  subject,  the  law  of  recession  will  be  found 
to  exist  here,  which  is  known  to  apply  to  the  Falls  of  Niagara.  The  water  level  of  this  river  and 
the  lake  above  is  subject  to  occasional  great  fluctuations,  but  the  precise  cause  of  such  change  is 
not  well  determined. 

I  am  informed  by  E.  Ashman,  esq.,  a  resident  of  this  place  for  forty  years,  that  on  one  occa- 
sion, about  the  year  1832  or  1833,  the  waters  of  the  lake  receded  to  such  an  extent  that  persons  could 
easily  walk  across  the  rapids ;  that  himself,  with  many  others,  visited  the  pools  thus  left  exposed, 
and  caught  large  numbers  of  fish.  This  lasted  about  one  hour,  when  the  waters  returned  with 
great  force,  barely  giving  the  fishermen  time  to  retreat  to  the  shore. 

There  were  no  prevailing  high  winds  or  other  natural  causes  observed  at  the  place  suffi- 
cient to  account  for  the  extraordinary  phenomenon.  It  is  possible  that  it  arose  from  some 
subterraneous  convulsion,  analogous  to  the  earthquakes  that  disturbed  the  whole  of  the  south- 
ern Canadian  counties  in  1863,  at  short  intervals,  for  one  entire  summer,  and  that  from  a  similar 
cause  the  angular  sandstone  boulders  which  line  the  shores  of  the  river  below  the  rapids  became 
detached  from  their  original  position,  and  were  carried  by  the  rushing  waters  down  the  stream. 
I  have  seen  none  of  these  rocks  inore  than  three  feet  above  the  water  level,  and  manifestly  they 
have  no  connection  with  the  azoic  boulders  heretofore  mentioned,  which  are  found  from  20  to  30 
feet  above  the  present  surface  of  the  river,  and  constitute  the  third  river  or  second  lake  terrace. 
In  consequence,  however,  of  the  gradual  cutting  down  of  the  river  channel  by  the  waters,  and 
removal  of  the  sand  and  fine  gravel,  the  azoic  boulders  and  sandstones  are  found  intermixed 
in  the  bed  of  the  stream,  and  in  many  places  become  sources  of  great  danger  to  vessels.  Indeed, 
it  is  rare  that  a  month  passes  during  the  period  of  navigation  without  a  casualty  occurring,  and 


128  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

what  is  more  interesting  these  masses  are  changing  their  positions,  so  that  in  places  the  channels, 
which  for  years  previously  have  been  regarded  as  entirely  safe,  are  now  dangerous.  The  chief 
cause,  probably,  of  this  shifting  of  the  boulders  is  due  to  changes  in  the  channel  banks  by  the  un- 
dermining of  the  currents  so  that  the  boulders  roll  toward  the  middle  of  the  stream  as  the  earthy 
bed  is  carried  away.  Ice,  also,  has  a  very  decided  influence  in  shifting  their  positions,  and  even 
\\  illiiu  two  or  three  years  past  large  masses  weighing,  perhaps,  ten  tons,  have  been  carried  from 
their  original  places  into  the  channel  some,  distance  below. 

The  general  plan  and  arrangement  of  the  post  is  shown  in  Plate  No.  2. 

The  barrack  is  a  two-story  building,  120  by  24  feet.  The  lower  floor  is  divided  into  six  rooms, 
which  were  originally  designed  for  company  kitchens  and  mess-rooms.  They  are  now  occupied  a  is 
commandant's  office,  company  officers'  office,  quartermaster's  and  commissary's  office,  commissary 
store-room,  court-martial  and  amusement  room,  and  post  library  reading  and  school-room.  This 
story  is  10  feet  high.  The  second  story,  which  is  also  10  feet  high,  is  designed  for  men's  quarter*, 
and  is  divided  into  six  rooms;  four  being  adapted  to  company  quarters  for  two  companies,  and 
two  for  their  respective  first  sergeants.  A  recess  from  the  main  part  was  converted  into  a  wash- 
room ;  before  this  arrangement  was  made  the  men  were  compelled  to  perform  their  ablutions  on 
the  porch  in  all  weather.  This  building  taken  as  a  whole  is  a  most  signal  failure  in  everything  per- 
taining to  barrack  accommodations.  It  was  intended  to  quarter  two  full  companies  of  100  men 
each,  at  an  allowance  of  117.3  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man.  For  the  minimum  strength  of  68  men 
the  rate  would  be  173  cubic  feet  air  space  per  capita,  thus  allowing  a  cube  of  air  of  a  fraction  over 
5J  feet  to  sustain  a  night's  respiration.  To  make  the  matter  worse,  the  two  middle  rooms  are  27  by 
23  by  10  feet,  with  but  two  windows  and  two  doors,  and  designed  to  quarter  30  men.  The  result  is 
foul  air  both  in  winter  and  summer.  The  end  rooms  have  six  windows  each,  and  arc  generally  in 
good  condition,  but  the  windows  are  so  arranged  that  the  bunks  have  to  be  placed  directly  against 
some  of  these  openings,  and  consequently  the  men  often  contract  colds  by  the  atmospheric  currents 
blowing  over  them  when  asleep.  The  whole  building  is  badly  constructed;  and  a  special  defect  is 
in  the  laying  of  the  upper  floor.  Originally  the  flooring  was  soft  pine  one  inch  thick,  but  this 
became  worn  out  so  that  last  season  it  had  to  be  relaid,  which  was  done  with  but  partially  sea- 
soned oak.  This  has  shrunk  so  that  it  is  now  impracticable  to  scrub  the  floor  in  any  manner  with- 
out wetting  the  ceiling  and  floors  below.  Indeed,  in  many  places  the  cracks  between  the  floor 
boards  are  one-half  to  three-fourths  of  an  inch  wide.  It  is  in  contemplation  to  relay  it  the  second 
time  the  ensuing  summer.  In  additiqii  to  the  other  defects  the  men  are  supplied  with  double 
bunks  4£  by  6J  feet,  two  tiers  high,  and  designed  to  accommodate  four  men  each.  These  oecupy 
so  much  of  the  interior  that  the  men  have  but  litths  space  in  which  to  perform  their  ordinary  duties 
and  have  comfortable  places  to  rest.  The  quarters  are  reached  by  two  flights  of  stairs  in  the  rear 
of  the  building,  under  the  porch. 

The  building  is  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  a  veranda  G  feet  wide,  and  extending  to  the  roof. 
Back  of  the  main  building,  at  a  distance  of  10  feet  from  the  veranda,  are  the  company  kitchens,  the 
two  being  connected  by  a  covered  passage  way,  6  feet  wide.  At  a  distance  of  12  feet  from  the  rear 
of  the  kitchens  the  company  store  and  commissary  rooms  are  located,  being  temporary  structures 
of  frame-work,  weather-boarded.  Still  farther  to  the  rear  is  the  bakery,  an  old  building  erected 
in  1822  for  a  guard-house,  constructed  of  hewn  logs  and  weather-boarded.  It  is  in  a  dilapidated 
condition,  and  should  be  replaced  by  a  suitable  structure,  planned  so  as  to  be  convenient  and 
cleanly,  and  located  where  it  will  not  endanger  the  other  buildings  in  case  of  fire. 

The  guard-house  is  a  small  building  one  story  high,  situated  to  the  west  of  the  barracks  at  a 
distance  of  160  feet.  It  is  divided  into  four  apartments,  the  front  half  being  in  one  room,  and 
occupied  by  the  guard,  and  the  rear  being  divided  into  a  prison-room  and  two  small  cells.  It  was 
erected  in  18G7  ;  size  24£  by  20£  feet,  with  a  porch,  4  feet  wide,  in  front.  During  the  winter  months 
this  porch  is  boarded  up  and  three  small  windows  introduced  at  the  respective  sides  and  ends,  so 
as  to  shield  the  sentinel  from  the  cold,  and  yet  allow  a  watchful  care  of  the  grounds  and  buildings. 

The  present  hospital  was  erected  in  1822  for  officers'  quarters.  It  was  built  of  hewn  logs, 
weather-boarded  on  the  outside,  and  plastered  on  the  inner  side.  It  is  in  a  dilapidated  condition, 
and  should  be  replaced  by  a  suitable  structure. 

The  ward,  the  largest  room  in  the  building,  is  20  by  13|  by  8£  feet,  and  ventilated  by  two  small 
windows.  The  interior  wood-work  has  been  very  badly  used,  and  the  whole  structure,  outside  and 


Garrison  field., 
claimed-  &y 

Baptist     ^Mission. 


MAP 


FORT  BRADY, 

MICHIGAN. 


S  rale  :  450  feet  to  lirvch. 


PLA^TE,  N?   2. 


French,  Lautfran  i  Ogilvle.  Li(h  .Wash11 


FORT  BRADY,  MICHIGAN.  129 

in,  is  dilapidated  and  obnoxious  to  every  sense  of  propriety  and  comfort.  In  tlie  event  of  any 
severe  contagious  or  epidemic  disease  prevailing  at  the  post  it  would  be  wholly  inadequate  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  the  hospital  department. 

The  commanding  officer's  quarters  is  a  building  32  by  42|  feet  on  the  ground,  and  one  and  a 
half  stories  high,  and  contains  four  rooms,  a  hall  and  two  closets ;  having  a  porch,  G  feet  wide,  ex- 
tending along  the  front  and  half  of  the  north  end.  The  second  or  attic  story  has  but  two  rooms. 
To  the  rear,  at  a  distance  of  10  feet,  is  the  kitchen,  12  by  20  feet,  one  story  high.  The  building  is 
situated  near  the  bluff  at  the  northwest  part  of  the  inclosure,  and  has  a  beautiful  view  of  the  river 
and  Caiiadian  shore. 

South  of  the  commanding  officer's  quarters,  at  a  distance  of  88  feet,  is  the  building  for  the  line 
and  staff  officers'  quarters.  It  consists  of  a  one  and  a  half  story  building,  52  by  56  feet  on  the  ground, 
with  a  porch,  6  feet  wide,  on  the  front. 

It  is  divided  through  the  middle,  from  front  to  rear,  by  a  partition  extending  from  the  ground 
floor  to  the  attic,  whereby  the  house  is  separated  into  two  distinct  parts,  and  on  either  side  of  which 
is  a  long  hall  extending  the  whole  length.  The  first  floor  of  each  side  is  divided  into  three  rooms. 
To  the  rear,  at  a  distance  of  12  feet,  is  a  covered  passage  way  leading  to  the  kitchens,  the  latter 
being  one  story  high,  and  15  by  15  feet  each,  and  under  one  roof,  but  separated  by  a  hall,  4  feet  wide, 
leading  to  the  water-closet  in  the  rear.  The  building  was  intended  to  accommodate  two  families, 
but  at  present  it  is  crowded  so  as  to  accommodate,  after  a  fashion,  the  families  of  three  married 
and  one  unmarried  officers — a  total  of  sixteen,  who  are  stowed  away  in  the  building;  one  assistant 
surgeon  and  one  lieutenant  occupy  the  lower  floor,  and  two  lieutenants  the  attic.  There  are  cellars 
under  the  kitchens  only.  The  foundations  of  the  main  parts  are  sunk  but  little  below  the  surface 
of  the  ground,  and  hence  during  the  winter  months  the  buildings,  more  especially  the  line  officers' 
quarters,  are  subject  to  being  raised  by  the  upheaval  of  the  earth  by  the  frost,  whereby  they  are 
more  or  less  damaged  every  season.  They  were  erected  only  three  years  since,  that  is,  in  18GC,  but 
the  walls  are  now  badly  damaged,  and  will  soon  have  to  be  repaired  to  make  them  habitable  and 
look  decent.  Already  the  south  end  of  the  porch  of  the  officers'  quarters  has  become  detached 
from  the  main  building  by  the  frost,  and  considerably  injured.  In  consequence  of  the  drifting  of 
the  snow  the  foundations  receive  but  very  little  protection  during  the  winter,  and  hence  are  subject 
to  the  direct  action  of  the  frost. 

The  sinks  of  the  officers'  buildings,  hospital,  and  barracks  are  all  in  bad  condition  for  want 
of  proper  drainage  and  ventilation.  They  have  had  to  be  disinfected  repeatedly  during  the 
past  season  to  make  them  tolerable.  In  the  spring  they  are  nearly  filled  with  water,  which,- 
as  the  warm  weather  comes  on,  drains  away  until  the  contents  of  the  vaults  become  in  some 
degree  inspissated.  Besides  this,  they  are  quite  shallow',  and  rapidly  filling  up.  Last  fall  the 
men's  sink  had  to  be  removed  from  its  position  in  the  angle  of  the  inclosure  near  the  convent  to 
its  present  position,  100  feet  toward  the  river.  The  building  is  16  by  8  feet  on  the  ground,  and 
divided  longitudinally  by  a  board  partition.  On  either  side  of  this  partition  are  pieces  of  scantling 
at  the  proper  height  for  a  rest,  which  are  boarded  down  to  the  floor,  leaving  the  space  on  the  top 
entirely  open,  so  that  all  the  exhalations  from  below  find  a  ready  escape  upward  into  the  interior  of 
the  building.  To  make  the  place  bearable,  therefore,  the  doors  are  kept  constantly  open,  and  even 
then  it  is  most  intolerably  obnoxious,  not  only  to  those  who  have  to  visit  it,  but  to  every  one  in 
that  section  of  the  garrison  grounds,  as  well  as  to  persons  living  outside  the  military  limits.  There 
is  a  small  ventilating  flue  reaching  from  the  floor  to  about  two  feet  above  the  roof,  but  this  effects 
comparatively  nothing  in  the  way  of  efficient  ventilation.  From  a  careful  investigation  of  this 
subject,  both  in  civil  and  military  life,  I  am  thoroughly  satisfied  that  too  little  attention  is  generally 
given  to  the  construction  of  private  water-closets  and  public  sinks;  that  as  a  result  of  this  inatten- 
tion, habits  of  constipation  and  all  the  train  of  evils  arising  therefrom — colds,  and,  with  the  more 
delicate  and  sensitive,  neuralgia  and  rheumatism,  particularly  of  the  lumbar  regions — are  often 
induced. 

The  garrison  grounds  are  very  inadequately  drained.    Nowhere  within  the  government  reser- 
vation, except  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  commanding  officer's  quarters,  can  a  cellar  be  exca- 
vated to  the  depth  of  three  feet  without  having  water  stand  in  it  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  year. 
The  cellar  of  the  officers'  quarters  hats  not  been  dry  for  mouths,  although  it  purports  to  be  drained 
17 


130  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

by  a  small  conduit  about  two  inches  square,  in  sections,  put  in  at  the  erection  of  the  building,  three 
years  since.  The  garrison  fields  to  the  rear  of  the  cemetery  were  cultivated  in  vegetables  the  past 
season,  and,  although  an  unusually  dry  one  for  this  region,  when  the  fall  rains  commenced  it  was 
found  difficult  to  secure  the  crop  because  of  the  grounds  being  covered  with  water. 

At  the  Baptist  Mission  a  well  has  been  dug  to  the  depth  of  twelve  feet,  with  an  unfailing  sup- 
ply of  water,  coming  to  within  nine  feet  of  the  surface,  or  about  two  feet  above  the  grounds  in 
front  of  the  officers'  quarters.  This  indicates  about  the  height  of  the  surface  water  of  the  swamp. 
Last  spring  the  water  stood  to  the  depth  of  two  feet  for  two  months  on  the  surface  between  the 
officers'  quarters  and  the  corner  of  the  inclosure  containing  the  springs.  Underneath  the  hospital 
a  cellar  has  been  excavated  to  the  depth  of  three  feet,  yet  it  is  practically  useless,  for,  in  the  first 
place,  it  is  not  deep  enough  to  be  of  any  service,  and,  in  the  next  place,  it  is  always  wet. 

Heretofore  the  slops  from  the  company  kitchens  have  been  drained  by  an  open  ditch  less  than 
two  feet  deep,  round  by  the  rear  of  the  hospital  toward  the  river,  and  those  from  the  hospital  take 
the  same  direction.  In  warm  weather  the  stench  arising  from  this  ditch  is  intolerable,  and  in  more 
southern  localities  would  be  productive  of  the  greatest  harm. 

What  is  required,  therefore,  is  a  proper  system  of  drainage,  and  it  seems  strange  that  a  gov- 
ernment post  like  this  should  be  occupied  so  long  without  any  attention  being  given  to  this  very 
important  matter.  A  large  sewer,  sufficient  to  carry  off  all  the  kitchen  slops  of  the  barracks,  the 
hospital,  and  the  water  falling  from  the  roofs  of  the  buildings  and  surface  water,  as  well  as  to  drain 
the  garrison  privies,  seems  imperatively  demanded. 

The  history  of  the  post,  as  shown  by  Dr.  McDougall's  report  in  1837-'38  to  the  Surgeon  Gen- 
eral, (see  Meteorological  and  Medical  Statistics,  2d  part,  page  72,)  establishes  beyond  controversy 
that  want  of  attention  to  sanitary  science  cannot  be  allowed  even  in  this  northern  region,  except 
at  the  most  imminent  risks. 

Another  sewer  is  required  to  drain  the  officers'  cellars  and  grounds,  and  a  system  of  open 
ditches  is  needed  to  drain  the  garrison  fields,  if  they  are  to  be  cultivated  properly.  This  matter 
cannot  be  urged  too  stongly,  in  view  of  this  being  occupied  as  one  of  the  permanent  frontier  posts, 
and  the  consequent  steady  accumulation  of  effete  matter  which  in  the  end  must  be  productive  of 
much  disease.  The  ground  is  seldom  frozen  during  the  coldest  winters;  the  heavy  body  of  snow 
affording  such  a  protection  that  potatoes  have  remained  unhurt  in  the  ground  as  they  were  raised, 
during  the  winter,  and  have  sprouted  again  the  next  year  most  vigorously. 

With  the  peculiar  obstacles  in  the  underlying  strata  to  drainage  below,  the  soil  inevitably 
becomes  permeated  with  noxious  elements,  until  ultimately  some  disastrous  results  must  appear, 
unless  prevented  by  proper  sanitary  precautions,  and  of  these  more  complete  drainage  is  the  chief. 
During  a  long  winter  a  certain  amount  of  the  slops,  waste-water  and  garbage,  and  other  matters 
will  inevitably  be  thrown  out  upon  the  snow,  there  to  remain  until  warm  weather,  when  much  of 
them  goes  into  the  soil,  however  thoroughly  the  ground  may  be  policed.  An  effective  sewer,  there- 
fore, is  imperatively  demanded,  alike  as  a  sanitary  measure  and  as  a  saving  of  labor  in  keeping  the 
grounds  in  order. 

Water  is  furnished  to  the  garrison  by  water-carts.  It  is  obtained  from  the  river  below  the 
landing,  where  the  slope  of  the  river  is  such  as  to  allow  the  carts  to  be  driven  into  the  stream  about 
150  feet,  near  the  verge  of  the  channel.  The  supply  thus  obtained  is  excellent.  What  is  needed, 
however,  is  a  more  abundant  supply  kept  in  reservoirs  near  the  places  where  it  is  to  be  used  for 
cooking  and  police  purposes,  and  where  in  the  event  of  fires  breaking  out  it  can  be  made  available 
in  their  extinguishment.  As  the  matter  now  stands,  there  is  no  adequate  means  of  saving  the 
garrison  from  a  general  conflagration  if  any  one  of  the  permanent  buildings  should  take  fire  when 
the  wind  is  in  a  favorable  direction  for  the  spreading  of  the  flames.  Lake  water  can  be  obtained 
and  conducted  to  all  the  garrison  grounds  by  a  conduit  not  exceeding  4,300 feet  in  length;  the  fall 
would  be  approximately  between  two  and  three  feet,  and  with  suitable  reservoirs  the  garrison 
could  be  abundantly  supplied  with  pure  water  for  all  purposes  at  a  moderate  expense.  With 
force-pumps  or  water-rams  it  could  then  be  made  available  for  any  emergency.  This  subject  needs 
special  attention,  for  in  four  instances,  within  a  short  time,  the  post  has  been  in  danger  of  being 
burned  out.  from  causes  arising  within  the  military  limits ;  and  in  addition  to  this,  the  garrison  is  so 
near  the  middle  of  the  village  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  which  is  built  in  a  shabby  manner,  and  with  none 
but  the  simplest  means  of  arresting  fires,  that  it  is  at  all  times  in  danger  of  a  general  conflagration. 


FORT  BRADY,  MICHIGAN. 


131 


The  subsistence  stores  furnished  for  both  officers  and  men  of  this  post  arc  of  the  best  quality 
and  in  abundance.  They  are  principally  obtained  from  the  purchasing  commissary  at  Chicago. 
The  variety  furnished  for  officers'  consumption  is  very  satisfactory.  Extra  vegetables  and  other 
articles  of  food  are  raised  on  the  grounds  assigned  to  the  company  commanders  for  the  benefit  of 
their  commands.  There  are  no  special  post  gardens,  nor  is  any  ground  set  apart  for  the  use  of  the 
hospital. 

The  present  command  did  not  arrive  here  until  the  10th  of  May,  18G7,  and  there  was  so  much 
to  be  doue  to  get  the  buildings  in  a  decent  condition  for  occupation  and  in  clearing  the  inclosure 
of  rubbish,  that  comparatively  nothing  was  accomplished  in  the  cultivation  of  the  garrison  fields. 
As  a  result  of  this,  in  the  following  winter  the  men  were  destitute  of  the  necessary  supply  of  fresh 
vegetables,  and  in  the  month  of  March  last  there  were  some  of  the  preliminary  symptoms  of  scurvy 
exhibited  in  about  a  dozen  cases  among  the  troops. 

To  meet  the  requirements  of  the  men  a  diet  table  was  prepared,  (see  which,  annexed  to  the 
end  of  this  subject,)  which  the  commanding  officer  directed  to  be  strictly  followed  iu  regard  to 
variety  and  daily  changes.  As  will  be  seen,  the  table  is  a  modification  of  that  furnished  from  the 
Surgeon  General's  Office  for  use  in  hospitals.  The  changes  in  the  dietary  arrangement  thus  effected 
produced  beneficial  results.  Under  this  system  there  is  a  decided  gain  iu  the  company  savings, 
and  little  additional  articles  in  the  way  of  relishes,  and  a  very  creditable  supply  of  white  ware 
and  good  cutlery  for  table  use,  were  purchased.  The  course  pursued  in  relation  to  slaughtering  beef 
is  very  reprehensible.  Under  instructions  of  the  commissary  department,  to  economize  in  forage 
and  feed,  several  head  have  been  slaughtered  at  once,  the  product  in  the  aggregate  amounting  to 
three  or  four  thousand  pounds,  which  is  placed  where  it  will  be  frozen,  and  kept  in  that  condition 
until  issued.  Last  year  the  animals  slaughtered  in  the  latter  part  of  December  and  first  of  Jan- 
uary were  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  the  garrison  until  the  1st  of  May.  At  the  present  time  the 
quantity  on  hand  will  last  to  nearly  the  same  time.  In  other  words,  the  beef  is  killed  nearly  four 
months  in  advance  of  its  ultimate  consumption.  The  result  of  this  course  is,  the  beef  becomes  dry, 
tough,  tasteless,  and  subjected  to  great  loss  in  weight.  It  is  neither  fresh  beef,  dried  beef,  nor 
corned  beef,  but  possesses  rt  sort  of  combination  of  qualities  that  makes  it  particularly  undesirable 
if  anything  else  could  be  obtained  as  a  substitute.  For  at  least  a  half  or  three-fourths  of  an  inch 
on  the  outside  the  meat  is  dry  and  tough;  the  fatty  parts,  which  are  generally  juicy,  palatable,  and 
well  flavored,  become 'tasteless  and  repulsive,  possessing  more  of  the  qualities  of  a  tallow  candle 
than  anything  else,  the  juiciness  and  peculiar  flavor  of  good  fresh  beef  being  entirely  destroyed. 
The  loss  is  not  less  than  ten  per  cent  of  the  serviceable  part  of  the  animal  as  regards  actual 
•weight,  and  the  deterioration  in  quality  is  vastly  more. 

In  answer  to  protests  against  this  system,  it  was  claimed  that  it  was  cheaper  for  the  govern- 
ment to  sustain  the  loss  in  weight  by  desiccation  than  to  feed  the  animals  until  required  for  issue. 
So  considerations  of  economy,  having  the  ascendency,  prevailed. 

DIET  TABLE. 


Sunday. 

Monday. 

Tuesday. 

Wednesday. 

Thursday. 

Friday. 

Saturday. 

Breakfast  : 

Breakfast  : 

Breakfast: 

Breakfast  : 

Breakfast  : 

Breakfast: 

Breakfast  : 

Coffee. 

Coffee. 

Coffee. 

Coffee. 

Coffee. 

Coffee, 

Coffee. 

Bread. 

Bread. 

Bread. 

Bread. 

Bread. 

Bread. 

Bread. 

Hominy,       with 

Meat  hash. 

Succotash,  with 

Meat  hash. 

Hominy,      with 

Fried     fish    or 

Hominy,     with 

gravy. 

pork  gravy. 

gravy. 

meat  hash. 

gravy. 

Cold     boiled    or 

Cold  boiled  pork. 

Cold  boiled  pork. 

Cold    boiled    or 

roast  pork. 

baked  pork. 

Dinner: 

Dinner  : 

Dinner  : 

Dinner  : 

Dinner  : 

Dinner  : 

Dinner  : 

Roast  beef. 

Baked  pork  and 

Beef  soup. 

Beef  stew. 

Baked  pork  and 

linked    fish    or 

Be«f     stew     or 

Bread. 

beans. 

Meat  or  baked 

Bread. 

beans. 

boiled  pork. 

roast  stow. 

Bice  pudding. 

Broad. 

fish. 

Potatoes. 

Broad. 

Bread. 

Br«ad. 

Potatoes. 

Potatoes. 

Bread. 

Eice  padding. 

Potatoes. 

Potatoes. 

Potatoes. 

Potatoes. 

Rice  pudding. 

Supper  : 

Sapper  : 

Supper  : 

Supper  : 

Supper  : 

Supper  : 

Supper  : 

Tea. 

Coffer. 

Tea. 

Coffee. 

Tea. 

Coffee. 

Tea. 

Bread. 

Bread. 

Tin-ad. 

Bread. 

Bread. 

Bread. 

Bread. 

Beet  '•jravy. 

Pork  ffravy. 

Cold  Iwiledpork. 

Beef  jrravy. 

Cold    pork    and 

Gravy. 

Cold  meat. 

beans. 

132 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


It  has  been  said,  and  apparently  sanctioned  by  the  highest  medical  authority,  that  at  this 
post  and  at  Fort  Mackinac,  malarial  diseases  were  unknown  among  the  native  inhabitants,  and 
that  only  imported  cases  were  ever  seen  in  these  regions  ;  but  it  has  been  discovered  that  such 
statements  are  incorrect.  Indeed,  the  prevalence  among  the  native  population  of  intermittent 
fevers  and  intermittent  neuralgia  is  quite  equal  to  the  same  in  many  southern  latitudes  that  are 
supposed  to  be  particularly  liable  in  that  direction.  The  first  case  coining  to  notice  was  a  half- 
breed  woinan,  born  and  brought  up  here  and  who  had  never  been  away,  who  resided  below  the 
fort  about  one  mile  on  the  Portage  road.  It  was 'a  well-marked  and  severe  case  of  tertian  inter- 
mittent. Soon  after  that  another,  in  a  three-fourths  Indian,  aged  over  seventy  years.  He  was 
born  on  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  but  had  been  a  resident  for  fifty  years  in  this  vicinity. 
This  was  a  tertian  facial  neuralgia,  and  very  severe.  About  a  dozen  cases  from  Churchville 
have  called  at  the  post  for  advice  within  the  year,  four  of  whom  were  native  Indians,  and  two 
Indians  born  near  Hudson's  Bay,  and  who  had  never  been  south  of  this  place.  At  Fort  William, 
province  of  Ontario,  Canada,  on  the  north  shore  of  the  lake,  in  the  middle  of  last  September,  there 
was  seen  a  well-marked  case  of  intermittent  fever  which  had  been  running  from  the  1st  of  June, 
in  a  native  Scotch  girl,  aged  about  twelve  years,  brought  up  at  that  post.  She  had  all  the 
characteristics  of  chronic  malarial  poisoning — chronic  enlargement  of  the  liver  and  spleen ; 
and  the  paroxysms  the  while  had  been  occasionally  quartian,  tertian,  or  quotidian,  presenting  the 
usual  capriciousuess  in  this  respect  that  the  disease  exhibits  along  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi 
north  of  St.  Louis. 

Furthermore,  since  this  report  has  been  commenced,  twenty  cases  have  occurred  in  native  In- 
dians, half-breeds,  and  native  Canadian-French  inhabitants  residing  along  the  river,  in  all  of  which 
quinine  had  to  be  given  to  obtain  relief,  although  it  is  mid-winter,  a  season  of  the  year  when  such 
maladies  are  rarely  seen  in  any  latitude  north  of  40°.  These  cases  have  been  accompanied  with 
hepatic  and  splenic  enlargements,  tenderness  on  pressure  over  these  organs,  and  sympathetic  neu- 
ralgia in  various  parts  of  the  chest,  head,  and  upper  extremities.  Upon  investigating  the  ante- 
cedents of  each  individual  for  the  purpose  of  determining,  so  far  as  practicable,  the  prevalence  of 
malarious  disorders,  it  is  believed  that  this  northern  section  is  no  exception  to  the  usual  law  of 
paludal  exhalations  and  consequent  diseases. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Brady,  Michigan,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Typhoid  fever. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Diphtheria. 

Venereal  diseases. 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Cat  arrhal  affec- 
tions. * 

No.  of  deaths. 

1868  

107.41 

201 

2 

20 

15 

4 

1 

19 

1 

47 

1 

1869  

106.66 

194 

1 

42 

21 

7 

10 

14 

1 

33 

2 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  MACKINAC,  MACKINAC,  MICHIGAN. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  H.  R.  MILLS,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Mackinac  is  .situated  on  a  bluff  on  the  southeastern  portion  of  the  island  of  Mackinac, 
near  the  straits  of  the  same  name  which  connect  Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan,  latitude  45°  51'  22" 
north,  longitude  84°  41'  22"  west.  Height  above  the  lake,  155  feet;  above  the  sea,  728  feet.  The 
nearest  post  is  Fort  Brady,  60  miles  to  the  northeast.  The  only  town  of  importance  near  the  post  is 
Sheboygan,  on  the  mainland,  18  miles  south.  Its  population  is  about  2,000.  The  nearest  railroad 
station  is  at  Saginaw,  150  miles  distant.  The  island  was  first  occupied  by  the  English  as  a  mili- 
tary post,  soon  after  the  destruction  of  old  Fort  Mackinac  and  its  garrison  on  the  mainland  by  the 
French  in  1763,  on  account  of  its  security  from  attacks  from  Indians.  About  1795,  it  was  turned 


FORT  MACK1XAC,  MACKINAC,  MICHIGAN. 


133 


over  to  the  United  States  government  by  treaty,  as  a  part  of  the  result  of  the  revolutionary  war, 
but  in  1812  it  was  again  occupied  by  the  English.  The  island  is  about  nine  miles  in  circumference, 
and  rises  on  its  eastern  and  southern  shore  in  abrupt  rocky  cliff's,  the  highest  point  being  250  feet 
above  the  water,  Fort  Mackinac  being  situated  on  the  south  side  near  the  lake.  Situated  on  the 
highest  point  of  the  island  and  about  half  a  mile  to  the  rear  of  the  fort  is  "Fort  Holmes,"  which 
was  built  by  the  English  during  their  occupancy  of  the  island  in  1812-'13-r14,  and  called  by  them 
"Fort  George."  It  was  upon  this  point  that  the  United  States  forces  were  making  an  attack  when 
Major  Holmes,  of  the  United  States  Army,  was  killed,  which  circumstance  subsequently  gave  the 
present  name  to  the  work. 

Geologically  the  island  is  made  up  of  the  Onondaga  salt  group  of  the  upper  Silurian  system, 
and  the  upper  Helderberg  limestone  group  of  the  devonian  system.  The  former  is  25  feet  in 
thickness,  forming  the  base,  and  the  latter  is  about  275  feet  in  depth,  forming  the  body  and  cap. 
The  face  of  the  south  end  of  the  island  is  most  plainly  terraced.  Beginning  with  the  top  of  Fort 
Holmes,  more  than  200  feet  above  the  present  level  of  the  lake,  there  are  four  distinctly  marked 
tables  or  terraces  before  we  come  to  the  water,  each  bearing  the  undulating  line  of  aqueous  forma- 
tion. Another  proof  of  ^the  existence  of  wave  action,  which  must  have  been  in  process  for  a  long 
period  of  time,  is  the  fact  that  from  the  base  of  Fort  Holmes  to  the  present  beach,  worn,  rounded 
pebbles,  similar  to  those  on  the  beach,  are  found  upon  digging  two  or  three  feet  into  the  earth  at 
any  point  on  the  line  indicated ;  all  arranged  and  sorted  according  to  size,  just  as  they  are  on  the 
beach  at  the  present  time.  The  existence  of  the  island  is  therefore  evidently  due  to  no  sudden  up- 
lift, but  to  the  gradual  subsidence  of  the  waters  of  the  lakes,  consuming  thousands  of  years  of  time. 

The  timber  on  the  island  is  mostly  small,  probably  owing  to  its  having  been  cut  down  at  not  a 
very  remote  period.  It  is  composed  of  beach,  maple,  oak,  and  poplar,  principally,  with  a  liberal 
supply  of  the  coniferce,  viz :  pine,  spruce,  hemlock,  cedar,  juniper,  tamarack,  &c.  Conium  macu- 
latum  is  found  in  abundance. 

The  reservation  contains  a  little  over  two  square  miles.  The  surface  is  regular,  but  there  is 
very  little  soil  covering  the  underlying  rock. 

The  climate  is  agreeable,  the  presence  of  a  large  body  of  water  preventing  extremes  of  tem- 
perature. The  extremes  are  90°  F.,  and  23°  F.,  the  average  about  39°  F. 

The  fort  consists  of  stone  and  earthworks,  inclosing  about  half  an  acre  of  ground. 

The  barrack  is  a  two-story  frame  building,  112  by  29  feet,  and  intended  to  accommodate  one 
company.  The  dormitories  are  fitted  with  two-story  double-bunks,  and  allow  377  cubic  feet  of  air 
space  per  man.  There  are  no  special  arrangements  for  ventilation. 

Two  buildings  are  used  as  officers'  quarters.  One,  the  oldest  building  at  the  post,  is  of  stone ;  the 
other  is  a  one-story  frame  house.  These  allow  about  four  rooms  to  each  officer.  The  buildings  are  very 
plainly  finished,  and  have  none  of  the  modern  conveniences.  They  are  warmed  by  wood  stoves. 

The  hospital  is  a  comparatively 'new  frame  building  outside  the  fort,  measuring  46  by  30£  feet. 
There  are  two  wards,  one  for  six  beds,  air  space  per  bed  739  feet;  the  other,  for  four  beds,  air  space 
per  bed  650  feet.  It  is  heated  by  wood  stoves. 

There  is  a  post  library  of  200  volumes. 

The  water  supply  is  from  the  lake  by  water-carts,  and  from  five  cisterns.  The  natural  drainage 
is  good,  and  is  the  only  form  in  use. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good,  and  there  are  no  prevailing  diseases. 
Statement  slioicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Mackinac,  Michigan, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


i 

1  .; 

e 

B 

s 

3 

5 

3 

2 

1 

| 

Years. 

1 

00 

•3  1 

'3 

CM 

i 

3 

'S 

-S 
1  § 

l! 

•  i 

a 

3 

.2 
1 

1—  1          /" 

!•! 

'o 

•§ 

•s 

o 

* 

^ 

H 

S 

a 

> 

a 

OH 

ft 

1868 

55  16 

54 

4 

9 

9 

j 

1869  . 

65.  16 

99 

1 

25 

8 

2 

14 

1 

9 

2 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  ami 


DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  SOUTH. 


POSTS  DESCRIBED. 


Newport  Barracks,  Newport,  Kentucky. 
Taylor  Barracks,  Louisville,  Kentucky. 
Charleston,  South  Carolina. 
Savannah,  (Oglethorpo  Barracks,)  Georgia. 
Atlanta,  (McPherson  Barracks,)  Georgia. 


Fort  Pnlaski,  Georgia. 
Key  West,  Florida. 
Fort  Jefferson,  Florida. 
Fort  Barrancas,  Florida. 
Mobile,  Alabama. 


NEWPORT  BARRACKS,  KENTUCKY. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  GLOVER  PERIN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

This  post  is  in  latitude  39°  5'  north,  longitude  7°  29'  4"  west  from  Washington,  and  at  an  ele- 
vation of  588  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  situated  011  the  left  bank  of  the  Ohio  Kiver,  at  its  junction 
with  the  Licking,  and  constitutes  a  part  of  the  town  of  Newport,  Kentucky.  On  the  opposite 
shore  of  the  Ohio  Kiver  is  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  and  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Licking,  at  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Ohio,  the  city  of  Covingtbn.  The  three  cities  are  said  to  contain  nearly  250,000  in- 
habitants. 

The  first  purchase  at  this  point  was  made  in  the  year  1803.  The  deed  sets  forth  that  the  land 
was  for  the  purpose  of  having  erected  thereon  an  arsenal,  magazine,  &c.  Two  additions  to  the 
site  were  made  by  purchase,  in  the  year  1806,  giving  a  total  area  of  about  six  acres.  The  ground 
is  about  five  feet  higher  on  the  Ohio  Eiver  front,  sloping  gradually  to  Taylor  street,  and  has  about 
the  same  descent  from  the  northeastern  line  totheLicking  liiver.  The  mean  elevation  above  extreme 
low  water  in  the  Ohio  Eiver  is  nearly  55.8  feet. 

The  southeastern,  or  Taylor  street  front,  is  inundated  once  in  from  five  to  seven  years,  and  the 
whole  ground  once  in  fifteen  years.  From  an  inspection  of  the  retained  copies  of  sick  reports  I 
have  been  unable  to  discover  that  these  inundations  had  any  effect  upon  the  health  of  the  command. 

The  post  has  been  occupied  mainly  as  a  depot  for  recruits.  The  temporary  barracks  erected  at 
an  early  period  have  been  replaced  by  structures  built  of  brick ;  this  change  was  made,  with  few 
exceptions,  between  the  years  1843  and  1848. 

The  geological  formation  at  this  point  is  that  of  the  lower  Silurian.  The  blue  limestone  contain- 
ing the  trilobite  and  other  characteristic  organic  remains  of  this  period  is  about  sixty  feet  below 
the  surface,  and  is  covered  by  alluvium,  sand,  and  gravel. 

The  primitive  forest  growth  in  the  neighboring  country  is  beech,  walnut,  hickory,  sugar-tree, 
white  oak,  &c. 

The  climate  may  be  classed  among  the  temperate,  and  the  seasons  are  tolerably  well  defined.  By 
inspection  of  the  accompanying  abstract  of  meteorological  observations  taken  from  the  register 
kept  at  this  post,  embracing  a  period  of  fourteen  years,  from  1856  to  1869,  inclusive,  it  will  be  per- 
ceived that  the  seasons  change  by  quite  a  regular  gradation. 

The  greatest  extremes  of  temperature  registered  during  this  period  were  97°  and  20°  F.  Aver- 
age mean  temperature  during  the  winter  was  33.24° ;  spring,  53.12° ;  summer,  71.25° ;  autumn,  55.23° ; 
average  annual  rain-fall,  43.89  inches.  The  prevailing  winds  are  the  south,  southwest,  north  and 
northwest. 

The  summer  season  is  the  longest,  as  the  temperature  of  the  months  of  May  and  September 
would  point  to  their  classification  with  that  season,  rather  than  with  spring  and  autumn  respect- 
ively. The  mean  temperature  of  the  month  of  May  for  fourteen  years  was  63.07°,  and  of  Septem- 
ber, 67.42°. 


NEWPORT  BARRACKS,  NEWPORT,  KENTUCKY. 


135 


Figure  17  shows  the  general  arrangement  of  the  post. 

A,  hospital ;  B,  laundry  and  store-rooms;  C,  church;  I),  officers' quarters;  E,  general  headquar- 
ters; P,  headquarters;  H,  stables;  I,  commissary  and  carpenter;  K,  magazine;  L,  guard-house; 
M,  men's  sinks  and  wash-house ;  N, 
wood-yard ;  P,  barracks ;  L  R,  Lick- 
ing River;  R,  road;  S,  parade 
ground ;  T,  tents. 

Two  sets  of  officers'  quarters, 
the  headquarters  building,  and  the 
stable,  front  on  the  Ohio  River.  On 
the  side  overlooking  the  Licking 
River  are  the  various  shops,  mag- 
azine, and  guard-house;  on  the 
south,  three  blocks  of  barracks  and 
the  hospital ;  on  the  east,  the 
chapel  and  officers'  quarters. 

The  two  buildings  occupied  by 
troops  are  on  the  south  side  of  the 
garrison,  14  feet  from  Taylor  street. 
They  are  three  stories  in  height, 
built  of  brick,  with  porches  on  the 
side  overlooking  the  parade  in  one, 
and  on  both  sides  in  the  other. 
The  two  upper  floors  are  used  as 


Figure  17.— Scale,  150  feet  to  1  iuch. 


dormitories,  and  the  basements  as  kitchens  and  diniug-rooms.  The  barracks  are  warmed  by  two 
stoves  in  each  room,  lighted  by  candles  and  ventilated  by  windows.  The  dimensions  of  two  dor- 
mitories are  83J  by  25  by  12  feet,  and  of  the  other  two  58T"5  by  28  by  12  feet.  The  average  occu- 
pancy for  the  year  1809  was  228  men,  giving  about  471  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  Two  story 
double  iron  bunks  are  used,  with  the  customary  bedding. 

Temporary  wash-rooms  have  recently  been  added  to  three  of  the  dormitories,  but  the  scanty  sup- 
ply of  water  lessens  their  usefulness  materially.  There  are  no  arrangements  for  water-closets  con- 
nected with  the  barracks,  the  only  sink  for  enlisted  men  being  the  one  over  the  sewer,  at  the  south- 
west angle  of  the  garrison.  The  barracks  for  the  soldiers  are  satisfactory  when  not  crowded  to  excess. 
The  kitchens  and  mess-rooms  are  in  the  basements  of  the  barracks;  the  kitchens  are  supplied  with 
excellent  ranges,  of  capacity  to  cook  for  about  500  men. 

Quarters  for  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  in  a  three-story  block  at  the  southwest  angle, 
of  the  garrison.  This  block  is  built  of  brick,  with  porches  on  the  north  side;  access  to  the  second 
and  third  floors  is  by  means  of  stairways  on  the  porches.  The  stories  are  divided  in  such  manner 
as  to  give  six  rooms  ou  each  floor.  The  upper  rooms  are  13£  by  15  by  12  feet,  the  basements  13£ 
by  15  by  8  feet.  Five  families,  who  have  two  rooms  each,  reside  in  this  building. 

There  are  two  sets  of  officers'  quarters  at  the  northeast  angle  of  the  garrison,  fronting  the  Ohio 
River.  These  have  a  hail  and  nine  rooms  each.  They  are  so  arranged  as  to  be  assignable  only  to 
field  officers.  They  are  built  of  brick,  with  a  porch  in  front. 

There  are  two  sets  of  officers'  quarters  on  the  east  side  of  the  garrison  fronting  the  parade. 
These  sets  have  four  rooms  and  basements  to  each. 

All  the  quarters  are  heated  by  open  fires,  and  scantily  supplied  with  water  hauled  in  carts. 
They  have  cisterns,  but  these  do  not  afford  sufficient  quantity.  There  are  neither  water-closets  nor 
bath-rooms  in  the  officers'  quarters.  Each  set  is  supplied  with  a  sink  in  the  yard.  These  sinks  have 
vaults,  varying  in  depth  from  six  to  fifteen  feet. 

The  arsenal  building  is  a  two-story  brick  structure,  S4£  by  36  feet,  occupied  as  store-rooms 
and  offices. 

The  guard-house,  on  the  west  side  of  the  parade  ground,  is  a  two-story  brick  building,  the  upper 
story  being  partly  occupied  by  the  prisoners,  and  the  lower  as  a  guard-room  and  place  for  storage 
of  fuel.  The  capacity  of  the  upper  floor  is  5C  by  39  by  14  feet.  One  room,  12  by  15  feet,  is  takeu 


136  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

from  tbis  floor  for  the  officer  of  the  guard,  ami  the  remainder  is  allotted  to  the  prisoners.  Of  this 
space  one  room,  19  by  30  by  14  feet,  has  been  added  recently.  The  guard-house  is  now  ample,  and 
well  adapted  for  the  purpose.  It  is  ventilated  by  windows  on  all  sides,  and  warmed  by  stoves. 

The  hospital  is  situated  at  the  southeast  angle  of  the  garrison.  It  is  a  two-story  brick  structure, 
50  by  25  feet,  erected  in  the  year  1843.  A  one-story  brick  addition,  18  by  24  feet,  for  a  dining- 
room,  and  a  frame  kitchen,  18  by  24  feet,  have  been  erected  since.  The  lower,  or  basement  story, 
is  divided  into  rooms  for  office,  dispensary,  store-room,  and  apartments  for  the  steward.  The  upper 
floor  is  divided  into  two  wards,  with  folding  doors  between,  and  two  small  rooms  for  attendants. 

The  two  wards  measure  35£  by  23  by  10£  feet,  iu  the  aggregate,  and  contain  eight  beds,  which 
would  give  about  1,054  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  bed. 

The  wards  are  ventilated  by  three  windows,  and  doors  toward  the  north  and  south.  The  build- 
ing is  warmed  by  open  tires,  except  the  dining-room,  which  is  heated  by  a  stove,  and  lighted  at 
present  by  candles.  The  dispensary  is  provided  with  a  counter,  chest  of  drawers,  and  shelves. 
One  wall  tent  is  used  as  a  bath-room,  and  one  as  a  dead-house.  The  baggage  of  patients  is  stored 
in  a  wardrobe.  The  hospital  is  too  small  to  answer  the  requirements  of  a  depot  like  this.  It  is 
defective  in  construction,  badly  ventilated,  deficient  in  bathing  facilities,  and  has  no  water-closets. 
The  daily  average  nninber  of  sick  requiring  treatment  in  hospital  during  the  years  1868  and  1860 
was  11.9 ;  and  as  only  eight  could  be  provided  for  in  the  wards  of  the  hospital  the  others  were 
placed  iu  tents.  Wards  were  constructed  by  erecting  hospital  tents  on  a  small  vacant  space  to  the 
north  of  the  hospital.  Two  of  these  tents  were  placed  with  the  ends  together,  floored  and  warmed 
by  a  large  wood  stove,  placed  iu  one,  with  pipes  passing  through  and  out  of  the  door  of  the  other. 
At  times,  during  the  last  four  years,  as  many  as  four  of  such  wards  have  been  required. 

The  post  bakery  is  in  the  basement  of  the  block  occupied  as  quarters  for  the  families  of  soldiers. 

There  is  no  place  that  could  be  denominated  a  laundry. 

The  chapel  is  a  frame  structure,  45  by  28  by  13§  feet,  between  the  officers'  quarters  and  the 
hospital,  on  the  east  side  of  the  parade.  It  is  also  occupied  as  a  school-house. 

The  stable  is  at  the  northwest  angle  of  the  garrison,  49  by  28  feet,  built  of  brick,  and  is  one 
story  and  a  half  high.  , 

There  is  no  post  library. 

Water  is  mainly  supplied  from  the  Ohio  River  by  means  of  carts.  There  are  seven  cisterns. 
One  at  the  hospital  has  a  capacity  of  19,950  gallons.  The  others  contain  10,500  gallons  each,  and 
are  distributed  as  follows:  One  to  each  set  of  officers'  quarters  in  front;  one  at  the  arsenal  build- 
ing ;  one  at  the  officers'  quarters  on  the  east  side  of  the  parade  ;  one  at  the  guard-house,  and  one 
between  the  block  occupied  by  the  permanent  company  and  the  quarters  of  the  soldiers'  families. 

The  quantity  of  water  supplied  the  post  is  necessarily  small.  The  project  of  sinking  a  well  to 
the  depth  of  the  bed  of  the  Ohio  River  has  been  favorably  considered,  and  I  have  no  doubt  but  the 
work  will  soon  be  commenced.  Such  a  well  would  give  an  abundant  supply  of  filtered  water.  The 
quality  of  the  Ohio  River  water,  which  is  that  chiefly  used,  is  exhibited  in  the  subjoined  state- 
ment of  analyses  performed  by  Professor  Edward  S.  Wayne,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

There  is  no  organized  system  for  extinguishing  fire. 

The  drainage  of  the  grounds  is  surface.  As  the  Ohio  River  front  of  the  garrison  is  several  feet 
higher  than  the  southern  front,  and  the  eastern  side  much  higher  than  the  west,  these  inequali- 
ties are  made  available  in  the  arrangement  of  surface  drains.  An  underground  sewer,  traversing 
the  parade  from  east  to  west,  emptying  into  the  Licking  River,  and  communicating  with  the  vaults 
of  the  sinks  on  the  east  side  of  the  garrison,  is  now  being  laid  down. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  at  present  is  satisfactory.  The  prevailing  diseases  last  year 
were  febrile  iutermittents,  diarrluea,  and  syphilis.  It  would  not  be  correct,  however,  to  ascribe  the 
prevailing  diseases  to  this  locality,  as  the  men  received  at  this  depot  are  usually  affected  by  the 
diseases  incident  to  the  place  where  they  have  been  living.  They  do  not  remain  here  long  enough 
to  exhibit  the  operation  of  local  causes. 

The  men  composing  the  permanent  party  are  very  healthy.  Their  duties  being  purely  mili- 
tary, such  as  drill  and  guard,  they  are  not  exposed  to  the  same  causes  of  disease  as  soldiers  belong- 
ing to  regiments. 


NEWPORT  BARRACKS,  NEWPORT,  KENTUCKY. 


137 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Newport  Barracks,  Ken- 
tucky, for  the  yearn  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 


tt 

£ 


18158 

1*69... 


321.68 
SS4. 


816 


12') 

'JO 


14<!     I        63 

66 


64 
59 


25 
13 


33 
52 


'  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


Abstract  of  arernge  temperatures  and  rainfall  at  Newport  Barracks,  Kentucky,  for  the  period  from 

1856  to  18(50,  inclusive. 


Months. 


Monthly  average  rauge 
Monthly  av-           of  temperature.  Monthly  av- 
erage tera-j erage  rain- 


peratnre.  fall. 

Maximum.     Minimum. 


Deyrtn.          Deyreti.  Degree*.  Inches. 

January 30. 23  52  5  2. 84 

February ; 35.35  60  4  2.04 

March 42.50  68  17  3.39 

April 53.79  76  32  3.97 

May 63.07  75  44  5.27 

June 72.69  S8  62  3.78 

July 76.42  91  61  4.43 

August 74.64  88  58  3.80 

September 67. 42  85  46  3. 81 

October 54.92  77  35  2.46 

November 43. 35  68  20  3. 48 

December 34. 14  60  11  4.52 

Analyses  of  the  water  of  the  Ohio  River,  pcrfonnei  by  Professor  Edward  8.  Wayne,  of  Cincinnati.  Ohio. 

Water  taken  from  the  river  when  there  was  a  depth  of  thirty-four  feet  in  the  channel, contains — 

Carbonate  of  lime grs.  3.41 

Sulphate  of  lime "      .31 

Chloride  Of  calcium "      .17 

Chloride  of  magnesium "     .10 

Chloride  of  sodium ' "     .17 

Oxide  of  iron "      .05 

Organic  matter "      .4.'$ 

Total  in  a  wine  gallon "    4.04 

When  there  was  a  depth  of  eight  feet  in  the  channel- 
Carbonate  of  lime grs.  4.71 

Sulphate  of  lime '•      .30 

Chloride  of  calcium "      .40 

Chloride  of  magnesium -. "      .10 

Chloride  of  sodium "      .-1 

Oxide  of  iron "     .11 

Organic  matter "      .-3 

__  • 

Total  in  a  wine  gallon "    6.24 

18  = 


138  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

When  there  was  a  depth  of  four  feet  in  the  channel — 

Carbonate  of  lime grs.  5.63 

Sulphate  of  lime "     .24 

Chloride  of  calcium "      .84 

Chloride  of  magnesium , "     .20 

Chloride  of  sodium "     .34 

Oxide  of  iron "     .29 

Organic  matter "     .29 

Total  in  a  wine  gallon "   7.83 


TAYLOR  BARRACKS,  LOUISVILLE,  KENTUCKY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  C.  R.  GREENLEAF,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  post  of  Taylor  Barracks  is  located  in  the  southern  outskirts  of  the  city  of  Louisville,  Ken 
tucky,  and  covers  au  area  of  four  squares,  being  bounded  on  the  south  by  Ormsby  avenue,  east  by 
First  street,  north  by  St.  Catharine  street,  and  on  the  west  by  Third  street.  Latitude  38°  3'  north, 
longitude  8°  27'  1"  west  from  Washington. 

Within  a  radius  of  about  a  mile  from  the  barracks  is  a  range  of  low  hills,  skirted  on  the  south 
and  east  by  the  head  of  Beargrass  Creek,  which  flows  into  the  Ohio  lliver,  and  on  the  south  and 
west  by  the  head  of  a  creek  which  flows  into  Salt  Eiver.  and  thence  into  the  Ohio.  Between  the 
city  and  these  hills  the  original  growth  of  timber,  which  was  very  heavy,  has  been  cut  down,  and 
the  country  presents  a  level,  flat  surface,  cut  up  by  anticipated  streets,  pastures,  &c.,  and  through 
which  numerous  little  streams  run  to  the  creeks  above  mentioned. 

From  the  date  of  the  erection  of  the  barracks  until  June,  18C6,  the  station  was  used  successively 
as  a  rendezvous  for  drafted  men,  a  depot  for  deserters,  and  a  depot  for  the  reception  of  troops  to 
be  mustered  out  at  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  post  is  almost  completely  encircled  by  marshy  ground,  which  is,  however,  being  rapidly 
filled  up  by  debris  from  the  city,  and  upon  which  it  is  proposed  to  erect  many  of  the  finest  dwelling- 
houses. 

The  soil  is  a  rich  alluvium,  with  a  substratum  of  sand,  beneath  which  is  a  layer  of  boulders. 
Water  is  found  at  a  depth  of  25  feet.  As  the  city  limits  are  extended  drains  are  dug,  which  carry 
off  a  large  quantity  of  the  surface  water  and  leave  but  little  material  for  the.  development  of  disease. 

The  average  temperature  for  the  year  1869  was  55°  F.  The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the 
southwest. 

Taylor  Barracks  consist  of  a  series  of  poorly  constructed  wooden  pavilions  arranged  in  the  form 
of  a  square,  and  inclosing  an  area  of  about  sixteen  acres  of  ground.  The  walls  of  the  buildings  are 
battened,  the  roofs  shingled,  and,  with  the  exception  of  the  officers'  quarters,  the  ceilings  are  open. 

The  building  forming  the  north  side  of  the  barracks  is  540  by  24  by  16  feet,  and  occupied  as  quar- 
ters for  four  companies.  From  the  center  of  each  company  quarters,  an  "L,"  18  feet  long,  20  feet 
wide,  and  16  feet  high,  projects  at  right  angles,  which  is  used  as  quarters  for  the  first  sergeant  of 
the  company.  In  rear  of  the  company  quarters  an  "  L,"  20  by  20  feet,  and  16  feet  high,  projects, 
for  use  as  the  company  kitchens.  Fifty  feet  in  the  rear,  and  detached  from  the  buildings,  are  lat- 
rines, 23  by  12  by  16  feet,  placed  over  dry  wells,  30  feet  deep. 

Two  buildings,  180  by  24  feet,  form  the  east  side  of  the  barracks ;  one  of  them  is  occupied  as 
company  quarters,  and  is  arranged  like  the  north  building,  having  "L's"  in  front  and  rear ;  the 
other  is  used  as  a  fire-engine  room,  and  quarters  for  the  non-commissioned  staff. 

The  south  side  is  formed  by  a  building  corresponding  in  all  dimensions  (except  length,  which 
is  400  feet)  to  the  north  side,  and  is  intended  for  use  as  company  quarters. 

The  west  side  is  formed  by  three  buildings,  each  measuring  184  by  24  feet,  and  occupied  as 
quarters  for  officers  and  their  families. 


TAYLOH  BARRACKS,  LOUISVILLE,  KENTUCKY. 


139 


The  company  quarters  are  warmed  by  coal  stoves,  lighted  at  night  by  candles,  and  ventilated 
through  the  ridge.  The  dormitories  give  524  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  The  bunks  are  of 
wood,  each  frame  making  four  berths,  two  above  and  two  below.  All  cracks,  nail-holes,  &c.,  are 
closed  by  putty  to  exclude  bugs,  but  the  success  is  small,  the  walls,  roofs,  and  ceilings  of  the  buildings 
being  full  of  them.  The  bedding  of  the  men  is  good  in  quality  and  abundant  in  quantity. 

The  sinks  are  very  well  constructed,  and  from  the  nature  of  the  soil  do  not  for  a  long  time  fill 
up.  They  are  dug  until  the  stratum  of  boulders  is  reached,  through  which  and  the  sand  all  the 
fluids  percolate,  leaving  only  the  solid  residue.  One  sink  is  used  in  common  by  two  companies. 

The  kitchens,  one  for  each  company,  are  furnished  with  hydrants,  and  large  cooking  stoves  or 
galleys.  They  are  also  abundantly  supplied  with  delf  ware  and  other  conveniences. 

Quarters  for  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  consist  of  six  cottages,  built  of  wood,  each  49  by 
18  feet,  and  divided  into  three  rooms,  furnishing  accommodations  for  three  families.  Between  the 
buildings  is  a  yard  about  30  feet  wide.  Water  is  supplied  in  abundance  from  hydrants.  The  rooms 
are  lathed  and  plastered,  and  the  walls  of  the  cottages  battened  outside.  Heating  is  done  by 
stoves,  and  ventilation  effected  by  windows  and  doors. 

The  buildings  occupied  as  officers'  quarters  are  old,  like  the  rest ;  the  walls  and  ceilings  are,  how- 
ever, lathed  and  plastered,  and  by  partitioning  rooms  to  suit  the  convenience  of  the  officers  have 
been  made  comfortable.  Each  set  of  quarters  has  a  small  plot  of  ground  in  front  for  a  garden,  and 
one  in  the  rear  for  a  yard.  The  buildings  are  warmed  by  large  drum  stoves,  burning  coal.  Venti- 
lation is  obtained  principally  through  cracks  and  crevices  in  the  walls,  and  at  the  doors  and  windows. 

The  store-houses  are  rooms  partitioned  off  from  the  south  building. 

The  guard-house  is  located  in  the  southern  end  of  the  pavilion,  forming  the  eastern  boundary 
of  the  garrison ;  70  feet  of  this  pavilion  have  been  partitioned  off,  double  lined,  &c.,  for  safety, 
and  divided  into  one  large  guard-room,  38  by  24  feet,  and  another,  30  by  24  feet,  which  is  further 
subdivided  into  six  cells,  C  by  9  feet  each,  on  one  side,  and  on  the  other  (separated  by  a  hall,  5  feet 
wide)  a  targe  cell  extending  the  length  of  the  room.  These  rooms  are  ventilated  through  the  ridge, 
warmed  by  stoves,  and  lighted  through  grated  windows. 

The  hospital  is  constructed  of  wood,  32  by  56  feet,  and  two  stories  high.  The  plan  was  made 
by  General  Thomas  Swords,  Deputy  Quartermaster  General,  and  is  a  condensation  of  the  plan  recom- 
mended by  the  Surgeon  General  in  Circular  !So.  4.  A  hall,  8  feet  wide,  divides  it  in  the  center. 
The  lower  floor  is  appropriated  for  the  kitchen,  bath-room,  dining-room,  steward's  quarters,  attend- 
ants' quarters,  dead-room,  store-room,  dispensary,  and  surgeon's  office.  A  stairway,  4  feet  wide, 
leads  to  the  second  story,  which  is  divided  by  the  hall  into  two  rooms  used  as  wards. 
Figure  18  represents  the  general  arrangement  of  the  hospital. 


Figure  18. — Scale  24  feet  to  one  inch. 

1,  first  floor ;  2,  second  floor. 

A,  office;  B,  dispensary;  C,  steward's  room;  D,  matron's  room;  E,  store-room;  F,  dead-room; 
H,  attendant's  room ;  I,  hall  or  passage;  K,  bathroom;  L,  pantry;  M,  kitchen;  X,  dining-room ; 
O,  medical  officers'  water-closet ;  P,  water-closet  for  men ;  R,  wards ;  T,  stove ;  W,  water-closet ; 
V,  lattice  opening  to  communicate  with  ridge  ventilation;  X,  porch. 

The  wards  have  a  capacity  of  24  beds,  giving  to  each  768  cubic  feet  of  air  space.  At  the  head 
of  the  stairway  is  the  water-closet,  containing  two  sinks,  (Carr's  patent.)  The  privy  outside  is 


140 


DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 


similar  in  arrangement  (o  tliose  already  described.  In  the  west  ward  arc  tbe .wash-stands.  The 
bath-room  is  furnished  with  tin  bathing-tubs,  with  hot  and  cold  water.  There  are  iron  sinks  in 
the  kitchen,  dispensary,  and  dead-room,  with  large  earthen  drainage  pipes  leading  to  the  eastern 
corner  of  the  building,  and  discharge  into  the  dry  well,  which  is  also  used  as  a  privy. 

All  the  rooms  are  lathed  and  plastered,  and  heated  by  stoves.  The  ventilation  of  the  wards 
is  accomplished  by  ridge  ventilators,  as  recommended  in  the  Surgeon  General's  plan.  Along  the 
north  side  of  the  building  is  a  double  porch,  8  feet  wide,  for  use  of  the  patients. 

The  bakery  is  located  on  the  west  front  of  the  parade,  and  is  a  wooden  structure,  32  by  24  feet, 
containing  brick  ovens. 

The  southeast  corner  of  the  ground  is  occupied  by  the  quartermaster  for  stables,  wood-house, 
and  workshops.  The  stable,  a  new  wooden  building,  measures  24  by  100  feet,  with  a  dirt  floor,  and 
accommodates  20  animals.  A  hydrant  is  placed  at  the  entrance,  with  a  trough  for  watering  the 
animals. 

The  post  library  is  placed  in  a  room  in  the  north  building,  and  contains  a  good  selection  of  books. 
The  post  is  supplied  with  water  from  the  Ohio  Eiver,  conducted  through  pipes  of  the  city  water 
works.  The  water  is  of  good  quality  and  abundant.  Its  main  impurity  is  inud,  which  can  be 
separated  either  by  being  allowed  to  settle  or  by  nitration.  Sand  and  charcoal  are  the  materials 
used  for  this  purpose  at  the  post.  The  color  of  the  water  during  freshets  is  yellow,  from  red  clay 
and  sand,  which  deposit  freely  on  standing.  The  water  contains  but  little  lime.  Its  color,  when 
the  river  is  low,  and  when  seen  in  a  body,  is  a  dark  green,  but  when  observed  in  a  glass,  is  almost 
colorless. 

A  fire-plug,  hand-engine,  ladders,  and  buckets  constitute  means  of  extinguishing  fire  at  the 
post. 

The  natural  drainage  of  the  garrison  is  very  defective;  the  surface  of  the  ground  is  so  little 
undulated  as  to  make  it  almost  impossible  to  carry  off  water  except  by  artificial  drains.  Advantage 
has  been  taken  of  such  slight  declivities  as  exist  to  construct  drains  of  wood,  and  where  an  eleva- 
tion is  met  with  it  is  cut  through.  Nearly  all  the  drains  center  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  gar- 
rison, and  from  thence  a  covered  drain  carries  the  water  along  the  west  side  to  the  second  square 
north,  where,  it  empties  into  one  of  the  city  drains.  The  eastern  portion  of  the  ground  is  drained 
into  a  well  dug  to  the  boulders.  This  well  is  an  experiment,  having  been  but  recently  sunk,  and 
thus  far  it  fully  answers  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  intended.  It  is  in  contemplation  to  sink  a 
number  of  these  wells  at  different  points  through  the  garrison,  into  which  the  whole  of  the  drainage 
is  to  be  turned. 

Debris  of  the  post  is  removed  daily  outside  the  garrison  limits. 

The  dead  are  buried  at  the  National  Cemetery  at  Cave  Hill.  There  are  no  gardens  at  the 
post. 

The  diseases  endemic  in  this  locality  are  remittent,  intermittent,  and  typhoid  fevers,  rheuma- 
tism, and  dysentery. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,,  and  principal  diseases  at  Taylor  Barracks,  Louis- 
ville,  Kentucl-y,  icJiite  troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


'S 

Years. 

Whole  number 
taken  siek. 

| 

"3 

E 

Diarrluca  and 

dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 
Diphtheria. 

Venereal  dis- 
eases. 

Scurvy. 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  af- 
fections.* 

No.  of  deaths. 

1868                        301  75 

841 

494 

75 

1     i 

27 

19 

3 

42      'i 

18C9      193.25 

451 

183 

54 

21   -- 

40     1 

11 

67      i 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CHARLESTON,  SOUTH  CAROLINA. 


Statement  allowing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Taylor  Barrack*,  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  colored  troops,  for  the  year  1868. 


fc 

t* 

Q 

1 

e 

.i 

•5 

j 

a 

* 

X 

.3 

5 

S 

*s 

1 

*=:  •* 

G 

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i. 

s 
o 

I 

_2    o 

i 

*H      5        ,                                    (-      O 

g    **              -              ^    i 

e 

9 

C                              ~                    "-"     "*" 

^ 

P 

S 

>       a   i  o 

^ 

1368  (4  mouths) 

I        28 

23 

1 

1    i          3            10 

r  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CHARLESTON,  SOUTH  CAROLINA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  T.  C.  SKRINE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY.    . 

The  military  post  or  citadel  of  Charleston  is  situated  near  the  center  of  the  city,  on  a  ridge 
about  35  feet  above  sea  level.    Latitude  32°  45'  north,  longitude  79°  50'  west. 

The  city  of  Charleston  is  on  a  neck  of 
land  between  the  Cooper  and  Ashley  Riv- 
ers, and  now  includes  an  area  of  three  miles 
in  length  by  two  in  breadth  at  the  widest 
part.  The  soil  is  alluvium,  and  a  large  part 
of  the  present  city  was  formerly  subject  to 
inundation,  and  was  cultivated  as  rice  fields. 
The  neighboring  country  is  low  and  swampy, 
and  is  prolific  in  malaria.  The  climate  is 
mild.  The  temperature  in  summer  seldom 
exceeds  90°  or  falls  below  76°,  the  average 
being  about  83°  from  May  to  October.  The 
range  of  temperature  in  winter  is  between 
68°  and  35°. 

The  citadel  was  originally  built  for  a  State 
military  academy,  and  also,  probably,  for  de- 
fense in  case  of  servile  insurrection.  The 
central  portion  was  completed  in  1827,  the 
wings  two  or  three  years  later.  The  western 
wing  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  October,  1869. 

It  was  first  occupied  by  the  United 
States  in  1865.  It  forms  a  hollow  parallel- 
ogram, constructed  of  brick  and  stone,  two 
stories  and  a  basement  in  height,  for  the 
general  plan  of  which  see  Figure  19. 

1,  basement;  2,  first  floor;  3,  second 
floor. 

A,  quarters  of  enlisted  men : 


L1 


i-jqffp]  fTjT] 
_l.j.J.J.J_ 


•''J 


B,  gate 


fir 


Figure  19.—  Scale  120"  feet  to  1  inch. 


and  sally-port  ;  C,  guard-room  ;  D,  guard-house  ;  E,  dining-room  ;  G,  kitchen  ;  H,  yard  ;  L,  engine- 
house  ;  M,  privies  ;  N,.commissary  ;  P,  quarters  of  officers  ;  L,  hall  ;  S,  dispensary. 

There  are  no  special  arrangements  for  ventilation  in  any  of  the  rooms. 

The  dormitories  are  fitted  up  with  double  bunks  in  two  tiers,  and  allow  about  850  cubic  feet  of 
air  space  per  man. 

The  water  supply  of  the  building  is  from  cisterns,  and  is  sufficient  in  quantity  and  of  good 
quality.  A  room  in  the  basement  is  fitted  up  as  a  bath-room  for  the  enlisted  men. 


142 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  present  hospital,  a  plain  woodeii  pavilioii,  is  situated  about  80  yards  1'roiu  the  citadel,  and 
was  formerly  the  eastern  ward  of  the  Tradd  Street  Hospital,  now  occupied  by  the  quartermaster's 
department.  It  measures  90  by  25  feet,  has  a  capacity  of  14  beds,  allowing  1,243  cubic  feet  air 
space  to  each,  is  well  lighted,  and  has  ridge  ventilation.  It  has  no  water-closet  or  bath-room,  and 
no  piazzas,  and  is  not  well  adapted  to  its  purpose. 

The  drainage  of  the  post  is  good,  being  connected  with  the  city  system  of  sewerage. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good,  and  few  of  the  cases  of  disease  are  sup- 
posed to  be  due  to  local  causes. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 

ichite  troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


£J 

S3 

N 

EC 

A 

| 

=•; 

a 

s    u 

fe 

5     £ 

•0 

1 

*§ 

1 

Years. 

I 

p     co 

o   o 

* 

| 

1  "S 

is 

•3  s 

i 

ac 

3  s 

1 

O 

r^Z       1- 

s 

c 
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(D 

S 

a 

B 

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1 

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H 

> 

« 

£ 

0 

* 

1868      

426.  08 

892 

12 

205 

88 

18 

146 

63 

i 

88 

3 

1869 

272.  58 

432 

1 

74 

59 

2 

76 

25 

34 

2 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 

colored  troops,  for  the  year  1868. 


i 

b 

S 

^     '•* 

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1     . 

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V 

V 

S 

6 

j= 

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ii 

v. 

£ 

L 

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~  *• 

• 

Year. 

i 

^ 

•j 

1 

ff 

Malarial 

Diarrhoe 
dysent 

Tonsillit 

B    S 
4J  -2 

'P. 

Venerea 
ease 

Rheunaa 

Phthisis 

Catarrha 
tioni 

o 
6 
^ 

1868  (three  mouths) 

162.66 

158           1 

27 

11 

4 

3 

18 

15 

1 

27 

1 

l 

*  Inclnde  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  plenrisy. 


OGLETHORPE  BARRACKS,  SAVANNAH,  GEORGIA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  E.  F.  BAKER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

This  military  post  is  in  the  central  part  of  the  city  of  Savannah,  Georgia,  latitude  32°  5' 
north,  longitude  81°  7'  west,  and  elevated  about  40  feet  above  low-water  mark.  Situated  upon  a 
sandy  plateau,  this  city  stands  upon  the  southern  side  of  the  river  of  the  same  name.  This  ridge 
extends  upwards  of  a  mile  along  the  river,  terminating  abruptly.  At  the  depth  of  twenty  or  thirty 
feet,  fine  water  is  obtained.  The  city  is  bounded  on  the  east  and  west  by  tide  swamps,  which  are 
subject  to  inundations  by  the  ordinary  spring  tides,  and  are  consequently  well  adapted  to  the  cul- 
tivation of  rice. 

The  site  originally  chosen  for  the  post  was  situated  in  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  and  in  the 
vicinity  of  low  swampy  lands  just  mentioned,  where  it  was  found  to  be  so  unhealthy  that  the  camp 
could  not  be  occupied  during  the  summer;  it  was  therefore  necessary  to  move  the  command  into 
the  more  central  part  of  the  city.  Accordingly,  in  the  year  1833  the  present  site  of  Oglethorpe 
Barracks,  situated  in  the  most  elevated  part  of  the.  city,  was  purchased  from  the  city  government, 
and  in  1839  the  buildings  of  the  post  were  completed.  The  city,  being  divided  by  numerous  and 
wide  streets  intersecting  each  other  at  right  angles,  is  open  and  spacious,  and  being  planted  with 
the  Pride  of  India,  (Melia  azedarach,)  the  long-continued  heats  of  summer,  moderated  by  the  sea- 
breeze,  prove  less  oppressive  than  in  some  more  northern  towns.  The  maximum  temperature  is 


OGLETHOKPE  BARRACKS,  SAVANNAH,  (IKOBGIA.  143 

99°  F. ;  minimum,  31°  F.:  average  of  hygrometer,  65.2.  In  the  summer  the  prevailing  winds  are 
east  and  southeast ;  in  winter,  north,  northeast,  and  west. 

The  post  occupies  a  lot  of  about  three-fourths  of  an  acre  in  extent,  fronting  upon  Bull  street, 
;nid  bounded  on  the  south  by  Harris  street,  on  the  east  by  Drayton  street,  and  on  the  north  by 
Liberty  street.  The  lot  is  inclosed  by  a  brick  wall,  10  feet  high;  the  buildings  of  the  barracks  are 
placed  along  the  four  respective  sides  of  the  square,  facing  inwardly,  and  having  a  large  open 
space  within  for  a  parade  ground. 

The  troops  are  quartered  in  a  two-story  brick  building,  with  heavy  walls,  slate  roof,  and  gal- 
leries extending  along  the  front  above  and  below.  The  galleries  are  supported  by  circular  pillars, 
and  the  upper  gallery  is  protected  by  an  iron  railing,  about  one  yard  in  height,  extending  between 
each  pillar.  The  sally-port,  opening  to  the  rear,  upon  Drayton  street,  divides  this  building  into 
two  sets  of  quarters,  each  calculated  for  one  company,  and  arranged  as  follows  :  A  company  office 
and  three  rooms  for  laundresses'  quarters  in  the  lower  story,  and  one  large  room  for  men's  quarters 
in  the  upper  story ;  in  the  basement  are  the  kitchen  and  dining-room ;  over  the  sally-port  is  a 
small  room  which  separates  the  two  dormitories  on  the  second  floor,  and  is  used  as  a  store-room. 
With  the  present  small  command  the  dormitories  give  1,039  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man. 
Woollen  bunks,  painted  and  in  good  repair,  are  used.  The  bath-room  for  the  use  of  the  men  is  con- 
veniently arranged,  and  contains  five  bath-tubs ;  near  it  is  a  sink  containing  a  number  of  hand-basins. 
Ordinary  vaults  are  situated  conveniently  to  the  quarters,  and  are  cleaned  out  when  required.  A 
much  better  arrangement  would  be  to  connect  the  water-closets  with  the  city  sewers.  The  kitchen 
and  mess-room  are  well  furnished.  The  principal  building  occupied  as  quarters  for  officers,  located 
on  the  west  side  of  the  square,  is  similar  to  that  just  described  as  soldiers'  quarters,  and  divided  below 
by  the  front  sally-port  opening  into  Bull  street ;  built  of  brick,  two  stories  high,  with  basement, 
the  latter  containing  the  kitchens  and  dining-rooms.  The  upper  floors  are  each  divided  by  a  hall 
into  two  large  rooms,  used  as  quarters.  The  other  building  for  officers'  qviarters  has  no  basement ; 
tie  lower  story  consists  of  one  large  and  undivided  room,  used  as  a  general  lumber  room  and  car- 
penter shop ;  the  second  story  contains  three  sets  of  quarters  of  two  rooms  each,  with  kitchens 
and  dining-rooms  in  the  attic.  This  is  the  only  building  at  the  post  which  has  attic  rooms. 

Water-pipes  are  introduced  into  each  set  of  officers'  quarters,  and  bath-rooms  and  water-closets 
are  constructed  in  the  principal  building.  A  bath-house  is  also  situated  near  the  officers'  quarters, 
and  waste-pipes  connect  with  the  city  sewers.  All  the  quarters  are  supplied  with  fireplaces,  which, 
with  windows,  afford  the  only  means  of  ventilation. 

The  only  special  buildings  for  offices  are  those  for  the  quartermaster's  and  adjutant's  offices. 
The  first  is  25  by  14  feet,  and  contains  two  rooms,  equal  in  size.  The  adjutant's  office  is  in  a  small 
brick  building  adjoining  the  preceding.  Both  buildings  are  located  on  the  north  side  of  the  parade, 
between  the  smaller  set  of  officers'  quarters  and  the  stables.  The  only  general  store-room  is  in  the 
tower  story  of  the  smaller  set  of  officers'  quarters ;  length,  60  feet ;  breadth,  30  feet ;  height,  10  feet. 

The  guard-house  is  a  two-story  frame  building,  located  on  the  south  side  of  the  parade.  It  has 
been  erected  since  the  war,  and  is  ample  in  size  and  well  adapted  for  a  two  company  post;  warmed 
by  two  fireplaces  ;  the  cells  are  lighted  by  grated  windows ;  ventilation  is  adequate.  The  average 
occupancy  of  the  guard-house  is  5.11. 

The  hospital  is  situated  upon  the  same  side  with  the  guard-house.  The  lower  story  is  built  of 
brick,  the  upper  story  of  wood.  Its  dimensions  are  59  by  24  feet.  A  veranda,  10  feet  wide,  extends 
around  the  building  above  and  below  ;  it  is  warmed  by  fireplaces,  artificially  lighted  by  kerosene  oil, 
and  well  ventilated  when  not  crowded.  The  ground  floor  contains  the  dispensary,  store-room, 
kitchen,  and  dining-room.  The  upper  story  is  divided  into  two  wards  of  equal  size  ;  and  each  cor- 
ner of  the  veranda  above  is  inclosed,  making  four  small  rooms  for  the  accommodation  of  attendants. 
A  small  two-story  building  connects  with  one  end  of  the  hospital  by  a  covered  way.  The  upper 
story  contains  a  bath-room  and  water-closet  combined,  being  furnished  with  a  bath-tub,  hydrant, 
and  stool.  The  lower  part  of  the  building  contains  the  hospital  privy.  The  dispensary  is  ample  in 
size  and  well  furnished.  Each  ward  measures  26  feet  9  inches  by  23  by  13  feet,  and  contains 
eight  beds,  giving  to  each  999  cubic  feet  air  space.  The  laundry  is  a  small  house  furnished  with  a 
stove,  a  20-gallon  caldron  set  in  masonry,  tubs,  and  other  conveniences  for  washing.  There  being 
no  dead-house,  one  of  the  small  rooms  in  the  second  story  of  the  hospital  building  is  used  for  that 


144 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


purpose  when  required,  though  it  is  ill  adapted  for  that  use.  The  store-room  is  fitted  up  with 
boxes  for  the  storage  of  baggage. 

The  stable,  situated  iu  the  northwest  angle  of  the  lot,  is  a  substantial  brick  building,  43  by  22 
feet,  and  one  and  a  half  stories  high.  The  lower  floor  is  used  for  the  accommodation  of  public 
animals,  and  the  loft  for  the  storage  of  forage. 

The  post  library  is  kept  in  the  adjutant's  office,  a  soldier  being  detailed  as  librarian.  The  col- 
lection includes  about  200  volumes,  principally  popular  novels,  travels,  and  the  class  of  books  com- 
prised in  "  Harper's  Select  Library." 

The  water  supplied  to  the  garrison  is  obtained  from  the  Savannah  lliver,  and  is  first  drawn  off 
into  a  reservoir,  where  some  of  the  impurities  subside.  It  is  then  pumped  into  an  elevated  tank, 
from  which  it  is  distributed  to  the  city.  The  amount  of  organic  matter  in  the  unfiltered  water  is 
objectionable ;  but  as  the  water  used  for  drinking  purposes  throughout  the  garrison  is  filtered 
through  charcoal  and  gravel,  this  defect  is  in  a  great  measure  removed.  The  following  tabular 
statement  will  show  the  result  of  an  examination  of  the  water  both  before  and  after  filtration  : 


Hardness  — 

Solids  per  gallon,  filtered  water. 

Solids  per  gallon,  unfiltered  water. 

Clark's  scale. 

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turbid   after  heavy 

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In  addition  to  the  above  specified  substances,  traces  of  the  following  were  discovered  by  testing 
the  water  concentrated,  viz:  lime,  chlorine,  sulphuric  acid  ov  sulphates,  nitrous  acid,  ammonia, 
phosphoric  acid.  Excepting  chlorine,  no  results  were  obtained  by  testing  the  water  before  it  was 
concentrated.  A  few  drops  of  the  perchloride  of  gold  colored  the  unfiltered  water  purple,  but  did 
not  produce  much  if  any  change  in  the  filtered  water. 

The  amount  of  inorganic  substances,  with  the  exception  of  silica,  is  very  small,  so  small  that 
they  probably  cannot  produce  any  injurious  effects.  The  solids  obtained  by  evaporation  appeared  to 
consist  principally  of  silica,  as  a  large  residue,  which  was  undissolved  in  nitro-hydrochloric  acid, 
dissolved  readily  in  a  hot  solution  of  potash. 

Means  of  extinguishing  fire  at  the  post  consists  of  a  lire-plug  in  the  center  of  the  parade,  and 
sufficient  hose  to  reach  all  parts  of  the  buildings. 

The  drainage  of  the  grounds  is  inadequate,  there  being  no  convenient  way  of  connecting  drains 
with  the  city  sewers,  owing  to  their  distance  from  the  post.  The  defect  has  been  remedied  in  a 
measure  by  having  four  large  pits  dug,  one  at  each  corner  of  the  parade,  which  pits  are  covered 
over,  leaving  an  opening  about  two  feet  square,  which  is  guarded  by  an  iron  grating,  to  receive 
the  water.  The  pits  are  unlined,  and  as  the  soil  is  light  and  sandy  the  water  soon  oozes  away. 
During  moderate  rains  the  pits  are  sufficient  to  carry  away  all  the  water,  but  during  severe  storms 
water  sometimes  accumulates  and  remains  upon  the  surface  for  several  hours  after  the  storm  has 
ceased. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  has  been  very  good  during  the  past  year.  The  pre- 
vailing diseases  have  been  malarial  fevers,  diarrhoea,  catarrh,  venereal  diseases,  with  a  few  cases  of 


BARRACKS,  ATLANTA,  GEORGIA. 


145 


rheumatism,  though  none  of  them  have  prevailed  extensively,  or  have  assumed  a  dangerous  aspect. 
By  far  the  larger  proportion  of  diseases  has  arisen  from  imprudence  or  excesses,  and,  with  the 
exception  of  malarial  fever,  cannot  be  considered  to  be  of  local  origin. 

Statement  shoiciiig  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Savannah,  Georgia,  for  the 

years  1868  and  1809. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

.2 

!H 

'3 

3 
H 

Venereal  dis- 
eases. 

i 
i 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions.* 

No.  of  deaths. 

1868 

76  83 

254 

131 

26 

2 

12 

8 

1 

6 

2 

1869            

61.33 

106 

23 

9 

3 

9 

2 

6 

i 

4 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


McPHERSON  BARRACKS,  ATLANTA,  GEORGIA. 

f 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  SURGEON  A.  K.  SMITH,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  AND  ASSISTANT  SURGEON 

J.  W.  WILLIAMS,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

This  post  is  located  within  the  limits  of  the  city  of  Atlanta,  latitude  33°  54'  north,  longitude 
7°  28'  west  from  Washington,  and  at  an  elevation  of  1,084  feet  above  low-water  mark  at  Savannah, 
Georgia.  It  is  said,  also,  to  be  on  the  divide  of  the  great  watershed,  the  waters  of  which,  on  the 
one  hand,  find  their  way  through  the  Chattahoochee  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico ;  and,  on  the  other, 
empty  into  the  Alan  tic  Ocean  through  Proctor's  Creek,  the  South  and  Ocmulgee  Elvers.  About 
fifty  miles  to  the  northeast  the  Blue  llidge  Mountains  form  their  terminal  spur,  and  bifurcating 
from  this  range  toward  the  west  are  seen  Sweet's  Mountain,  the  Allatoona  Range,  Great  and  Little 
Kenesavv,  and  Lost  Mountains.  Stone  Mountain,  sixteen  miles  southeast  of  Atlanta,  is  an  isolated 
peak  of  granite  some  800  feet  high. 

The  site  of  McPherson  Barracks  comprises  an  area  of  53.84  acres,  and  resembles  an  ellipse  in 
figure.  The  grounds  are  leased  by  the  government  for  a  term  of  years,  with  a  view  to  purchase  should 
permanent  possession  be  desired.  The  site  consists  of  two  knolls,  separated  from  each  other  by  an  in- 
tervening ravine,  which  affords  excellent  natural  drainage  of  the  grounds.  The  surrounding  country 
is  broken  up  into  hills  and  valleys,  and  was  formerly  wooded  with  pine,  oak,  chestnut,  and  gum  trees, 
but  is  now  under  imperfect  cultivation.  The  geological  features  of  the  site  are  as  follows :  Top  soil, 
fine,  round  sand,  mixed  with  clay,  mica,  and  feldspar;  subsoil,  red  clay;  evidently  of  granitic  origin, 
mixed  with  a  small  proportion  of  calcareous  matter,  and  largely  with  quartz  gravel.  The  subsoil 
stratum  is  from  twelve  to  twenty-five  feet  thick,  underneath  which  lie  strata  of  unctuous  clay  resem- 
bling halloysite,  and  green  sand.  The  azoic  rocks,  which  approach  the  surface  and  form  the  sub- 
strata of  the  above  formations,  are  hornblende,  schist,  granite,  and  syenite.  Pure  water  is  found  at 
a  moderate  depth  below  the  surface. 

Sanguinaria,  eupatorium,  ginseng,  symplocarpus,  and  senega  are  among  the  more  common 
medicinal  plants  found  in  this  vicinity  during  their  proper  season. 

As  a  general  rule  the  climate  may  be  called  temperate,  the  thermometer  rarely  falling  below 
25°  in  the  winter,  and  seldom  rises  over  92°  or  93°  in  summer.  The  winters  and  the  early  spring 
months  are  somewhat  remarkable  for  cloudy  and  rainy  weather,  and  consequent  difficult  traveling. 
The  snow-fall  is  very  slight.  The  prevailing  wind  is  from  the  northwest,  excepting  during  a  wet 
season,  when  the  direction  is  from  the  south  and  southwest.  What  may  be  termed  the  cold  season 
exists  from  about  the  middle  of  November  to  the  1st  of  April ;  occasional  frosts,  however,  are  seen 
later  than  this. 

The  buildings  of  the  posts  were  erected  in  1867  and  1868,  constructed  of  pine  lumber,  and 
occupy  three  sides  of  a  parallelogram,  the  fourth  side  remaining  open.    For  general  arrangement, 
see  Plate  No.  3. 
19 


146  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  company  barracks  are  ten  in  number.  Their  general  plan  is  that  of  a  "pavilion"  ward, 
elevated  from  the  ground  on  brick  piers  and  surrounded  by  a  veranda.  Each  barrack  is  150  by  137 
by  13  feet,  interior  measurement,  which  gives  a  superttcial  area  of  4,225  feet;  deducting  two  small 
rooms  for  sergeants'  quarters  and  store-room,  the  ward  contains  a  cubic  air  space  of  48,753  feet. 
The  companies  present  average  67  men ;  each  man,  therefore,  enjoys  an  air  space  of  727  cubic  feet. 
Both  iron  and  wooden  single  bunks  are  provided,  each  furnished  with  a  straw  tick.  There  ar^ 
neither  wash  nor  bath-rooms ;  but  as  each  barrack  at  its  rear  is  elevated  several  feet  from  the 
ground,  long  troughs,  on  supports,  are  constructed  underneath  for  the  purpose  of  washing.  The 
only  bathing  facilities  are  found  in  the  creeks  and  ponds  near  the  post.  The  barracks  are  warmed 
by  wood  stoves,  and  artificially  illuminated  by  candles  and  fixed  oil.  Ventilation  is  secured  by 
thirty-two  windows,  four  doors,  and  three  central  apertures  in  the  ridge.  These  apertures  are 
hooded. 

The  company  kitchens  are  five  in  number,  and  placed  sixty  feet  in  rear  of  the  barracks.  They 
are  built  cottage  style,  and  resemble,  externally,  the  figure  of  a  cross.  Internally,  they  are  divided 
into  two  kitchens  and  two  mess-rooms  for  the  accommodation  of  a  like  number  of  companies. 

The  laundresses'  quarters  are  placed  45  feet  in  rear  of  the  company  kitchens,  and  are  ten  in 
number.  They  are  square  cottages,  3G  by  36  feet,  exterior  measurement,  and  divided  internally 
into  four  equal  rooms  for  the  reception  of  as  many  laundresses.  A  veranda  surrounds  each 
building.  . 

The  officers'  quarters  are  eighteen  frame  buildings,  55  feet  by  35  feet  5  inches,  two  stories  high, 
elevated  on  brick  piers,  with  a  veranda  in  front.  Interiorly  they  are  divided  as  follows :  Colonel's 
quarters,  four  rooms  to  the  story;  lieutenant  colonel's,  major's,  surgeon's,  and  chaplain's  quarters, 
three  rooms  to  the  story;  captain's  and  lieutenant's  quarters,  which  are  double  houses,  two  rooms 
to  the  story ;  kitchens  are  placed  immediately  in  rear.  There  is  no  especial  ventilation  in  the  offi- 
cers' quarters;  they  are  heated  by  fireplaces  and  lighted  by  coal  oil. 

The  commissary  and  quartermaster  building  consists  of  a  main  building  two  stories  high, 
divided  into  eight  rooms  for  offices,  and  two  wings,  each  50  by  28  by  14  feet,  used  for  storage  pur- 
poses. The  whole  structure  is  elevated  from  the  ground  on  brick  piers,  and  the  main  building  has 
a  veranda  in  front  and  rear. 

The  guard-house,  55  feet  distant  from  the  last  company  barracks,  consists  of  a  main  building, 
33  by  46  feet,  and  one  story  high,  and  awing,  44  feet  by  8  feet  5  inches.  The  main  portion  contains 
two  rooms,  20  feet  5  inches  by  14  feet  by  10  feet  7  inches,  and  12  feet  5  inches  by  14  feet  by  10  feet 
7  inches  for  the  guard ;  a  jail-room,  17  feet  by  32  feet  by  10  feet  7  inches,  and  five  cells,  each  6  feet 
5  inches  by  10  feet  by  10  feet  7  inches.  The  jail-room  has  a  cubic  air  space  of" 5, 820.8  feet;  cells 
647.85  feet.  The  wing  is  divided  into  ten  cells,  4  feet  by  8  feet  5  inches  by  9  feet  3  inches, 
having  a  cubic  capacity  of  316.20  feet  each.  Ventilation  is  effected  by  six  grated  windows  in  the 
jail-room,  and  one  in  each  of  the  cells,  2  feet  by  2  feet  3  inches.  In  the  cells  of  the  wing  the  doors 
contain,  in  addition,  a  grated  aperture,  3  by  6  inches.  The  guard-house  is  warmed  by  a  wood  stove, 
which,  for  this  climate,  is  sufficient. 

The  hospital  is  a  two-story  main  building,  with  two  wings  for  wards,  and  is  constructed  on  the 
plan  issued  from  the  Surgeon  General's  Office  in  Circular  No.  4,  1867,  for  a  post  hospital  of  forty- 
eight  beds.  It  is  elevated  from  the  ground  and  surrounded  by  a  veranda.  The  building  is  warmed 
by  coal  stoves,  and  artificially  lighted  by  oil.  Each  ward  contains  twenty-four  beds,  giving  to  each 
an  air  space  of  1,031.25  cubic  feet.  Ventilation  is  effected  by  twelve  windows,  six  on  each  side,  3 
feet  by  6  feet  5  inches,  four  doors,  two  with  movable  sashes,  3  feet  5  inches  by  9  feet,  and  ten 
apertures  in  the  ceiling,  2  by  3  feet,  communicating 'with  the  ridge  ventilator.  These  apertures  can 
be  closed  at  will  by  means  of  blinds.  But  one  chimney  shaft  is  furnished  each  ward,  under  the 
absurd  idea  that  one  stove,  burning  one  or  two  bushels  of  coal  per  day,  will  maintain  a  constant 
temperature  of  55°  F.  in  a  cubic  air  space  of  24,750  feet. 

The  main  building  is  divided  as  in  the  plan  of  Circular  No.  4,  with  the  exception  that  the  space 
intended  for  a  closet  has  been  converted  into  a  passage  into  which  the  adjacent  rooms  open,  instead 
of  the  main  passage.  A  considerable  improvement  might  be  made  in  lighting  the  passage  of 
entrance  by  a  sash  above  the  door  and  by  side  transoms. 

There  are  three  portable  bath-tubs  in  the  hospital  for  use  of  the  patients.    The  only  water-closet 


McPHERSON  BARRACKS,  ATLANTA,  GEORGIA.  147 

is  the  privy  in  the  rear,  close  stools  being  kept  in  one  of  the  small  rooms,  which  is  also  used  as  a 
bath-room.  The  privy  has  no  vault,  but  is  provided  with  boxes  sliding  under  the  seats,  and  into 
which  dry  earth  is  daily  thrown.  These  boxes  are  carried  away  every  night  and  emptied.  The 
dead-house,  or  dead-room,  is  most  inconveniently  arranged,  it  being  in  one  of  the  small  upstairs 
rooms  in  the  main  building,  and  reached  only  by  a  narrow,  winding  stairway;  it  is  exceedingly 
difficult  to  carry  a  coffin  up  to  or  down  from  it.  One  of  the  wards  being  unoccupied,  it  is  at  present 
used  as  a  school-room  for  the  few  children  who' attend  instruction. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  brick  building,  18  by  45  feet,  and  one  story  high.  The  stables,  two  in 
number,  are  27  by  56  by  17  feet  each,  and  intended  to  accommodate  thirty-two  animals.  Two  work- 
shops are  placed  in  rear  of  the  stables. 

The  sinks  are  ten  in  number  for  company  and  laundresses'  quarters,  and  placed  fifty  feet  in  rear  of 
thelatter,  occupying  the  space  lying  between  the  laundresses'  quarters  and  the  stables.  They  are  ar- 
ranged with  sliding  boxes  under  the  seats,  into  which  dry  earth  is  thrown  daily,  and  which  are  removed 
and  thoroughly  cleaned  every  night.  The  officers',  hospital,  and  guard-house  sinks  are  similarly 
arranged.  The  system  works  admirably,  and  scarcely  any  odor  is  perceptible  in  or  about  the  privies. 

The  post  library  is  kept  in  the  hospital,  and  contains  550  volumes,  mostly  novels ;  but  there  are 
also  several  series  of  histories  and  biographies. 

Pure  water  is  obtained  for  the  garrison  from  twenty-two  wells,  one  of  which  is  located  to  the 
rear  of  every  kitchen  belonging  to  the  barracks  and  officers'  quarters  and  the  hospital.  They 
average  in  depth  27  feet,  with  a  diameter  of  4.318  feet. 

The  water  of  these  wells,  upon  examination,  is  found  to  be  soft  and  very  desirable  for  drink- 
ing and  washing  purposes. 

Several  springs  in  this  vicinity  contain  iron  in  sufficient  quantity  to  render  their  waters  available 
for  medicinal  purposes.  Chief  among  these  is  the  "Atlanta  Mineral  Spring,"  situated  near  the 
Macon  and  Western  Railroad  depot,  in  the  city  of  Atlanta.  The  iron  of  this  water  is  said  to  be  in 
the  form  of  a  carbonate  of  the  protoxide  by  Professor  A.  Means,  of  the  Atlanta  Medical  College, 
whose  complete  analysis  is  here  appended. 

Analysis  of  water  of  the  Atlanta  Mineral  Spring  by  Professor  Means,  estimate  made  upon  one  gallon 

imperial  measure. 

Specific  gravity,  (distilled  water  being  1) 1.0005 

Temperature 66°  P. 

Quantity  per  hour 32£  gallons. 

Gaseous  contents — 

Carbonic  acid 9.96  cubic  inches. 

Hydrosulphuric  acid 2.33  cubic  inches. 

Atmospheric  air About  1£  per  cent. 

Solid  contents — 

Iron,  as  a  protocarbonate,  suspended  in  carbonic  acid  gas 13.34  grains. 

Sulphate  of  magnesia 11.84  grains. 

Carbonate  of  magnesia 4.15  grains. 

Magnesia  as  base  in  both 6.01  grains. 

Sulphate  of  soda 8.82  grains. 

Chloride  of  sodium - 16.06  grains. 

Lime A  trace. 

Silica,  (not  estimated.) 

Entire  solid  contents 55.11  grains. 

This  analysis  was  made  some  years  ago.  The  spring  now  yields  from  sixty  to  seventy  gallons 
of  water  per  hour. 

There  are  two  large  brick  underground  cisterns,  containing  severally  45,000  and  90,000  gallons, 
which  are  kept  well  filled  with  water  forced  from  a  small  artificial  pond  about  a  quarter  of  a 
inile  distant  by  the  steam-engine  belonging  to  the  post.  This  engine  has  attached  2,000  feet  of 
hose. 


148 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


There  is  no  artificial  drainage,  with  the  exception  of  a  small  brick  gutter  around  each  company 
barrack;  nor  is  any  needed,  surplus  water  being  removed  beyond  the  limits  of  the  camp  by  the 
slopes  of  the  site. 

The  post  garden  is  changed  from  time  to  time,  as  it  is  rented  for  one  year  only,  and  available 
but  for  a  portion  of  that  time.  The  hospital  garden  is  in  the  rear  of  the  hospital,  and  is  about  an 
acre  in  extent.  Some  of  the  officers'  quarters  have  small  gardens  attached  in  rear.  Owing  to  the 
heavy,  clayey  nature  of  the  soil,  vegetation  will  not  do  well  except  under  constant  manuring  and 
admixture  with  lime  and  richer  earth  ;  where  this  has  been  done  the  success  has  amply  repaid  the 
labor  of  cultivation.  The  post  garden  is  cultivated  by  details.  Fair  crops  of  cabbage,  peas,  onions, 
potatoes,  melons,  squashes,  tomatoes,  cucumbers,  and  radishes  are  obtained. 

The  prevailing  diseases  during  the  past  year  have  been  the  different  forms  of  malarial  fever, 
diarrhoea,  dysentery,  syphilis,  and  gonorrhrea.  Some  few  well-marked  cases  of  typhoid  fever  have 
occurred.  The  troops  have  been  much  exposed  to  miasmatic  influences  by  the  frequent  calls  for 
detachments  for  temporary  duty  in  unhealthy  localities.  One  case  of  cerebro-spinal  meningitis  has 
occurred  in  the  garrison,  at  a  time  when  there  was  a  transient  epidemic  of  the  disease  in  the  city 
of  Atlanta.  Pulmonary  diseases  have  been  rare  in  garrison,  with  the  exception  of  mild  cases  of 
bronchitis.  This,  however,  is  a  bad  location  for  young  children.  Bowel  diseases  are  very  rife 
among  them  during  the  summer,  and  though  at  first  apparently  easily  checked,  are  extremely  apt 
to  recur,  each  time  with  more  force. 

The  sickness  among  the  infant  population  in  Atlanta  during  the  warm  weather  of  1869  was 
startling,  and  in  the  garrison  the  same  condition  prevailed.  When  the  disease  had  continued  any 
length  of  time,  removal  to  a  distance  appeared  to  offer  the  only  hope  of  cure,  and  the  beneficial 
effect  of  the  change  would  be  apparent  in  even  twenty-four  hours.  To  a  certain  extent  the  same 
obstinate  trouble  obtains  already  this  year.  Rheumatism  is  not  a  frequent  complaint — that  is, 
original  cases  are  rare;  when,  however,  a  person  previously  attacked  comes  to  Atlanta  with  a  rheu- 
matic diathesis,  the  locality  seems  to  be  a  very  unfortunate  one. 

The  population  of  Atlanta,  as  estimated  by  the  taker  of  the  census  for  1870.  will  not  be  far  from 
22,500  souls. 

Statement  shoicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at   McPherson  Barracks, 

Atlanta,  Georgia,  for  the  years  18G8  and  I860. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  PULASKI,  GEORGIA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  T.  N.  ROBERTS  AND  JOHN  N.  NILES, 

UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Pulaski,  Georgia,  is  located  on  Cockspur  Island,  at  the  head  of  the  Tybee  Roads,  command- 
ing both  channels  of  the  Savannah  River.  Latitude,  32°  2'  north ;  longitude,  3°  51'  west  from 
Washington.  The  city  of  Savannah  is  16  miles  distant.  The  fort  was  named  after  Count  Pulaski,  a 
Polish  patriot  who  fought  in  the  war  of  the  American  Revolution,  and  died  in  consequence  of  a 
wound  received  in  the  attack  on  Savannah,  in  October,  1779. 

The  fort  was  commenced  in  1829-'30,  under  the  supervision  of  Major  Samuel  Babcock,  Corps  of 


FOKT  PULASKI,  GEORGIA.  149 

Engineers,  and  consists  of  a  brick-work  of  five  sides,  or  faces,  including  the  gorge,  casemated  on 
all  .sides,  with  walls  23  feet  high  above  high  water,  and  surrounded  by  a  wet  ditch.  The  work  was 
seized  by  State  troops  by  order  of  the  governor  of  Georgia,  January  31,  1861,  and  retaken  by  the 
United  States  forces  April  11, 1802,  under  commaud  of  Brigadier  General  Q.  A.  Gilmore,  United 
States  volunteers,  captain  of  engineers. 

Cockspur  Island  is  an  isolated  portion  of  marshy  land,  one  mile  wide  and  two  miles  long,  and 
separated  by  a  small  creek  on  the  west  from  a  long  sweep  of  marshes,  called  islands,  extending  up 
the  river.  Salt  marshes,  surrounding  the  island  in  every  direction,  except  a  limited  portion  of  the 
sea  front,  are  daily  left  uncovered  by  the  reflux  of  tides. 

The  soil  is  essentially  alluvial,  and  sufficiently  characterized  by  au  admixture  of  the  siliceous  and 
clayey  elements  ami  mingled  detritus,  brought  down  and  deposited  by  the  current  of  a  large  river 
draining  an  area  of  a  diversified  geological  character.  The  amount  of  organic  matter  contained 
in  the  soil  is  large,  in  part  derived  by  deposit  from  the  river,  and  in  part  by  the  local  growth  and 
decay  of  marsh,  marine  grasses,  stunted  trees,  &c.  In  a  word,  the  geological  features  of  this 
island  are  such  as  generally  characterize  formations  near  the  mouth  of  large  rivers  opening  into 
the  sea. 

The  buildings  at  this  station  are  few,  and  all  located  outside  the  fort.  There  arc  51  case- 
mates in  the  gun  fronts  of  the  work,  and  14  in  the  gorge,  the  latter  being  designed  as  quarters. 
The  general  dimensions  of  the  casemates  are  as  follows:  Length,  from  scarp  to  parade,  2(i  feet; 
width,  15  feet ;  height  to  the  springing,  6J  feet,  and  to  the  crown  of  arches,  14  feet.  A  modification 
of  the  entire  work  is  contemplated. 

The  garrison  quarters  are  in  twenty  casemates,  each  affording  accommodation  for  10  men,  giving 
675  cubic  feet  of  airspace  per  man.  These  quarters  are  warmed  by  open  fireplaces,  and  ventilated 
by  means  of  one  chimney  in  each,  aided  by  au  outlet  tube,  two  windows  and  four  embrasures.  Cau- 
dles are  used  for  artificial  illumination.  Beds  consist  of  single  bunks,  straw  mattresses  and 
blankets.  The  sinks  are  well  arranged,  being  located  outside  of  the  fort.  Excrement  is  washed 
away  by  the  sea.  The  kitchens  and  mess-rooms  for  the  men  are  capacious  and  well  ventilated. 

Quarters  for  officers  are  also  constructed  in  casemates,  and  consist  of  seven  sets  of  two  rooms 
each.  The  ventilation  and  air  space  of  these  casemates  are  the  same  as  of  those  described.  A 
few  officers  occupy  frame  buildings  outside  of  the  fort,  and  those  casemates  not  occupied  by  officers 
are  assigned  as  quarters  for  married  soldiers.  The  dwelling-houses  referred  to  are  three  in  num- 
ber, with  kitchens,  siuks,  &c.,  attached.  One  building  contains  seven  rooms ;  the  others  five 
rooms  each. 

Three  casemates  are  used  as  store-rooms  by  the  quartermaster,  commissary,  and  ordnance  de- 
partments. 

The  guard-house  consists  of  three  casemates,  each  containing  14,272  cubic  feet,  with  ventilation 
the  same  as  the  others  described.  The  rooms  are  warmed  by  large  stoves  and  open  fireplaces. 
The  guard-house  at  present  contains  42  general  court-martial  prisoners. 

The  hospital  is  a  one-story  wooden  structure,  40  by  20  feet,  with  piazza  front  and  back.  The 
building  was  formerly  occupied  as  offices  for  clerks  in  the  engineer  department.  It  is  built  on  a 
brick  foundation,  and  the  partitions  between  the  rooms  having  been  removed,  it  is  converted  into 
one  large  room  or  ward,  with  thorough  ventilation  beneath.  The  ward  is  provided  with  two  fire- 
places, and  illuminated  at  night  by  candles.  The  building  is  small  and  inadequate  for  hospital  pur- 
poses. There  is  uo  office ;  a  small  room  connected  with  the  hospital  is  used  as  a  dispensary.  The 
ward  contains  10  beds,  allowing  469  cubic  feet  of  air  space  to  each.  There  are  no  lavatories ;  a  bath- 
tub is  used  in  the  ward.  The  kitchen  is  a  small  detached  building.  Meals  are  served  to  the 
patients  in  the  ward. 

The  bakery  is  adequate  to  the  command.  The  library,  numbering  107  volumes,  is  kept  in  a 
casemate  occupied  as  a  post  school-room.  The  books  are  selections  from  the  general  literature  of 
the  day. 

The  troops  bathe  regularly  in  the  Savannah  Eiver  during  the  summer  months ;  in  winter  the 
sponge-bath  is  used  in  quarters. 

Communication  with  Savannah  City  is  very  irregular,  being  by  a  small  open  boat. 


150  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  chief  source  of  the  water  supply  at  this  station  is.from  the  rain-fall,  with  the  addition  of  a 
certain  amount  by  distillation,  (condensed  water,)  all  stored  in  large  cisterns.  The  amount  of 
water  obtained  from  the  rain-fall — 400,000  gallons  per  year — is  received  into  eight  large  double- 
connecting  cisterns  built  beneath  the  fort.  In  addition  to  the  above  supply  there  are  outside  of 
the  fort,  on  the  island,  four  cisterns  of  an  aggregate  capacity  of  40,000  gallons,  and  estimating 
their  receiving  surfaces  and  the  annual  rain-fall,  they  ought  to  be  twice  filled  per  year.  Thus  the 
total  amount  of  water  obtainable  by  the  rain-fall  (supposing  all  the  cisterns  in  the  fort  to  be  in 
good  order)  would  be  about  440,000  gallons  annually.  However,  very  large  deductions  must  be 
made  from  the  latter  amount,  on  account  of  the  defective  condition  of  six  of  the  cisterns  under 
the  fort,  leaving  only  two  out  of  the  entire  number  in  good  order,  (fit  to  hold  drinkable  water.)  All 
the  others  are  so  defective  that  they  admit  sewerage  and  brackish  water  from  the  surrounding 
moat  to  flow  into  them. 

The  other  source  of  supply  is  condensed  (distilled)  water,  which,  though  useful  for  general 
cleaning  and  many  other  purposes,  cannot  be  included  in  the  estimate  of  the  drinking-water,  being 
not  altogether  free  from  certain  impurities.  The  condenser  in  its  present  condition  yields  about 
1,000  gallons  of  water  per  day. 

The  supply  of  water  is  large  in  the  defective  cisterns  under  the  fort.  The  amount  of  the  impurity 
(chiefly  organic  and  saline)  varies  somewhat  in  the  different  cisterns ;  in  some  so  large  as  to  render 
the  water  useless,  in  others  within  such  limits  that  it  may  be  applied  to  the  coarser  cleansing  pur- 
poses, &c.  A  serious  defect  in  all  these  cisterns  is,  that  the  overflow  pipes  are  on  too  low  a  level, 
allowing  a  danger  of  the  absorption  of  gaseous  effluvia,  and  in  very  high  tides  of  the  passage  of 
sea  water  into  the  cisterns. 

The  water  of  the  two  cisterns  in  good  order,  at  the  fort,  and  of  those  outside,  is  tasteless  and 
without  odor.  The  condensed  water  is  quite  transparent,  almost  tasteless,  and  without  smell.  The 
impure  water  of  the  defective  cisterns  has  a  disagreeable  and  saline  taste,  and,  during  the  hot 
season,  a  somewhat  fetid  odor. 

There  is  no  engine  at  the  post  for  the  purpose  of  extinguishing  fire ;  buckets  are  at  hand. 

A  brief  glance  at  the  topography  of  this  island  will  facilitate  the  understanding  of  the  drainage 
question.  This  island  is  situated  on  a  low  plane,  the  large  part  of  its  extent  being  on  a  level  below 
the  high-water  mark.  Its  surface  is  not  of  a  uniform  grade,  but  is  dotted  over  with  low  marshy 
spots,  or  depressions  of  the  general  level,  varying  from  a  small  size  to  an  area  of  an  acre  or  more. 
The  island  on  a  casual  inspection  would  appear  to  be  quite  level,  as  the  low  spots  above  de- 
scribed are  more  or  less  completely  hidden  by  the  high  marsh  weeds  and  grasses  which  grow  in 
rank  profusion  all  over  it. 

A  system  of  dikes  or  levees  protect  the  island  from  the  ordinary  overflow  of  the  tides.  They 
run  parallel  with  the  general  outline  of  the  island,  and  include  an  area  of  about  one  square  mile. 
These  dikes,  if  in  good  order,  would  in  a  great  measure  prevent  the  overflow  of  the  tides,  except 
during  the  prevalence  of  easterly  gales,  which,  driving  large  masses  of  water  from  the  sea  into  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  would  pass  over  them  and  submerge  the  island.  To  be  effectual  against  such 
inundations,  the  levees  would  have  to  be  raised  several  feet  above  their  present  height.  The  present 
levees  are  broken  at  many  points,  and  consequently  do  not  even  protect  from  the  ordinary  tidal 
overflow  parts  of  the  island. 

There  is  nothing  to  deserve  the  name  of  drainage  on  this  island.  The  water  in  the  moat  sur- 
rounding the  fort  is  daily  removed  by  the  reflux  of  the  tides,  through  a  large  open  sewer  which 
deposits  its  contents  into  the  river.  It  was  doubtless  the  intention  that  this  large  sewer  should 
also  drain  the  portions  of  the  island  adjacent  to  it,  but  the  difference  of  level  on  account  of  the 
inequalities  of  the  surface  above  described  never  having  been  properly  removed  by  grading,  no 
water  flows  from  the  low  ground  into  the  sewer,  and  the  only  purpose  it  answers  is  to  permit  the 
daily  reflux  of  the  tides  into  and  out  of  the  moat. 

In  its  present  condition  the  island  is  constantly  overflowed,  in  a  large  part  of  its  extent,  by  the 
tides,  while  the  water  from  the  rain-fall  settles  into  the  low  spots  of  marshy  ground  and  becomes 
stagnant.  There  is  an  abundant  generation  of  inalaria  in  these  low  places,  which  causes  the 
different  forms  of  paludal  fever  prevailing  here  during  the  hot  'season.  This  cause  (malaria)  would 
operate  here  with  much  greater  intensity  were  the  miasma  not  carried  off  or  greatly  diluted  by  the 
breezes  from  the  sea. 


FORT  PULASKI,  GEORGIA. 


151 


As  related  to  this  question  in  a  sanitary  point  of  view,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  the  water 
of  the  river  in  this  vicinity  is  generally  brackish.  This  condition  is  modified  by  the  state  of 
the  river  and  the  tides,  being  almost  fresh  when  the  former  is  overflowed  by  rains  from  the 
up  country,  and  quite  salt  at  high  tides  and  a  low  state  of  the  river.  This  evidently  affects 
the  evolution  of  malaria,  the  freshened  current,  in  a  high  state  of  the  river,  saturating  the  soil 
almost  to  the  surface,  which,  upon  the  subsiding  of  the  water,  is  left  exposed  to  the  heat  of  the 
sun,  producing  the  forms  of  paludal  fever  more  incidental  to  interior  fresh-water  streams  and 
swamps. 

On  the  other  hand,  at  low  states  of  the  river  and  high  tides  occurring  for  a  period  of  several 
weeks,  the  soil  is  then  impregnated  with  water  quite  salt  or  brackish,  and,  exposed  to  a  high  tem- 
perature, evolves  malaria  copiously,  and  produces  a  form  of  fever  of  a  peculiar  hybrid  type,  much 
less  amenable  to  quinine  and  other  auti-periodics  than  ordinary  intermittent  fever. 

During  the  hot  season  and  the  occurrence  of  a  calm  and  moist  air  there  is  given  off  from 
the  salt  marshes  an  odor  perceptibly  sulphurous.  In  fact,  the  presence  of  sulphurated  hydro- 
gen has  been  detected  in  the  exhalations  from  the  marshes.  The  known  antagonism  between 
the  existence  of  low  forms  of  animal  and  vegetable  life  and  the  presence  of  sulphureted  hy- 
drogen, would  seem  to  favor  the  opinion  that  the  exhalations  from  the  marshes  would  tend 
to  repress  and  destroy  these  forms  of  life,  and  perhaps  concurrently  somewhat  prevent  the 
development  of  the  germs  of  malaria  and  the  fever  now  known  to  result  from  them.  But  this  hy- 
pothesis, though  theoretically  plausible,  receives  no  support  from  the  actual  facts  of  the  case,  which 
rather  encourage  the  belief  that  the  effluvia  of  the  marsh  (tainted  with  sulphureted  hydrogen) 
and  the  active,  noxious  principle  (gerins)  of  malaria  mingled  together,  are  more  toxic  than  the  latter 
agent  alone. 

Attention  is  drawn  to  this  point,  viz :  the  influence  of  the  salt  marshes,  and  especially  when 
inundated  by  the  occasional  overflow  of  fresh  water,  in  the  production  of  paludal  fever,  because, 
with  some,  it  is  still  regarded  as  a  mooted  point.  A  previous  experience  in  low  coast  regions  long 
since  convinced  me  that  salt  marshes,  even  in  situations  where  no  fresh  water  was  to  be  found,  and 
the  full  saline  strength  of  the  sea  water  prevailed,  were  productive  of  a  peculiar  form  of  fever, 
resembling  in  type  the  so-called  malarious-yellow  fever. 

The  prevailing  diseases  at  Fort  Pulaski,  Georgia,  during  the  past  year  have  been  rheumatism, 
dysentery,  diarrhoea,  intermittent  fever,  bilious  remittent  fever,  and  other  miasmatic  diseases. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Pulaski,   Georgia, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


.  Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  dis- 
eases. 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  af- 
fections.* 

dj 

1 

B 

>a 
"8 

6 
fe 

1868 

66  83 

215 

84 

48 

14 

5 

13 

1869                                                                    

67.83 

229 

25 

70 

3 

26 

17 

1 

31 

1 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Pulaski,  Georgia, 

prisoners,  for  the  year  1809. 


^ 

h 

e 

T3 

i 

dl 

to 

•2  •* 

S        <L 

£ 
.fe 

=    . 

=3  >i 

•3 

= 

0  ,. 

2 

Years. 

£ 

•U 
09 

c3 

Whole  uui 
taken  si 

Malarial  1 

Diarrhoea 
dyseute 

Tonsillitis 

Venereal 
eases 

Rheuiuati 

Catarrhal 
fection 

1 

o 

1869,  (nine  months) 

36.55 

163 

25 

66 

6 

9 

12 

9 

1 

1  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  anil  pleurisy. 


152  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

KEY  WEST,  FLORIDA. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  WILLIAM  F.  CORNICK,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

This  post  is  situated  on  Key  West  or  Thompson's  Island,  about  40  miles  southwest  of  Capo 
Sable,  in  latitude  24°  30'  north,  longitude  80°  40'  1"  west.  The  island  is  ^abont  7  miles  long,  and 
from  1  to  1£  miles  wide,  the  highest  point  being  about  10  feet  above  the  sea  level. 

The  whole  island,  one-fourth  of  which  is  government  reservation,  is  a  rocky  formation  of  coral, 
with  no  fertility  of  soil  nor  mineral  products,  with  the  exception  of  salt,  of  which  a  fine  quality  is 
made  by  natural  evaporation.  The  Palma  Christi  plant  grows  here  wild,  but  it  is  not  cultivated  to 
any  extent. 

Of  reptiles  we  have  the  rattlesnake,  moccasin,  black  snake,  and  also  scorpions  and  centipedes. 
All  kinds  of  birds  which  frequent  a  tropical  clime  are  found  here. 

Previous  to  1820  the  island  was,  on  account  of  its  peculiar  situation,  a  rendezvous  of  pirates 
and  other  wild  characters,  who  at  that  time  made  their  homes  in  these  waters.  It  was  first  perma- 
nently settled  by  a  few  emigrants  from  New  York,  and  some  fishermen  of  the  Bahama  Islands,  and 
at  present  the  inhabitants  are  mostly  fishermen  and  sea-faring  men  from  the  latter  place. 

It  was  occupied  by  troops  in  1831.  The  only  water  on  the  island  fit  for  use  is  rain  water. 
There  are  a  few  wells  dug  into  the  rock,  but  the  water  therefrom  is  very  brackish  and  only  fit  for 
washing  purposes.  On  the  northeast  side  of  the  island  there  are  a  few  ponds,  which  dry  up  in  the 
summer.  The  climate  is  very  mild  during  the  months  of  November,  December,  January,  February, 
and  March.  During  the  other  months  in  the  year  it  is  extremely  hot.  The  yearly  mean  of  tem- 
perature during  the  past  year  was  79.29°;  hygrometer,  73.78°,  with  a  rain  fall  of  2!)f£  inches. 

The  prevailing  winds  are  southeast  in  summer — occasionally  southwest;  in  winter,  or  during 
the  five  milder  months,  from  the  northeast.  The  highest  point  of  the  thermometer  during  the  past 
year  was  96°  ;  hygrometer  90°,  with  a  perfect  calm.  There  are  only  two  seasons  here,  spring  and 
summer;  the  length  of  the  latter  is  about  seven  or  eight  months. 

The  post  consists  of  Fort  Taylor  and  the  United  States  Barracks.  The  former  is  situated  on  the 
extreme  southwestern  part  of  the  island,  is  surrounded  by  water,  and  connected  with  the  land  by 
a  wooden  bridge  about  300  feet  long.  The  quarters  in  Fort  Taylor  were  intended  for  four  compa- 
nies, but  have  never  been  completed,  and  are  not  in  good  condition.  The  fort  is  occupied  only  by  a 
guard.  The  barracks  are  on  the  northwest  side  of  the  island,  about  one  mile  from  the  fort.  The 
quarters  for  enlisted  men  are  two  wooden  buildings,  each  90  by  34  feet,  and  one  story  high, 
•well  lighted  and  ventilated.  The  dormitories  are  furnished  with  single  iron  bedsteads  for  one  com- 
pany, the  remainder  of  the  troops  occupying  double  wooden  bunks  in  two  tiers.  The  sinks  are 
wooden  buildings  placed  over  the  water's  edge,  all  refuse  being  carried  into  the  Gulf. 

Quarters  for  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  contained  in  one  wooden  building,  eight 
rooms,  each  10  by  12  by  10  feet. 

Officers'  quarters  consist  of  five  wooden  buildings,  each  34  by  24  feet,  and  two  stories  high.  They 
are  neatly  finished,  and  each  contains  four  rooms  for  parlor  and  bed-rooms,  besides  kitchen,  dining- 
room,  laundry,  and  servant's  room.  The  buildings  are  divided  in  two  sets  of  quarters  each.  The 
arrangement  of  water-closets  and  bath-rooms  is  good,  and  the  ventilation  excellent.  The  climate 
at  this  post  is  such  that  the  quarters  of  the  officers  and  men  require  no  artificial  heating. 

The  commissary  and  quartermaster  store-house  is  a  stone  building,  90  by  34  feet,  very  strong  and 
secure,  and  in  good  condition. 

The  guard-house  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  parade  ground,  a  stone  building,  34  by  24  by  20  feet, 
well  ventilated  and  adapted  for  its  purpose. 

The  hospital  is  located  on  the  extreme  northwestern  point  of  the  barracks  ground.  It  is  a  two- 
story  wooden  building,  90  by  34  feet,  for  the  general  arrangement  of  which  see  Figure  20. 

1,  first  floor;  2,  second  floor;  A,  A,  wards,  33  by  34  feet;  Cm,  cisterns;  D,  dispensary,  13  feet 
C  inches  by  15  feet;  E,  E,  stewards'  rooms,  15  by  15  feet;  K,  stewards'  and  attendants'  kitchen.  15 


KEY  WEST,  FLORIDA. 


153 


w 


M 


C,, 


feet  by  30  feet  9  inches ;  K,  hospital  kitchen,  15  feet  by  30  feet  9  inches ;  M,  mess-room,  13  feet  6 
inches  by 30  feet 9  inches;  O,  office,  18  feet  by  18  feet  6  inches;  P,  porch;  R,  attendants'  room. 
15  feet  by  30  feet  9  inches ;  W,  W,  W, 
wash-rooms. 

The  building  is  \vell  ventilated,  and 
for  reasons  given  above  requires  none 
other  than  natural  heating.  The  wards 
contain  fourteen  beds,  giving  to  each 
905  cubic  feet  of  air  space. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  wooden  build- 
ing well  adapted. 

The  stable  is  a  large  wooden  build- 
ing with  sheds  attached. 

There  being  no  post  library  the  men 
at  this  post  have  access  to  a  regimental 
library,  which  consists  of  69  volumes  of 

a  very  good  character.  Figure  20.— Scale,  52  feet  to  1  inch. 

The  water  supply  of  the  post  is  obtained  from  the  rain  fall  which  is  collected  from  the  roofs  of 
the  various  buildings  and  contained  in  cisterns  attached  to  every  building  in  the  barracks.  The 
water  is  of  good  quality  and  the  supply  ample,  the  cisterns  having  a  capacity  (aggregate)  to  keep 
2,000  men.  There  are  no  special  means  at  the  post  for  subduing  fire. 

Owing  to  the  elevation  of  the  barrack  grounds  above  high- water  mark  the  natural  drainage  at 
the  post  is  sufficient  without  the  aid  of  artificial  drains  and  sewers.  Slops,  offal,  and  excreta  of  the 
post  are  daily  carried  into  the  Gulf  by  the  police  party. 

The  bath-house  is  built  over  the  water,  where  the  men  can  ba-the  in  the  sea  all  the  year  round. 

The  post  cemetery  is  located  on  the  extreme  southwestern  side  of  the  barracks  ground — contains 
an  area  of  about  three  acres,  with  279  graves. 

The  average  price  of  milk  is  $1  per  gallon;  butter  GO  cents  per  pound;  eggs  from  75  cents  to 
$1  per  dozen;  chickens  from  $5  to  $10  per  dozen;  potatoes  from  $3  to  10  per  barrel.  The  commis- 
sary department  is  supplied  from  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  and  the  length  of  time  it  takes  to  get  the 
stores  from  there  makes  it  impossible  to  have  the  necessary  fresh  vegetables.  Very  many  of  the 
stores  are  always  spoiled  before  they  arc  received  at  this  post. 

The  quarters  and  barracks  are,  well  furnished  with  good  and  substantial  furniture,  which  can 
be  procured  on  the  island. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  once  a  year.  About  a  year's  supply  is  now  on  hand.  Commu- 
nication with  the  nearest  city  is  by  water  or  telegraph;  the  former  is  very  irregular,  being  liable  to 
interruption  from  heavy  winds.  The  mails  are,  therefore,  sent  once  a  week,  sometimes  once  a 
month.  In  winter  time  we  nearly  always  get  one  mail  a  week,  but  in  summer  \ve  have  to  wait  some- 
times a.  month  or  six  weeks,  which  delay  also  regulates  the  length  of  time  required  to  transmit  com- 
munications to  department  headquarters  and  to  Washington. 

There  is  at  the  post  a  schooner,  the  property  of  the  quartermaster's  department,  of  about  160 
tons  burden. 

There  are  about  2,000  regular  inhabitants,  and  about  1,200  Cuban  refugees  on  the  island.  The 
people  are  mostly  fishermen,  spongers,  and  wreckers.  The  Cubans  are  mostly  employed  in  the 
manufacture  of  cigars. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good,  and  this  is  as  healthy  a  station  as  there 
is  on  this  coast.  With  the  exception  of  yellow  fever  there  is  no  special  disease  at  the  post. 
Yellow  fever  prevailed  here  last  summer,  but  neither  the  water  nor  climate,  &c.,  had  any  influence 
in  producing  it,  and  I  am  confident  it  was  brought  by  the  Cuban  refugees  who  Hocked  to  this  island 
in  the  early  part  of  last  summer.  Notwithstanding  the  excellent  quarantine  regulations  of  the 
island  several  cases  of  this  disease  have  been  permitted  to  land  during  the  past  year,  by  order  of 
the  civil  authorities,  who  have  control  of  this  matter.  It  may  also  be  remarked  that  the  sanitary 
condition  of  Key  West  is  anything  but  favorable.  Key  West  barracks  is  as  clean  and  sweet  as  pos- 
sible, but  being  only  one-quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  city,  with  more  or  less  intercourse,  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  keep  disease  away. 
20 


154 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases,  at  Key  West,  Florida,  for  the 

years  1868  and  1869. 


h 

•d 

j 

' 

i 

N 

g 

« 
,=» 

1 

a 
£ 

1 

1 

| 

a  # 

^ 

Years. 

<c 

,J 

^ 

i  1 

tt 

1 

a 

—       00 

*   3 

•a 

1 

23 

•^ 

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1  •« 

3 

I 

3 

1 

* 

^ 

H 

s 

P 

i? 

M 

0 

fc 

1868 

76  58 

195 

1 

17 

65 

17 

10 

i 

1869 

85  5 

396 

1 

11 

104 

g 

22 

24 

19 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  JEFFERSON,  FLORIDA. 

REPORTS  OF   ASSISTANT   SURGEON   S.  A.  STORROW,    UNITED   STATES  ARMY,  AND   ACTING  ASSISTANT 

SURGEON  W.  E.  DAY,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Jefferson  is  situated  on  Garden  Key,  one  of  the  Tortugas  group  of  islets,  being  the  most 
southwestern  part  of  the  so-called  Florida  reefs.  The  latitude  is  24°  37'  47"  north,  longitude  82° 
52'  53"  west,  and  the  post  is  about  five  hundred  miles  southeast  of  Fort  Barrancas  and  seventy-five 
miles  west-northwest  from  Key  West.  The  light-house  on  Garden  Key  was  built  in  1825,  and  the 
building  of  the  fort  was  commenced  in  1846.  The  post  was  garrisoned  for  the  first  time  during  the" 
winter  of  1S60-'61,  at  which  time  the  fort  was  still  incomplete  and  hardly  defensible.  During  the 
war  this  island  was  used  as  a  military  prison,  having  in  1864  about  1,000  prisoners  confined  upon  it. 

The  Key  contains  seveu  acres,  five  of  which  are  within  the  walls  of  the  fort,  the  remainder 
being  a  narrow  spit  of  sand  and  coral. 

The  average  height  above  the  sea  is  three  and  a  half  feet,  but  an  excavation  over  two  and  a 
half  feet  in  depth  develops  the  primitive  coral  and  the  salt  water  of  the  Gulf.  The  soil  consists  of 
pulverized  coral  and  sand. 

The  fort  is  a  double-casemated,  hexagonal  structure  of  brick.  The  quarters  for  enlisted  men 
are  in  a  three-story  brick  building,  350  by  45  feet,  which  is  not  finished,  and  is  but  partially  occu- 
pied. ParJ  of  the  men  are  quartered  in  casemates,  four  men  to  each  casemate,  giving  an  air  space 
of  1,000  cubic  feet  per  man.  The  men  have  iron  bedsteads,  and  the  bedding  is  aired  at  least  twice 
a  week.  The  kitchens  are  in  brick  buildings  in  rear  of  the  barracks,  and  there  is  a  good  bakery 
in  one  of  the  bastion  casemates. 

The  married  soldiers'  quarters  are  in  casemates,  which  are  not  well  adapted  for  the  purpose, 
being  constantly  damp  from  percolation  from  the  parapet. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  contained  in  a  brick  building,  272  by  42  feet,  and  three  stories  in 
height.  It  contains  seventy-two  roomsj  averaging  15  by  18  feet,  and  14  feet  in  height.  The  quarters 
are  well  finished  and  conveniently  arranged.  All  buildings  at  the  post  are  heated  when  necessary 
by  open  fireplaces. 

There  is  no  bath-room  at  the  post,  either  for  officers  or  men.  The  temperature  of  the  sea 
rarely  falls  below  70°  F.,  hence  it  is  almost  always  available  for  bathing  purposes. 

The  casemates  on  each  side  of  the  sally-port  are  used  as  a  guard-house. 

Part  of  the  material  for  the  erection  of  a  temporary  hospital  has  been  on  hand  at  this  post  for 
nearly  two  years ;  the  site  has  been  selected  outside  the  fort,  but  the  necessary  authority  has  not 
been  obtained. 

Previous  to  1870  the  hospital  consisted  of  two  unfinished  and  uuplastered  rooms  in  one  of  the 
barracks,  with  a  small  wooden  shanty  for  a  dispensary,  arid  a  small,  damp,  and  inconvenient  store- 
room, originally  intended  for  a  kitchen. 

The  hospital  now  occupies  five  rooms  in  one  of  the  barracks.  The  space  is  considered  ample, 
and  the  general  arrangement  satisfactory. 

The  post  library  contains  about  500  volumes  of  a  miscellaneous  character, 


FORT  JEFFERSON,  FLORIDA. 


155 


The  water  supply  is  from  three  sources :  first,  a  steam  condensing  apparatus  ;  second,  cisterns 
within  the  fort  which  receive  the  drainage  from  the  various  buildings ;  and  third,  cisterns  outside 
the  fort.  The  condensed  water  is  sweet  and  pure.  The  water  in  the  cisterns  under  the  casemates, 
which  receive  the  drainage  from  the  terre-plein,  is  so  contaminated  with  lime  salts  as  to  be  nearly 
unfit  for  use. 

The  main  sewer  follows  the  internal  circumference  of  the  fort,  forming  the  same  outline,  having 
exits  at  the  alternate  bastions  by  lateral  sewers  which  open  into  the  moat  without,  below  low-water 
mark.  The  depression  of  the  exits  below  the  main  sewer  is  not  sufficient  to  secure  a  ready  transit 
of  debris.  The  vaults  of  the  privies  are  of  little  less  depth  than  the  sewer.  The  opening  between 
is  trapped,  but  this  does  not  prevent  the  return  of  offensive  gases  into  the  water-closets. 

It  will  be  seen  at  once  how  imperfect  must  be  the  sewerage  where  the  entrance  and  exit  are  so 
nearly  on  a  level.  To  obviate  this  difficulty  the  sewers  are  flushed  from  the  privies  by  a  stream  of 
water  thrown  through  hose  by  steam  power.  This  partially  remedies  the  evil,  but  at  all  times  a 
sheet  of  paper  saturated  with  a  solution  of  acetate  of  lead  will  blacken  if  suspended  above  the 
privy  seat. 

There  are  no  gardens  at  the  post  except  a  small  one  in  the  center,  which  is  kept  up  more  as  a 
curiosity  than  for  any  practical  benefit. 

This  post  is  in  direct  communication  only  with  Key  West,  Florida,  the  means  being  a  small 
schooner.  It  is  intended  that  this  vessel  shall  make  one  round  trip  per  week,  but  at  times,  from 
stress  of  weather  or  calms,  double  this  time  is  required. 

Few  or  no  fresh  vegetables  are  to  be  had  at  the  post,  and  for  those  exorbitant  prices  are  charged. 

If  a  small  steamer  could  be  substituted  for  the  schooner  above  referred  to,  it  could  occasion, 
ally  run  over  to  the  mainland,  where  vegetables,  fruits,  &c.,  could  be  procured  at  prices  from  fifty 
to  one  hundred  per  cent,  lower  than  at  Key  West. 

Interments  are  made  on  Bird  Key,  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  the  post.  This  place  is  unfit 
for  the  purpose,  in  consequence  of  the  encroachment  of  the  ocean  upon  the  shifting  coral  sands  of 
which  it  is  composed.  There  were  recently,  after  a  storm,  twelve  coffins  exposed  and  liable  at  any 
moment  to  be  washed  out  to  sea,  and,  as  matters  now  stand,  the  dead  at  this  post  cannot  be  so 
buried  as  to  insure  their  being  subsequently  found  by  inquiring  relatives  or  friends. 

The  prevalent  diseases  are  malarial  fevers,  usually  mild,  and  catarrhal  affections. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  troops  at  Fort  Jefferson, 

Florida,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


33 
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210  41 

573 

101 

153 

8 

50 

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47 

1869    

239.  75 

487 

79 

83 

15 

38 

2 

74 

1 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  prisoners  at  Fort  Jeffenton, 

Florida,  for  the  years  1868  and  1860. 


Jjj 

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taken 

Malarial 

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a  -= 

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ease 

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Phthisis. 

C'atan-ha 
.tious 

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1868 

43  58 

306 

78 

67 

2 

39 

26 

1869  

33.33 

132 

35 

27 

16 

1 

17 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


156  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


'FORT  SAN  CARLOS  DE  BARRANCAS,  FLORIDA. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  T.  ARTAUD,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  AUGUST  12,  1870. 

The  ground  occupied  by  Fort  San  Carlos  tie  Barrancas  and  the  military  reservation  in  Florida 
is  situated  in  latitude  30°  19'  north,  and  longitude  87°  1C'  west,  thirty  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  and  directly  opposite  the 'extreme  end  of  Santa  Rosa  Island.  It  is  bounded  north  by  the 
Grand  Bayou,  which  is  six  miles  long,  two  hundred  yards  wide,  and  from  three  to  twelve  feet  deep, 
running  east  and  west,  and  opening  into  the  bay  four  miles  east  of  the  fort.  The  Grand  Bayou 
has  some  branches,  which  are  from  one  to  two  miles  long,  running  north  and  south.  On  the  south 
is  the  Bay  of  Pensacola;  on  the  east,  the  national  cemetery,  marine  hospital,  Warrington,  and 
the  navy  yard  reservation;  on  the  west,  the  light-house  and  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

Warrington  is  a  small  village,  inhabited  by  pilots  and  government  employes,  containing  a  post 
office  connected  with  that  of  Pensacola.  Woolsey  is  a  small  village  on  the  north  and  east  of  the 
navy  yard,  and  is  a  continuation  of  Warrington.  The  city  of  Pensacola  is  about  nine  miles  north 
and  east,  and  from  it  a  railroad  connects  with  the  Mobile  and  Montgomery  railroad,  five  miles 
south  of  Pollard,  Florida.  There  is,  also,  a  line  of  steamers  running  from  New  Orleans  to  Havana 
weekly,  which  stop  at  Pensacola  and  carry  the  United  States  mail. 

This  is  an  important  point  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  being  well  fortified,  and  defending  the 
entrance  of  Pensacola  Harbor.  Its  occupation  dates  from  the  24th  day  of  October,  1820,  when  it 
was  ceded  by  Spain  to  the  United  States. 

Fort  San  Carlos  de  Barrancas,  in  shape  a  semicircle,  was  the  only  one  commanding  the  harbor 
at  that  time ;  but  a  new  and  more  formidable  one  has  since  been  built  behind  it  without  interfering 
with  the  old  fortification. 

The  military  reservation  contains  about  thirty  square  miles  of  land,  partly  timbered,  not  fertile, 
being  incapable  of  raising  good  grass.  There  are  but  few  trees  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
fort,  although  the  surrounding  country  is  woody.  Indigenous  trees  are  the  pine,  magnolia, 
azedarach,  and  oak.  Trees  furnishing  edible  fruits  are  the  pomegranate,  persimmon,  fig,  and  plum. 

Wild  animals  and  birds  are  the  black  bear,  deer,  fox,  opossum,  squirrel,  coon,  turkey -buzzard, 
chicken  and  hen  hawks,  mocking  birds,  cedar  birds,  turtle  doves,  woodpeckers,  and  robins. 

Reptiles  of  almost  every  description  are  found.  Of  fish,  the  shark,  cat,  snapper,  red  and  blue 
mullet,  and  Spanish  mackerel,  are  the  most  abundant. 

Water  is  obtained  from  eight  wells,  distributed  about  the  garrison,  which  are  from  thirty  to 
fifty  feet  deep,  and  from  three  to  four  feet  in  diameter. 

The  climate  is  mild,  the  mean  temperature  being  49°  in  the  winter,  and  85°  in  the  summer. 

The  prevailing  winds  are  in  summer  south-southwest ;  in  winter  north-northeast  and  south- 
west, and,  except  those  of  the  equinoctial  season,  are  moderate.  The  summer,  or  warm  season,  is 
quite  long,  leaving  the  cold  season  but  two  or  three  months'  duration. 

The  fort,  in  shape  a  parallelogram,  is  situated  on  the  southwest  side  of  Pensacola  Bay,  and 
one-quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  Barrancas  Barracks ;  it  is  built  upon  a  sand  blutf,  thirty  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  and  four  hundred  and  forty  yards  from  the  edge  of  the  bay. 

The  inclosure  contains  about  ten  acres.  Fort  Barrancas  has  not  been  occupied  since  the  war, 
except  for  target-firing,  &c.,  as  a  means  of  instruction  to  troops  stationed  at  this  post. 

Barrancas  Barracks  is  a  large  three-story  fire-proof  building  of  brick,  unfinished,  measuring 
190  by  36  feet,  The  building  contains  fifteen  rooms,  32  by  26  by  16  feet,  all  well  lighted  and  venti- 
lated, and  warmed  by  open  fireplaces.  Part  of  the  upper  floor,  and  two  rooms  on  the  lower  floor, 
are  occupied  by  the  men;  also,  two  rooms  on  the  lower  floor  as  kitchens  and  mess-rooms.  In  the 
whole  building  seven  rooms  are  occupied,  and  eight  rooms  are  unfinished  and  vacant.  The  air 
space  per  bed  is  about  1,100  cubic  feet.  The  bunks  consist  of  combined  iron  and  wooden  single 
bedsteads,  furnished  with  blankets  and  mosquito  bars,  and  the  bedsacks  filled  with  straw.  There 
are  n»  wash  or  bath-rooms  in  the  building.  Sinks  are  built  in  the  rear  of  the  barracks. 

The  quarters  for  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  very  poor.    There  are  four  two-story 


FORT  SAN  CARLOS  DE  BARRANCAS,  FLORIDA.  157 

brick  buildings,  five  feet  in  tlie  rear  of  the  barracks;  two  buildings  arc  divided  into  twelve  rooms, 
four  for  kitchen  ;md  wash-rooius,  and  eight  as  sleeping  apartments.  The  dimensions  are,  of  wash- 
rooms, 18  by  19  by  9  feet;  of  sleeping  rooms,  8  by  10  by  8  feet;  and  one  building  is  divided  into 
six  rooms,  but  untinished  and  cannot  be  occupied.  The  remaining  house  is  occupied  as  a  guard- 
house. These,  quarters  are  not  sufliciently  ventilated,  and  are  unlit  for  the  purpose  for  which  they 
wen-  made. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  five  wooden  buildings  with  verandas  in  front,  and  raised  from  oiie  to 
two  feet  above  the  ground ;  they  are  lathed  and  plastered,  but  some  are  insecure  from  rain.  The 
building  occupied  by  the  commanding  officer  contains  five  rooms  and  an  attic;  the  dimensions  are 
47  by  3G  feet.  There  are  also  two  out-houses,  one  used  as  kitchen  and  the  other  as  a  sleeping 
apartment  for  servants. 

The  western  wing  of  the  building  is  occupied  as  headquarters.  The  building  occupied  by  the 
post  surgeon  contains  two  rooms,  and  a  kitchen  adjoining;  the  dimensions  of  the  rooms  are  24  by 
20  feet;  of  the  building,  52  by  23  by  20  feet.  It  is  situated  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
north  of  the  commanding  officer's  quarters. 

The  building  occupied  by  the  quartermaster  is  the  only  one  fit  for  permanent  use,  being  new, 
one  story  high,  and  containing  two  rooms,  with  a  closet;  it  is  two  feet  above  ground,  with  a 
veranda  running  around  the  whole  building,  eight  feet  wide.  Dimensions,  55  by  48  feet.  It  is 
located  abolit  forty  yards  northwest  of  the  surgeon's  quarters.  The  remaining  two  buildings  are 
similar  to  the  post  surgeon's  quarters  in  size.  Water  is  supplied  in  barrels  in  such  quantity  as  is 
required  daily.  There  are  no  water-closets  or  bath-rooms  in  the  quarters  for  any  officer  at  the  post. 

The  quartermaster's  office,  a  new  building  located  one  hundred  yards  south  of  the  barracks, 
contains  two  rooms,  14  by  16  feet,  with  a  veranda  in  front,  eight  feet  wide. 

There  are  two  store-houses,  one  on  the  wharf,  a  plain  pine  building  for  hay  and  straw,  CO  by 
36  by  36  feet,  which  is  also  used  as  a  boat-house.  The  other  is  used  as  a  quartermaster  and  com- 
missary store-house ;  its  dimensions  are  100  by  40  by  36  feet.  It  is  situated  four  hundred  yards  from 
the  bay  at  the  upper  extremity  of  the  wharf,  and  stands  four  feet  above  the  ground.  Opposite 
this  is  another  building  of  the  same  dimensions,  used  as  a  carpenter's  shop.  There  is  a  car-track 
running  from  the  lower  part  of  the  wharf  to  the  upper  extremity;  belonging  to  this  is  a  car  on 
which  all  stores,  &c.,  are  drawn  up  to  the  store-house ;  but  the  track  and  car  are  now  in  a  dilapi- 
dated condition,  and  nearly  useless. 

The  guard-house,  like  the  laundresses'  quarters,  is  situated  five  feet  in  the  rear  of  the  barracks. 
It  is  an  untinished  building  of  brick,  containing  a  guard-room,  18  by  19  by  10  feet,  a  dark  cell,  6  by 
8£  by  10  feet,  and  in  my  opinion  answers  very  well  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  used ;  it  is  wanned 
by  large  fireplaces  of  brick. 

The  hospital  is  situated  100  yards  northeast  of  Fort  Barrancas,  and  consists  of  two  frame  build- 
ings of  yellow  pine ;  one  measures  90  by  20  by  20  feet,  the  other  150  by  22  by  20  feet.  The  last- 
named  building  is  warmed  by  four  large  brick  fireplaces,  and  well  ventilated,  having  22  windows, 
3£  by  6  feet,  and  6  doors,  4 by  8  feet,  with  ventilators  running  through  the  whole  building,  3J  by  3£ 
feet.  This  building  contains  two  wards,  50  by  22  by  12  feet  and  30  by  22  by  12  feet,  respectively, 
an  examination  room,  20  by  22  by  12  feet,  an  office,  15  by  22  by  12  feet,  a  hall,  8  by  22  by  12  feet,  a 
dispensary,  15  by  22  by  12  feet,  and  two  store-rooms,  9  by  12  by  12  feet.  The  other  building  con- 
tains a  kitchen,  a  mess-room,  sleeping  apartments  for  the  cook,  and  two  store-rooms. 

The  wards  contain  twenty -five  beds,  with  accommodations  for  fifty,  and  ward  furniture  belong- 
ing thereto;  the  air  space  per  bed  is  840  cubic  feet.  There  are  no  bath  or  wash-rooms  in  the  hospital 
building.  A  sink  is  built  100  yards  north  of  the  hospital. 

The  dead-house  is  a  yellow  pine  building  located  100  yards  north  of  the  hospital,  the  dimen- 
sions of  which  are  10  by  12  by  14  feet,  well  ventilated ;  it  has  2  windows,  2  by  4  feet,  and  a  door,  3  by 
8  feet ;  also  a  ventilator  in  the  floor  and  ceiling.  It  has  all  the  accommodations  necessary  for  a  post- 
mortem examination. 

The  baggage  of  patients  is  stored  in  the  linen-room,  there  being  no  other  room  for  the  purpose, 
as  the  store-room  intended  for  baggage,  &c.,  is  occupied  by  the  hospital  steward  and  his  family,  he 
having  no  other  quarters  at  present. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  pine  building  containing  three  brick  ovens,  which  are  capable  of  baking 


158  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

five  hundred  loaves  of  bread  at  one  time,  when  in  good  order;  two  of  them,  however,  are  totally 
useless,  but  could  be  repaired.  The  remaining  oven  is  also  very  much  out  of  repair,  an  occasional 
brick  falling  upon  the  bread.  It  is  located  150  yards  southwest  of  the  barracks,  directly  in  front 
of  a  marsh  which  is  full  of  reptiles.  Its  dimensions,  inside  measurement,  are  .36  by  14  by  10  feet. 

There  is  neither  laundry,  school-house,  nor  chapel  at  the  post. 

There  are  two  stables,  one  40  by  40  by  16  feet,  capable  of -stabling  five  horses  and  forage ;  the 
other,  40  by  40  by  16  feet,  has  accommodations  for  10  animals.  Both  are  fine  buildings,  well  ven- 
tilated. 

The  library  contains  twenty-five  novels,  which  are  kept  in  the  first  sergeant's  room. 

The  general  water  supply  is  good.  Water  is  obtained  from  eight  wells,  and  distributed  in  bar- 
rels by  prisoners  in  any  quantity  desired. 

The  natural  drainage  is  very  good,  as  the  white  sand  will  immediately  absorb  any  liquid  thrown 
upon  it;  and  I  have  often  noticed  the  surface  to  be  quite  dry  a  few  minutes  after  the  hardest  rain. 
Slops,  offal,  and  excreta  of  the  post  are  carried  two  hundred  yards  away.  There  are  no  sewers  at 
the  post.  • 

There  are  no  arrangements  made  for  bathing  at  this  post ;  there  is  a  beautiful  sandy  beach, 
and  clear  Avater,  but  the  numerous  sharks  render  this  healthy  exercise  dangerous. 

The  national  cemetery  is  situated  about  half  a  mile  northeast  of  the  barracks,  and  occupies  a 
space  on  the  naval  reserve  of  about  7  acres,  surrounded  by  a  brick  wall  10  feet  high  ;  It  contains 
1,0,38  graves  of  soldiers,  95  graves  of  mariners,  &c.,  and  224  graves  of  unknown  soldiers. 

There  is  but  one  garden,  situated  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  directly  north  of  the  post 
hospital.  It  belongs  to  the  company  at  this  post,  has  an  area  of  about  ten  acres,  and  is  cultivated  by 
two  men  daily  employed  on  extra  duty ;  the  product  is  small  in  quantity  and  inferior  in  quality. 
The  hospital  receives  a  share  daily.  The  soil  is  very  poor,  (white  sand,)  yet  they  have  managed  to 
raise  some  cucumbers,  carrots,  string  and  butter  beans,  watermelons,  tomatoes,  and  sweet  potatoes; 
but  nearly  all  have  dried  up  from  the  intense  heat  of  the  sun  and  an  insufficient  supply  of  water. 
It  is  the  intention  of  the  surgeon  to  cultivate  a  garden  next  spring  for  the  hospital. 

Food  of  almost  every  kind  can  be  purchased  at  the  post  commissary,  but  fresh  vegetables  can 
rarely  be  procured,  except  those  which  come  from  the  post  garden,  as  the  inhabitants  do  not  culti- 
vate more  vegetables  than  they  require  themselves;  however,  venders  now  and  then  come  from 
Bayou  Grand,  a  distance  of  six  miles,  and  dispose  of  their  vegetables  at  an  enormous  price.  The 
fresh  beef  supplied  at  this  post  is  of  a  very  inferior  quality.  Fresh  milk  cannot  be  purchased. 
Butter,  eggs,  and  other  articles  of  food  are  imported  monthly  from  New  Orleans.  The  price  of 
butter  is  from  55  to  75  cents  per  pound,  and  of  eggs  40  to  75  cents  per  dozen. 

The  furniture  of  the  barracks  are  pine  tables  and  benches  in  sufficient  quantity;  but  that  of 
the  officers'  quarters  is  very  poor  and  scantily  supplied.  None  can  be  procured  at  a  nearer  place 
than  Peusacola  or  Mobile.  The  first  is  nine  miles  by  boat,  and  the  second  is  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  miles  by  boat  and  railroad.  Medical  supplies  are  obtained  yearly  from  New  Orleans. 

Communication  with  the  nearest  city,  Pensacola,  is  made  by  the  post  yacht.  From  thence 
railroad  connections  are  regular  and  uninterrupted.  Three  days  are  required  for  a  letter  to  reach 
department  headquarters,  and  five  days  to  Washington. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  of  the  post  are  chiefly  employed  in  the  navy  yard ;  some  occa- 
sionally in  the  quartermaster's  department,  and,  except  those  who  are  pilots,  have  no  other  means 
of  support. 

The  general  character  of  the  inhabitants,  both  white  and  black,  is  good.  Many  are  leaving 
Warrington  and  Woolsey,  as  the  work  in  the  navy  yard  has  stopped.  There  are  at  present  no 
civilians  employed  in  the  quartermaster's  department. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good.  The  prevailing  diseases  of  the  past  year  were  inter- 
mittent and  remittent  fevers,  acute  diarrhoea  and  dysentery,  conjunctivitis,  constipation,  and  cholera 
morbus. 


MOBILE,  ALABAMA. 


159 


Statement  sluicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Barrancas,  Florida, 

for  the  yearn  1868  and  1809. 


, 

.=' 

| 

i 

§ 

i 

i 

tc 

c* 

£ 

d 

•i, 

Years. 

a 
\ 

0 

Whole  ni 

taken  si 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrhoea 
dysente 

Venereal  ili; 

Rheuinatis 

('ataiTlial 
tions.' 

I 

It 

6 

1868 

75.5J5 

261 

34 

53 

15 

3 

67 

1869  

58.75 

265 

19 

58 

24 

20 

46 

"  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


MOBILE,  ALABAMA. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  R.  H.  WHITE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  post  of  Mobile  is  situated  within  the  limits  of  the  city  of  Mobile,  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
Mobile  River,  at  its  entrance  into  Mobile  Bay  ;  latitude  30°  42'  north,  longitude  88°  1'  west.  The 
site  is  little  elevated  above  the  level  of  the  river,  but  sufficiently  so  for  the  purpose  of  drain- 
age, as  the  dikes  that  connect  the  barracks  with  Mobile  River  are  about  a  mile  long. 

Immediately  above  the  post,  on  the  north,  is  a  swamp  extending  on  either  bank  of  the  river  for 
36  miles,  and  covered  by  the  white,  black,  and  Spanish  oak,  Quercus  alba,  Quercus  tinctoria,  and 
Quercm  fnlcata,  and  by  the  bald  and  black  cypress. 

The  post  is  surrounded  on  the  northwest,  west,  and  south  by  sand-hills,  the  characteristic  growth 
on  which  is  the  long-leafed  yellow  pine,  (Finns  australis.J 

The  first  fortified  settlement  on  Mobile  Bay  was  made  by  the  French  in  1702,  on  the  western 
.side,  about  four  miles  below  the  present  site  of  Mobile,  and  was  called  "  Port  St.  Louis  de  la 
Mobile."  This  post  was  retained  by  the  French  as  headquarters  of  Louisiana  until  1711,  when  a 
wooden  fort  named  "  Fort  Coude"  was  built  on  the  present  location  of  Mobile. 

Fort  Conde  was  in  good  condition  and  in  actual  possession  of  the  Spanish  in  1813,  when  the 
United  States  government  took  possession  of  the  territory  purchased  from  France  in  1802. 

The  post  and  its  vicinity  in  southern  Alabama  belong  geologically  among  the  deposits  of  the 
tertiary  period,  which  extends  from  the  post  to  latitude  32°.  Eight  artesian  wells  have  been 
bored  at  various  points  in  the  barrack  inclosure,  to  an  average  tlepth  of  50  feet,  and  have  passed 
through  the  various  deposits  characteristic  of  this  period,  such  as  clay,  sand,  and  marl.  In  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  barracks  the  surface  soil  is  apparently  loose,  dark  sand,  and  not  rich  in 
organic  matter.  At  a  greater  distance,  where  vegetation  is  uncontrolled,  the  reverse  is  the  case. 
The  amount  of  heat  absorbed  by  soil  of  this  character  may  be  inferred  by  the  observation  that  the 
reading  of  a  thermometer  whose  bulb  was  placed  on  the  surface  of  the  ground  on  June  30,  1868, 
was  129°  F.,  when  its  reading  under  the  usual  circumstances  was  98°  F.  The  color  of  the  soil  im- 
plies considerable  reflection  of  light  and  heat,  which  has  been  the  obvious  cause  of  hemeralopia 
in  certain  cases. 

The  long-leafed  yellow  pine,  (Pinus  amtralis,)  the  live  oak,  (Quercus  virens,)  the  bald  and 
black  cypresses,  (Taxodium  tlistichum  and  Cupressus  tkyoides,)  and  the  magnolia,  (Magnolia 
grandiflora,)  are  the  characteristic  trees;  and  the  drop  seed  and  wire  grasses  f ,!/»// /<»'>/•</(«  tri- 
cophodus  and  Aristida  speciformisj  are  important  items  on  the  list  of  herbs. 

Although  the  post  is  situated  on  the  northern  limit  of  the  northeast  trade- wind,  its  climate  is 
mainly  influenced  by  the  land  and  sea  breezes.  The  mean  annual  temperature  is  67.16°  F.  Obser- 
vations of  the  thermometer  have  not  been  made  for  a  sufficient  number  of  years  to  definitely  fix 
the  amplitude  of  the  fluctuation  in  its  yearly  reading.  August  is  the  hottest  mouth,  and  Decem- 


160  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 

ber  the  coldest.  The  mean  daily  temperature  of  August  is  85.58°  F.,  that  of  December  is  45.12°  F. 
The  raiu-fall  is  frequent,  and  gives  a  mean  annual  amount  of  66.29  inches. 

The  barrack  iuclosure,  bounded  by  a  picket  fence,  is  a  parallelogram,  the  longer  sides  of  which 
are  8  chains  and  95  links  in  length,  and  run  due  north  and  south,  the  shorter  sides  being  4  chains 
and  50  links  in  length,  and  running  due  east  and  west.  Its  level,  having  an  altitude  of  30  feet, 
and  belongs  to  a  plain  upon  which  the  elevation  nearest  the  barracks  is  five  miles  distant.  Nu- 
merous depressions,  with  corresponding  drainage  and  bodies  of  stagnant  water,  appear  in  every 
direction  upon  the  plain  which  stretches  northward,  as  a  marsh,  for  36  miles  along  either  bank  of 
the  Mobile  Eiver. 

The  post  consists  of  fourteen  detached  wooden  buildings,  distributed  over  an  area  of  644 
square  rods,  with  the  windows  facing  north  and  south.  The  buildings  containing  quarters  for  the 
men  are  two  in  number,  each  85  by  50  feet,  two  stories  high,  with  verandas  in  front,  and  situated 
on  the  north  side  of  the  parade  ground.  To  the  rear  of  these  buildings  are  quarters  for  married 
soldiers,  the  store-house,  hospital,  shops,  stable,  &c.  The  south  side  of  the  inclosure  is  occupied  by 
the  officers'  quarters.  The  adjutant's  office  is  the  only  bnildiug  on  the  east  side,  and  the  guard- 
house stands  alone  on  the  west  side  of  the  inclosure. 

The  ventilation  of  the  men's  barracks  is  effected  by  windows  and  ventilating  tubes  ;  additional 
ventilation  is  supplied  in  the  second  stories  of  the  buildings  by  ridge  openings  at  the  apex  of  the 
slanting  roof.  The  warming  is  by  stoves,  burning  wood;  the  lighting,  by  oil  and  candles  at  night. 
The  dormitories  are  four  in  number,  each  42J  by  50  feet,  allowing  779  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per 
man.  Bunks  are  of  wood,  measure  6  feet  by  27  inches,  and  are  single.  The  bedding  consists  of 
straw  mattresses  and  blankets.  The  privies  are  made  with  boxes,  zinc-lined,  in  which  the  night 
soil  is  collected,  to  be  daily  emptied  by  fatigue  parties.  There  are  four  kitchens  belonging  to  the 
barracks,  each  measuring  23  by  11  feet,  and  containing  a  range  with  sufficient  apparatus  for  cook- 
ing; each  kitchen  opens  into  a  mess-room,  20  by  23  feet. 

There  are  twelve  rooms,  contained  in  two  long  buildings  directly  to  the  rear  of  the  men's  quar- 
ters, for  the  use  of  married  soldiers;  their  dimensions  are  14£  by  15  feet.  Each  family  is  entitled 
to  two  rooms. 

The  officers  are  quartered  in  three  detached  buildings  that  are  forty-one  feet  distant  from  each 
other,  and  seventeen  rods  from  the  barracks  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  parade  ground.  Each 
building  is  two  stories  high,  with  veranda  in  front,  and  contains  four  sets  of  quarters  of  two  rooms 
each,  exclusive  of  the  halls  and  kitchens.  The  buildings  are  51  by  46  feet;  the  rooms  are  15  feet 
square,  and  are  warmed,  lighted,  and  ventilated  as  are  the  men's  quarters. 

There  is  one  store-house  of  the  assistant  commissary  of  subsistence,  situated  on  the  north  side 
of  the  inclosure.  It  is  42  by  40  feet,  and  two  stories  high,  with  a  veranda  in  front.  This  building 
is  also  occupied  by  the  quartermasters'  department  for  the  storage  of  property. 

The  guard-house,  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  parade  ground,  is  in  a  line  with  the  bakery 
and  stable.  It  is  27|  by  18  feet,  has  a  veranda,  and  contains  the  guard-room  and  four  rooms  open- 
ing into  it  for  prisoners  of  various  grades.  Ventilation,  warming,  and  lighting  are  the  same  as  in  the 
barrack  rooms. 

The  hospital  building  is  situated  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  inclosure,  and  in  rear  of  those 
occupied  as  quarters  for  married  soldiers.  It  is  80  by  60  feet  in  dimensions,  and,  like  the  other 
buildings  of  the  post,  is  constructed  of  wood.  Verandas  extend  the  full  length  of  the  building  on 
every  side.  It  is  warmed  by  stoves  and  open  fireplaces,  lighted  artificially  by  candles,  and  venti- 
lated by  cross  currents.  Each  of  the  two  wards  was  designed  to  accommodate  25  patients,  giving 
to  each  man  496  cubic  feet  of  air  space.  The  bath-room  contains  two  bath-tubs,  with  towels,  &c. 
There  are  also  two  lavatories,  made  of  wood,  lined  with  zinc,  and  accommodating  at  one  time  six 
patients.  There  is  one  hospital  privy,  at  which  the  soil  is  collected  in  boxes,  to  be  daily  emptied. 

The  bakery  is  17£  feet  by  14  feet,  and  contains  an  oven  whose  capacity  is  280  loaves. 

Water  in  large  quantity  is  supplied  by  cisterns  and  artesian  wells — drove — both  of  which  are 
furnished  to  each  of  the  detached  buildings  that  is  inhabited.  Besides  these  a  well  25  feet  deep 
has  been  dug  near  the  center  of  the  iuclosure. 

The  well  water  is  of  acid  reaction,  (slight,)  and  when  one  drop  of  a  standard  solution  of  per- 
manganate of  potash  (four  grains  to  one  drachm)  is  added  to  one-kalf  pint  of  water,  a  pink  color, 


MOBILE,  ALABAMA. 


161 


permanent,  is  imparted.    As,  however,  the  water  contains  the  salts  of  the  protoxide  of  iron,  the 
permanganate  test  is  not  regarded  as  conclusive  of  the  quality  of  organic  matter  held  in  solution. 

A  white  precipitate  (carbonate  of  lime)  is  given  by  liquor  calcis.  A  slight  white  precipitate 
is  thrown  down  when  nitrate  of  silver  is  added. 

This  water,  exposed  in  a  shallow  basin,  is  soon  covered  by  an  irridescent  pellicle  that  soon  falls 
to  the  bottom  as  peroxide  of  iron.  The  water  is  colorless,  without  odor,  and  slightly  saline  to  the 
taste.  The  quantity  of  chlorides  and  of  salts  of  iron  held  in  solution  by  it  does  not  forbid  its  use. 

The  quality  of  the  soil  implies  dryness  and  permeability  for  water,  for  which  there  is  a  good 
outfall  to  the  east,  that  conducts  to  the  Mobile  River.  A  system  of  sewers  is,  however,  not  in  use 
by  the  city,  and,  as  the  character  of  the  soil  prevents  the  opening  of  large  and  permanent  trenches 
of  proper  slope  on  either  side  of  the  streets,  the  water,  during  heavy  rains,  runs  off  too  slowly  for 
health. 

The  barrack  inclosure  is  drained  by  dikes,  five  feet  in  depth,  running  parallel  to  the  sides  that 
extend  east  and  west.  The  surface  water  is  conducted  to  these  by  shallow  drains  running  north 
and  south.  These  trenches  convey  their  contents  directly  to  Mobile  Bay.  Slops,  offal,  and  excreta 
of  the  post  are  conveyed  in  carts  a  mile  distant  from  the  post,  and  buried. 

The  post  garden  contains  three  acres,  and  is  cultivated  by  enlisted  men. 

'  Fresh  bread  is  issued  daily,  and  fresh  beef  tri- weekly.  Fresh  vegetables  (potatoes,  onions,  &c.) 
are  purchased  in  large  quantities.  Other  elements  of  the  army  rations  are  issued  in  sufficient 
quantities. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  from  the  medical  storekeeper  at  New  Orleans,  Louisiana ;  received 
and  kept  in  good  condition. 

The  City  of  Mobile  contains  50,000  inhabitants,  of  which  75  per  cent,  are  Caucasians,  and  25 
per  cent,  negroes.  A  small  number  of  Choctaw  Indians  still  remains. 

The  register  of  the  city  gives  no  summary  or  tabulated  list  of  diseases.  I  am,  however,  credi- 
bly informed,  by  the  most  skillful  practitioners  of  medicine  in  Mobile,  that  malaria  is  the  cause  of 
one-half  the  cases  occurring  in  practice.  In  1850  the  population  had  reached  the  number  of  20,000, 
and  iu  it  there  was  a  mortality,  from  all  causes,  of  611,  i.  e.,  30.55  per  1,000;  in  18G5  the  total 
number  of  deaths  was  1,042  in  a  population  of  50,000,  or  20.84  per  1,000 ;  in  1866  the  mortuary 
record  gave  the  sum  of  1,310 ;  in  1807  there  were  1,182  deaths  ;  in  1868,  in  a  population  of  50,000, 
there  were  1,064  deaths. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Mobile,  Alabama,  for  the 

years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


21 


DEPARTMENT   OF  TEXAS 


POSTS  DESCRIBED. 


Jacksou  Barracks,  New  Orleans,  Louisiana. 

Fort  Pike,  Louisiana. 

Forts  Jacksou  and  St.  Philip,  Louisiana. 

Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana. 

Shreveport,  Louisiana. 

Jefterson,  Texas. 

Austin,  Texas. 

San  Antonio,  Texas. 

Fort  Richardson,  Texas. 

Fort  Griffin,  Texas. 

Fort  Concho,  Texas. 


Fort  McKavett,  Texas. 

Fort  Brown,  Brownsville,  Texas. 

Ringjjold  Barracks,  Texas. 

Fort  Mclntosh,  Texas. 

Fort  Duncan,  Texas. 

Fort  Clark,  Texas. 

Fort  Stockton,  Texas. 

Fort  Davis,  Texas. 

Fort  Quitman,  Texas. 

Fort  Bliss,  Texas. 


JACKSON   BARRACKS,  LOUISIANA. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  B.  A.  CLEMENTS,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  post  of  Jackson  Barracks  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Mississippi  River,  three  miles 
below  the  center  of  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  in  latitude  29°  57'  north;  longitude,  90° 
west;  altitude,  10  feet.  The  land  was  purchased  in  1833,  and  the  buildings  erected  in  1834-'35, 
the  purpose  probably  being  that  of  the  defense  of  the  people  of  New  Orleans  and  vicinity  in  the 
event  of  a  servile  insurrection.  Surgeon  W.  J.  Sloan,  United  States  Army,  furnishes  the  following 
memoranda  relative  to  this  post  during  the  Mexican  war :  "I  was  assigned  to  duty  at  New  Orleans 
Barracks  early  in  1847.  The  post  hospital  was  then  a  small,  two-story  brick  building,  with  two 
wards  on  the  second  floor.  The  garrison  was  withdrawn,  and  the  hospital  gradually  enlarged  by 
the  occupancy  of  the  vacant  barrack  and  the  admission  of  sick  men  from  the  regiments  encamped 
in  the  vicinity  en  route  to  Mexico.  During  that  year  it  became  gradually  a  general  hospital.  An 
officer  remained  with  a  small  guard,  but  all  the  soldiers'  barracks  and  the  unoccupied  soldiers' 
quarters  were  fitted  up  for  hospital  purposes,  and  during  the  years  1847-'48  were  filled  with  sick 
and  wounded  from  the  army  in  Mexico.  In  the  fall  of  1848  additional  accommodations  became 
necessary.  Adjacent  ground  was  purchased,  and  a  general  hospital  erected,  which  was  finished  at 
the  close  of  the  war  in  season  to  accommodate  the  returning  sick  and  wounded.  This  hospital  is 
the  present  post  hospital." 

The  mean  temperature  of  this  post  during  the  year  1869  was  66°  F.;  the  extremes  being  39° 
and  88°.  The  post  occupies  a  rectangular  plot  of  ground  about  300  by  800  feet,  surrounded  by  a 
high  brick  wall,  and  distant  from  the  river  40  yards. 

The  buildings  are  well  constructed  of  brick  and  granite.  The  quarters  for  enlisted  men  con- 
sist of  four  separate  buildings,  two  stories  high,  each  53  by  32  feet,  and  surrounded  with  a  spacious 
veranda.  They  are  heated  by  open  fireplaces,  and  lighted  and  ventilated  by  large  windows.  The 
dormitories  are  all  on  the  second  floor.  Each  contains  20,187  cubic  feet  of  air  space,  with  an  aver- 
age occupancy  of  about  45  men,  giving  440  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  The  doors  and  win- 
dows are  large,  and  during  a  great  part  of  the  year  the  majority  of  the  men  sleep  on  the  veranda. 
The  dormitories  are  fitted  up  with  double  bunks  in  two  tiers;  but  it  is  believed  that  the  upper  tier 
is  generally  unoccupied,  and  no. ill  effects  are  known  to  have  arisen  from  want  of  air  space. 

The  post  is  designed  to  accommodate  four  companies  of  infantry,  and  its  arrangement,  including 
that  of  the  hospital,  is  shown  in  Figure  21. 


JACKSOX  BAREACKS,  LOUISIANA. 


163 


~| 


w 


EH  n 

DDL 


I 


V 
IP- 


T.H 


1K 


[T 


D 


CZJ 


D 


EZ1 


D 


A,  headquarters;  B,  chaplain's  quarters;  C  C,  officers'  quarters;  D,  quartermaster's  quar- 
ters; E,  surgeon's  quarters;  F,  assistant  surgeon's  quarters;  H  II II  H  H,  barracks;  I,,  prison; 
K,  commissary  store-house;  L,  barrack  bak- 
ery; M,  engine-house;  N  N  N,  hospital;  (), 
tower;  P,  dining-room;  E,  kitchens;  S, hos- 
pital bakery;  T,  ordnance  sergeant  and  hos- 
pital steward's  quarters;  V  V,  privies;  W, 
laundry. 

There  are  no  wash  or  bath-rooms,  and* 
the  men  wash  near  the  cisterns.  There  are 
two  large  sinks,  built  of  brick,  about  8  feet 
deep,  sloping  on  all  sides  toward  the  bot- 
tom, and  lined  with  cement ;  they  are 
cleaned  through  a  trap  opening  from  the 
level  of  the.  ground  into  the  sink.  They 
are  disinfected  twice  daily  ;  are  provided 
with  two  urinals  each,  and  are  good  and 
convenient. 

The  kitchens  and  mess  rooms  are  all  on 
the  first  floor  of  the  buildings,  well  adapted 
and  furnished  with  the  usual  furniture. 

Quarters  for  married  soldiers  are  in  a 
building  similar  to  those  occupied  by  the 
troops,  45  by  21  feet,  and  two  stories  high. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  contained  in 
seven  two  story  buildings,  two  of  which 
measure  42  by  21  feet,  and  five  82  by  21 
feet,  divided  into  rooms  about  18  feet  square. 
They  are  very  substantially  built,  though 
now  somewhat  out  of  repair.  There  are 
forty-eight  rooms  in  all,  of  which  one-half 
are  on  the  first  floor,  and  one-half  on  the 
second,  the  former  being  used  for  kitchens 
and  dining-rooms,  and  the  latter  for  living 
apartments. 

The  building  designed   for  quarters  of  Figure  si.— Scale,  195  fr.-t  to  1  inch. 

commanding  officer  fronts  the  river,  and  has  four  rooms  on  the  second  floor  and  four  on  the  lower. 
The  buildings  for  other  officers'  quarters  are  on  the  long  sides  of  the  post,  opposite,  and  similar 
to  each  other.  The  two  nearest  the  commanding  officer's  quarters  con  tain  each  two  rooms  up  stairs 
and  two  down,  with  a  small  yard  adjacent.  There  are  two  more  buildings  on  each  side  of  the  post, 
each  containing  four  rooms  on  the  upper  and  lower  floors,  with  small  yards  at  each  end. 

As  the  main  wall  of  the  post  forms  one  of  the  sides  of  the  rooms  in  the  lower  stories  of  the 
officers'  quarters,  and  appears  to  have  been  made  with  a  view  to  defense  alone,  there  are  no  win- 
dows except  at  the  front  in  these  lower  rooms ;  hence  they  are  deficient  in  ventilation,  and  gener- 
ally dark.  Itiver  water  is  supplied  to  the  rooms,  both  up  and  down  stairs,  through  pipes  leading 
from  the  large  tank  in  the  tower  at  the  southwest  angle  of  the  post.  There  is  one  cistern  to  each 
building.  Water-closets  are  situated  in  the  yards;  they  are  brick  sinks,  cleaned  through  a  trap  in 
the  floor.  The  want  of  natural  drainage  of  course  prevents  the  use  of  water  in  them. 

The  quartermaster  and  commissary  store-house  is  a  two-story  building.  42  by  32  feet,  con- 
structed of  granite  and  brick.  A  similar  building,  32  by  14  feet,  is  used  as  an  engine-house,  and 
another,  42  by  21  feet,  is  occupied  as  quarters  by  the  band.  In  addition,  at  each  of  the  four  angles 
of  the  main  wall  surrounding  the  post,  there  is  a  circular  brick  tower,  29  feet  in  diameter,  and  used 
as  store-houses,  &c. 

The  guard-house  is  a  building  05  by  21  feet,  and  similar  in  construction  to  those  described. 


n 


-o 


1G4  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

Only  the  lower  story  of  the  building  is  used  for  guard  purposes,  and  the  cells  consist  of  three  of 
the  following  dimensions,  viz :  One,  20f  feet  long,  17  feet  wide,  and  11§  feet  high ;  two,  9§  feet 
long,  8J  feet  wide,  and  11§  feet  high.  The  ventilation  of  all  is  defective,  and  of  the  large  cell 
very  bad,  there  being  no  openings  at  all  on  one  side  of  it,  and  on  another  only  a  grating  above 
the  door. 

It  is  ascertained  that  these  three  cells,  affording  an  aggregate  air  space  of  5,817  cubic  feet, 
have  contained  for  the  six  mouths  ending  with  December,  1808,  an  average  of  22;|  prisoners  daily, 
which  would  give  but  2GO  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  But  at  times  there  have  been  as  many 
as  ."Hi  men  occupying  these  three  cells  at  one  time,  thus  having  but  103  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per 
man ;  the  smallest  number  occupying  them  at  any  one  time,  during  the  period  mentioned,  has 
been  9. 

In  practice  it  is  found  undesirable  to  treat  prisoners,  sick  with  even  ordinarily  trivial  ailments, 
without  removing  them  to  the  hospital.  And  as,  in  addition  to  the  small  space  given,  the  ventila- 
tion of  the  large  cell  especially  is  bad,  it  is  evident  that  nothing  but  an  imperative  necessity  can  jus- 
tify its  being  used  for  so  large  a  number  of  men.  I  am  informed  that  prisoners  from  other  com- 
mands than  the  garrison  of  this  post  are  sent  here  for  confinement,  and  it  certainly  is  desirable 
either  that  this  practice  should  be  discontinued,  or  more  ample  accommodations  be  provided. 
There  are  two  large  and  well-constructed  sinks  for  the  use  of  the  men.  They  are  disinfected  daily, 
and  are  kept  in  good  order,  though  they  would  be  much  more  cleanly  were  they  provided  with 
urinals. 

The  hospital  buildings  and  grounds  are  immediately  adjacent  to  the  post  proper,  and  occupy 
about  the  same  space.  The  buildings  were  erected  in  1849,  and  are  constructed  of  wood,  two 
stories  high,  and  arranged  in  the  shape  of  a  square,  open  at  the  angles.  (See  Figure  21.)  In  front 
and  nearest  the  river  is  a  fine  garden,  handsomely  and  thickly  shaded  with  magnolia,  cedar,  pine 
and  other  trees.  The  buildings  are  in  number  and  dimensions  as  follows,  viz :  Three,  168  by  31 
feet ;  one,  112  by  31  feet;  two,  50  by  25  feet.  They  are  all  at  present  in  bad  repair.  The  first  three 
mentioned  arc  intended  for  wards,  the  second  for  mess  rooms,  quarters  of  nurses,  &c.,  and  the 
last  mentioned  for  kitchens  and  quarters.  The  wards  are  divided  ou  the  second  floor  into  two 
separate  rooms,  while  ou  the  first  floor  they  are  in  one  large  room.  The  buildings  are  all  sur- 
rounded by  spacious" verandas,  and  the  ventilation  of  all  is  excellent.  In  the  center  of  the  square 
formed  by  the  four  principal  buildings  is  an  octagonal  structure,  27  feet  in  diameter,  intended  and 
used  for  a  dispensary  and  office.  At  present  only  one  of  the  buildings  is  used  as  a  ward ;  they  each 
aflbrd  accommodation  for  twenty  beds,  with  1,551  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  bed.  The  buildings 
could  accommodate  240  patients,  together  with  the  necessary  kitchens,  mess-rooms,  &c.  There  are 
no  permanent  bath-rooms,  however,  and  no  water-closets  in  the  buildings.  At  present,  in  one  ward 
there  is  an  inclosed  space,  9  feet  square,  containing  one  tin  bath-tub  ouly ;  the  water  is  drawn 
from  the  pipe  supplied  from  the  main  tank  above  mentioned.  Washing  is  done  on  the  veranda, 
a  wooden  zinc-lined  trough,  supplied  with  basins,  being  used.  The  quartermaster  intends,  very 
soon,  to  construct  a  proper  bath  and  wash-room  in  each  ward.  There  is  also  on  the  veranda  a  tem- 
porary inclosed  space,  6  by  8  feet,  used  -for  the  purpose  of  water-closet  for  the  more  seriously  sick, 
being  provided  with  close  stools. 

The  hospital  sink  is  distant  some  75  yards  from  the  main  buildings. 

The  dead-house  is  a  temporary  board  hut,  13  by  8  by  10  feet  in  size,  provided  with  table  and 
buckets.  During  the  course  of  the  repairs  to  the  hospital  buildings,  now  going  on,  an  effort  will 
be  made  to  have  a  more  permanent  one  built. 

The  post  bakery  and  stables  are  in  the  rear  of  the  barracks  iuclosure,  on  the  outside.  The 
former  is  a  small  brick  building  iu  bad  repair;  the  latter  of  wood,  open  in  front. 

The  library  is  kept  in  one  of  the  hospital  wards;  the  miscellaneous  collection  consists  of  the 
debris  from  former  general  hospitals  in  the  department,  and  numbers  500  volumes,  but  few  of  them 
being  standard  works. 

There  is  a  large  iron  reservoir,  containing  about  40,000  gallons,  in -the  tower  at  the  south- 
west angle  of  the  post,  into  which  the  water  is  pumped  from  the  river  by  a  steam-engine,  and 
forced  through  pipes  to  all  the  post  and  hospital  buildings  ;  there  are  numerous  fire-plugs 
throughout  the  grounds,  and  recently  a  better  arrangement  and  larger  amount  of  hose  than 


JACKSON  BARRACKS,  LOUISIANA. 


165 


formerly.  There  is  one  cistern  of  about  8,000  gallons  capacity  to  each  building  of  the  officers' 
quarters,  and  two  of  8,000  gallons  each  to  each  set  of  company  quarters.  There  are  also  six  cis- 
terns of  12,000  gallons  capacity  each  in  the  court  of  the  hospital  buildings,  and  three  others, 
capacity  8,000  gallons  each,  at  the  sutler's  store,  bakery,  and  ordnance  sergeant's  quarters.  The 
supply  of  water  from  the  reservoir  is  only  limited  by  the  capacity  of  the  steam-engine,  and  there 
is  always  an  abundant  supply  of  cistern  water. 

The  general  surface  of  the  whole  vicinity  is  but  10  feet  above  tin-  level  of  the  sea.  The  almost 
inappreciable  natural  drainage  is  from  the  river  to  the  swamps  in  the  rear,  and  is  almost  wholly 
inefficient.  The  grounds  of  the  post  proper,  and  the  immediately  adjacent  hospital  grounds,  are 
elevated  artificially  about  30  inches  at  the  highest  parts.  Large  brick-lined  drains  extend  through 
the  whole  area  of  the  post  and  hospital  grounds,  and  are  very  skillfully  constructed  and  adapted 
to  the  artificial  elevation  of  the  surface.  There  are  no  sewers.  The  drains  discharge  in  the  rear  of 
the  post,  toward  the  swamps,  and  are  entirely  efficient  in  draining  the  post  proper.  Slops,  ofl'al, 
and  excreta  are  dumped  into  the  Mississippi  River. 

There  are  no  arrangements  for  bathing,  either  in  summer  or  winter.  Good  swimmers  bathe 
after  night  in  the  river,  in  summer,  but  it  is  attended  with  danger. 

The  post  garden  has  heretofore  been  neglected,  but  recently  efforts  have  been  made  to  have  a 
very  large  garden,  and  with  every  prospect  of  success,  the  ground  being  of  the  richest  kind.  The 
area  of  the  ground  now  being  put  under  cultivation  is  about  40  acres;  it  is  cultivated  by  a  general 
detail  from  the  garrison,  under  the  direction  of  an  officer,  and  is  capable  of  producing  almost 
every  kind  of  vegetables. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  could  scarcely  be  better,  considering  its  location 
and  the  general  character  of  the  surrounding  country.  The  prevailing  diseases  during  the  past 
year,  1869,  have  been  malarial  and  venereal.  The  slight  altitude  and  marshy  character  of  the 
entire  region  is  doubtless  the  productive  cause_pf  the  large  amount  of  malarial  disease.  The  large 
number  of  cases  of  venereal  disease  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  unclean  habits  and  salacious  dispo- 
sition of  the  colored  troops,  who  composed  the  garrison  during  nine  mouths  of  the  year. 

Statement  shoicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  white  troops  at  Jackson 

Barracks,  Louisiana,  for  the  years  18G8  and  1869. 


Years. 

Menu  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Typhoid  fever. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Venereal  dis- 

eaHCH. 

Kheiiinatisiii. 

1 

Catarrhalaffec- 

tioiiH.* 

| 
1 

1868  

301 

1  084 

i 

442 

201 

66 

32 

2 

fil 

7 

1869,  (3  mouths)  

340.  33 

138 

48 

19 

21 

11 

13 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Jackson 

Barracks,  Louisiana,  for  the  year  1869. 


i 

g 

j 

i 

i 

i 

sc 

"=  * 

'•: 

1 

Z 

•a 

I 

1. 

5 

Year. 

£ 
« 

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"S 

X 

1  S 

| 

«  § 

o 

X 

a 
• 

1 

|l 

1 

J 

S^ 
s 

| 
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1 

—    ^_ 

O 

o 

1869,  (9  months) 

293  55 

565 

1 

213 

61 

116 

.     , 

i-t 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


166  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

FORT   PIKE,   LOUISIANA. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  A.  C.  GIRAHD,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Pike,  Louisiana,  is  situated  on  the  island  Les  Petites  Coijnilles,  at  the  entrance  of  Lake 
Pontchartraiu  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  latitude  30°  1'  north,  longitude  89°  1'  west  from  Green- 
wich. It  is  28  miles  from  New  Orleans.  The  natural  elevation  of  the  surface  of  the  island  nowhere 
exceeds  two  feet. 

With  regard  to  the  history  of  the  post  nothing  definite  can  be  ascertained.  The  fort  was  built 
some  time  in  the  commencement  of  this  century.  The  original  establishment  must  have  been  at  the 
present  site  of  the  hospital,  which  still  retains  the  name  of  "  Old  Spanish  Fort."  There  are  some 
traces  of  former  fortifications  around  this  latter  place.  The  fort  was  not  occupied  by  troops  before 
the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion,  and  became  an  easy  prey  to  the  rebels.  It  fell  simultaneously  with 
the  capture  of  New  Orleans,  and  was  abandoned  without  the  destruction  of  property.  Since  that 
time  it  has  been  occupied  successively  by  the  Tenth  Louisiana  artillery,  a  detachment  of  the  First 
United  States  Infantry,  and  the  Thirty-ninth  United  States  Infantry. 

The  island  is  of  rhomboid  form,  about  three  miles  long,  and  at  its  greatest  breadth  two  miles. 
It  is  bounded  west  by  Lake  Pontehartraiu;  north  and  northeast  by  the  Rigolets;  east,  southeast, 
and  south  by  Lake  Catharine;  and  southwest  by  an  unnamed  bayou.  The  island  is  a  large  marsh, 
overflowed  by  spring  tides,  and  the  only  dry  ground  is  artificial,  embracing  the  fort,  barrack- 
ground,  a  narrow  shell  road  three-quarters  of  a  mile  long,  and  at  the  end  of  it  a  raised  shell  bank, 
where  stands  the  hospital. 

The  island  seems  to  have  been  originally  formed  of  a  congeries  of  small  shells,  with  an  admix- 
ture of  earthy  deposit,  based  upon  a  substratum  of  argillaceous  earth,  rendered  black  or  blue  by 
the  oxide  of  iron.  The  botany  and  zoology  of  the  post  are  of  little  interest;  no  plants  grow  in 
the  marsh  but  the  marsh  grass.  The  wild  cat,  raccoon,  rat,  wild  duck,  wild  goose,  snipe,  king- 
fisher, and  blackbird,  are  the  only  warm-blooded  animals  inhabiting  the  swamp.  Alligators,  water- 
moccasins,  king  snakes,  and  black  snakes  abound  in  summer  time.  The  never-tiring,  ever -hungry 
mosquito  is  the  chief  plague  of  this  post,  and  renders  its  occupation  during  the  hot  season  almost 
unendurable. 

In  summer  the  prevailing  wind  is  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico ;  in  winter,  east,  southeast,  or 
north.  The  south  and  northwest  winds  usually  bring  storms — sometimes  with  terrific  gales.  Rain 
is  not  very  frequent,  and  rarely  of  long  continuance.  It  is  usually  brought  by  east,  southeast,  or 
west  winds ;  the  quantity  has  not  been  ascertained. 

The  fort,  situated  on  the  Rigolets,  one  mile  from  the  entrance  of  the  lake,  is  built  on  a  founda- 
tion of  cypress  logs,  sunk  in  the  marsh,  over  which  lies  a  layer  of  cemented  shell.  It  is  a  triangu- 
lar brick  fortification,  with  a  segment  of  a  circle  for  base.  It  opens  toward  the  Rigolets,  from 
which  it  is  separated  by  a  breakwater.  On  the  land  side  it  is  protected  by  an  inner  and  outer 
moat. 

The  citadel  of  the  fort  is  a  building  70  feet  long  by  24  feet  deep,  two  stories  high;  the  lower 
story  is  casemated,  and  contains  six  divisions,  used  as  kitchens;  the  upper  story  is  occupied  as 
officers'  quarters,  containing  six  rooms,  each  1.2  by  24  feet.  The  three  bastions  have  small  frame 
buildings,  used  as  offices.  On  the  east  side  of  the  outer  moat  arc  the  quarters  of  the  troops,  a 
single-story  frame  building,  314  by  19  feet,  and  11  feet  high,  running  from  east  to  west.  At  the 
east  end  is  a  part  of  the  commissary  store-house  ;  at  the  west  end,  a  shoemaker's  shop.  The  build- 
ing is  comfortable,  well  lighted  and  ventilated,  and  warmed  by  two  stoves  in  winter.  Air  space 
per  man,  400  cubic  feet.  The  men  sleep  in  single,  two-story  bunks,  furnished  with  bedsack,  blan- 
kets, and  mosquito  bars.  The  company  and  officers'  sinks  are  built  on  piles,  over  the  outer  moat, 
and  are  washed  by  the  tide,  except  at  very  low  water.  The  kitchens  and  mess-rooms  are  separate 
buildings,  parallel  with  the  quarters  on  the  bank  of  the  outer  moat,  and  separated  from  them  by 
the  parade  ground.  They  are  temporary  buildings,  and  poorly  adapted  to  their  purpose.  On  the 
other  side  of  the  quarters,  running  parallel  also,  are  the  carpenter  shop,  bakery,  commissary  and 


FORT  TIKE,  LOUISIANA. 


167 


quartermaster's  store-house,  and  the  blacksmith  shop.  The  laundresses'  quarters  are  bnilt  more 
toward  the  west,  in  the  swamp,  and  are  miserable  shanties,  submerged  in  high  water. 

On  the  wharf  is  situated  the  guard-house,  a  whitewashed  frame  building,  24  by  1C  feet,  and 
9  feet  high.  This  is  the  poorest  building  at  the  post,  and  not  at  all  suitable  for  a  guard-house.  It 
is  amply  ventilated  through  the  cracks  and  door ;  warmed  by  a  large  open  fireplace.  From  its  posi- 
tion the  building  is  an  "eyesore"  to  the  post. 

On  the  site  known  as  the  "Spanish  fort"  is  situated  the  post  hospital.  It  is  at  a  distance  of 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  fort,  and  directly  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Pontchartrain.  There 
have  been  at  different  intervals  hospital  buildings  at  this  place,  but  they  were  all  destroyed  by  fire 
or  blown  down  by  gales.  The  present  hospital  was  commenced  in  18C8,  the  plan  of  the  same  hav- 
ing been  previously  made  by  an  officer  of  the  quartermaster's  department  under  the  directions  of 
the  commanding  officer.  Neither  capacious  wards  nor  ventilation  were  provided  for,  the  largest 
room  of  the  house  being  15  by  16  feet,  the  average  15  by  10  feet.  Upon  the  suggestion  of  the  medi- 
cal officer  two  additional  wings  were  erected,  according  to  the  directions  laid  down  in  the  Surgeon 
General's  Circular  No.  4,  1867,  retaining  the  original  structure  as  an  administration  building.  The 
central  building  is  warmed  by  fireplaces,  the  wings  being  supplied  with  stoves.  The  ward  is  ven- 
tilated in  summer  by  eight  openings,  with  movable  shutters,  near  the  floor,  and  a  raised  ridge 
capable  of  being  shut  on  the  sides  by  eight  boards,  hinged,  so  as  to  be  opened  by  pulling  a  cord, 
and  shut  by  their  own  weight.  In  winter  the  ward  is  ventilated  as  directed  in  the  Surgeon  Gen- 
eral's circular,  by  a  shaft.  The  ward  contains  twelve  beds,  giving  1,320  cubic  feet  air  space  to  each. 
One  wing  of  the  building  is  fitted  up  as  quarters. for  the  medical  officer.  There  is  no  bath-room  or 
lavatory.  The  water  closet  is  a  small  building  placed  over  the  water  and  cleansed  by  the  tide. 

The  post  bakery  is  _a  common  frame  building,  well  whitewashed,  containing  a  new  oven. 

The  post  library  is  as  yet  in  its  infancy.  A  good  selection  of  military  works,  English  and 
American  authors,  has  been  recently  obtained. 

The  water  supply  by  cisterns,  twenty-two  in  number,  is  sufficient,  except  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  summer,  when  condensed  water  is  required.  The  means  of  extinguishing  fire  are  a  hose 
connected  with  the  condenser  and  water  buckets. 

The  troops  are  marched  twice  a  week  by  companies  to  the  bathing  ground  on  Lake  Pontchar- 
train, a  mile  from  the  fort.  The  bathing  hour  is  2  p.  m. 

There  are  no  post  gardens.  Attempts  have  been  made  to  raise  vegetables,  as  the  soil  appears 
fertile  and  well  adapted  to  cultivation,  but  without  success. 

The  only  inhabitants  of  the  island  besides  the  military  are  the  custom-house  inspector  and  the 
quarantine  officer,  with  their  crews. 

The  hygienic  condition  of  the  troops  is  good.  On  account  of  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  liquor, 
drunkenness  is  rare  among  the  soldiers.  Venereal  diseases  are  contracted  by  the  men  when  on  fur- 
lough in  the  city  of  New  Orleans.  They  are  more  difficult  to  treat  satisfactorily  than  in  white 
troops,  and  not  unfrequently  necessitate  discharge.  Scurvy  made  its  appearance  last  year  on  ac- 
count of  the  poor  quality  of  the  soldiers'  food.  Recommendations  were  made  that  the  company 
funds  be  more  liberally  applied  to  the  purchase  of  vegetables,  and  that  efforts  be  made  to  procure 
fresh  meat  more  frequently.  The  locality  is  healthy,  and  no  diseases  of  local  origin  occur,  except 
during  a  dry  season,  when  there  have  been  a  few  cases  of  intermittent  fever  in  the  vicinity.  The 
barracks  are  whitewashed,  outside  and  inside,  every  three  months. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops,  at  Fort 

Pike,  Louisiana,  for  tlie  years  1868  and  1869. 


A 

H 

£ 

-3 

, 

i 

ti> 

B 

•°    £ 

S  *, 

V 

> 

« 

V 

> 

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§    &> 

s 

rB 

1 

i 

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3 

Years. 

Mean  stre 

Whole  nn 
taken  s 

t 

'S 
A 
a, 

P 

Malarial  i 

Diarrhoea 
dysente 

Tonsillitis 

Diphtheri 

Venereal 
eases 

1 

Rhenmati 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal 
tions 

1 

•s 

6 

1868 

197.  33 

456 

90 

48 

9 

1 

47 

5 

26 

8 

58 

2 

1869                        .           

94.08 

312 

1 

86 

38 

5 

42 

34 

4 

29 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


168  DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 


POST  OF  FORTS  JACKSON  AND  SAINT  PHILIP,  LOUISIANA. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  P.  F.  HARVEY,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Jackson,  the  more  important  of  the  two  forts  constituting  this  post,  is  situated  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  Mississippi  River,  32  nautical  miles  by  river  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  about  22 
miles  above  the  light-house  at  the  head  of  the  passes,  and  65  miles  in  a  southeast  direction  below 
New  Orleans.  The  flag-staff  of  the  fort  is  located  in  latitude  29°  21'  30.68"  north,  and  longitude 
89°  26'  21.46"  west.  The  altitude  of  the  post  above  the  sea  is  but  a  few  feet. 

The  quarantine,  station,  for  the  protection  of  the  State,  is  distant  five  miles  up  the  river.  Ves- 
sels from  infected  ports  are  subject  to  a  quarantine  of  not  less  than  ten  days,  or  longer  if  deemed 
necessary,  by  the  board  of  health.  Buras  village,  a  small  assemblage  of  houses  opposite  quaran- 
tine, is  the  most  important  settlement  in  this  vicinity,  being  the  post  office  and  telegraph  station 
for  the  post  and  vicinity.  This  site  was  first  occupied  for  military  purposes  in  the  latter  part  of 
1814,  and  the  construction  of  the  fort  commenced  at  that  time  as  a  defense  against  the  British,  who 
had  invaded  Louisiana  from  the  Gulf  and  were  attempting  the  capture  of  New  Orleans.  Prior  to 
that  date  Fort  Bourbon  had  stood  on  the  river  bank,  at  a  point  about  a  mile  above  this  post,  but  it 
succumbed  to  the  gradual  encroachments  of  the  current,  and  to-day  not  a  vestige  remains.  Several 
years  elapsed  after  the  erection  of  Fort  Jackson  before  permanent  barracks  or  quarters  were  com- 
menced, tents  being  the  habitations  used.  In  1840,  or  thereabouts,  a  large  two-story  brick  build, 
ing  for  use  as  quarters  and  offices  was  commenced  by  the  engineer  department.  At  the  outbreak 
of  the  rebellion  the  confederates  obtained  and  held  this  post  in  their  possession  for  a  period  of 
about  one  year.  On  the  morning  of  the  18th  of  April,  1862,  a  mortar  flotilla,  under  command  of 
Captain  I).  D.  Porter,  commenced  the  bombardment  of  Forts  Jackson  and  Saint  Philip,  which  con- 
tinued until  the  24th,  failing,  however,  to  break  the  casemates,  or  render  the  works  untenable.  At 
2  o'clock,  on  the  morning  of  the  24th,  the  fleet  of  vessels  moved  up  the  river,  and  with  the  aid  of 
the  gunboats  succeeded  in  passing  the  forts  without  serious  damage  or  loss  of  life.  After  passing 
the  forts  the  federal  vessels  encountered  a  rebel  fleet,  and  a  sharp  conflict  ensued,  ending  in  the 
discomfiture  of  the  latter.  The  fleet  then  proceeded  unmolested  to  New  Orleans.  In  the  meantime 
the  bombardment  was  continued  by  Captain  Porter,  and  ended  on  the  28th  in  the  capitulation  of 
the  two  forts.  The  works  were  found  not  materially  damaged  or  weakened,  with  an  armament  of 
80  guns  at  Fort  Jackson  and  40  at  Fort  Saint  Philip.  Both  places  have  since  been  garrisoned  con- 
stantly either  by  volunteer  or  regular  troops.  Additional  buildings  as  quarters,  store-rooms,  and 
hospital  have  been  erected  within  the  last  six  years. 

The  reservation  was  made  February  9,  1842,  and  comprises  sections  u,  6,  7,  8,  and  9,  of  town- 
ship 20,  range  30  east  of  the  southeastern  district  of  Louisiana.  It  is  composed  entirely  of 
swamp  lauds,  and  during  seasons  of  high  water  is  almost  completely  inundated.  That  portion  con- 
taining the  fort,  quarters,  and  other  buildings,  is  leveed  on  all  sides,  but  notwithstanding  the  pro- 
tection thus  aflbrded,  there  are  times  when  the  water  rises  so  high  as  to  become  a  source  of 
great  inconvenience  in  going  about  the  garrison.  This  is  especially  the  case  when  rain  is  super- 
added  to  the  water,  which  percolates  through  the  levees.  At  such  times  the  stationary  engine 
used  for  pumping  out  the  water,  although  going  night  and  day,  is  inadequate  to  the  demand.  Such, 
however,  is  rarely  the  case.  Generally  the  engine  meets  all  requirements. 

The  soil  is  alluvial,  and  is  covered  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year  with  rank  tropical  vege- 
tation. In  the  levee  inclosure  this  growth  is  mown  from  time  to  time  and  burnt.  I  have  observed 
no  arable  land  on  the  reservation,  although  I  am  told  that  both  rice  and  potatoes  were  cultivated 
on  it  before  the  war.  The  only  useful  product  of  the  soil  which  I  have  noticed  is  the  grass,  which 
furnishes  excellent  and  unfailing  pasturage  for  cattle. 

The  geological  formation  is  referable  to  the  post-tertiary  epoch,  and  consists  mainly  of  a 
deposit  of  loam,  sand,  infusoria,  shell,  marl,  &c.,  produced  by  the  ordinary  operations  of  sea  and 
river,  resting  probably  on  a  cretaceous  base. 

The  soil  is  fertile,  but  to  render  it  secure  for  tillage  the  greatest  possible  care  is  required  in  the 
erection  and  supervision  of  levees,  in  which  the  slightest  leak  readily  becomes  a  crevasse. 


FORTS  JACKSON  AND  SAINT  PHILIP,  LOUISIANA. 


169 


The  varieties  of  indigenous  trees  flourishing  in  this  locality  are  numerous,  and  many 'of  them 
are  of  considerable  value  and  importance.  The  ash,  the  cypress,  and  the  white  oak  are  esteemed 
for  many  purposes.  The  willow  and  myrtle  constitute  the  main  growth.  The  oil  or  wax  obtained 
from  the  seeds  of  the  latter  is  much  used  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  for  making  candles. 
Buttonwood  and  hackberry  are  intermixed,  but  are  not  of  general  growth.  Cottonwood  and 
poplar  Hourish  in  abundance.  The  peach,  plum,  orange,  banana,  fig,'and  cherry  arc  cultivated. 

The  blackberry,  strawberry,  and  dewberry  attain  great  perfection  here,  and  appear  in  the  mar- 
ket as  early  as  April.  Watermelons,  muskmelons,  and  cantcloupes  appear  early  in  June.  Tomatoes 
appear  early,  but  do  not  last  long.  Egg-plants,  okra,  Irish  and  sweet  potatoes,  cabbage,  lettuce, 
onions,  beets,  cauliflowers,  &c.,  are  raised  with  facility,  and  are  of  excellent  quality.  Heads  of  cab- 
bage weighing  25  pounds  are  reported  to  have  been  raised  in  this  locality,  and  three  crops  of  pota- 
toes are  said  to  have  been  produced  from  one  plot  of  ground  in  one  year.  Turnips  do  not  yield 
well,  in  consequence,  perhaps,  of  too  great  moisture  of  the  soil.  The  reed  cane  used  for  making 
fishing  rods  grows  in  thick  brakes  along  the  banks  of  bayous,  but  I  have  seen  no  sugar-cane  grow- 
ing in  this  vicinity,  although  it  constitutes  the  staple  product  of  the  lower  parishes  of  the  State. 

The  common  or  Virginia  deer,  rabbit,  gray  and  black  squirrel,  mink,  raccoon,  and  opossum,  are 
the  only  wild  animals  found  in  this  vicinity. 

The  fish  inhabiting  these  waters  are  the  sheep-head,  red  fish,  green  trout,  catfish,  mullet, 
sucker,  gar,  stingeree,  eel,  drum,  buffalo,  plaice,  croaker,  sunfisli,  gasper,  and  porpoise. 

Any  account  of  Fort  Jackson  would  be  incomplete  without  an  allusion  to  its  alligators.  These 
reptiles  constitute  one  of  the  principal  objects  of  interest  to  visitors,  and  may  be  seen  in  numbers 
floating  in  the  moats  or  stretched  out  on  the  shore  basking  in  the  sun.  They  are  from  five  to  fifteen 
feet  in  length,  and  possess  great  strength.  It  has  been  customary  to  feed  them  with  bread  and 
crackers,  from  the  bridges  over  the  moats,  calling  them  up  by  whistling,  and  from  frequent  repeti- 
tion they  appear  to  have  learned  that  signal,  and  generally  obey  it  with  as  much  readiness  as  so 
many  dogs. 

The  rattlesnakes  of  this  vicinity  are  numerous  and  formidable.  One  was  caught  here  recently 
measuring  11£  feet,  and  having  27  rattles.  Black  snakes  are  large,  but  rare.  Moccasins,  of  which 
there  are  two  species,  attain  a  large  size,  and  are  exceedingly  poisonous.  Among  the  harmless 
snakes  are  the  grass,  whip,  chicken,  and  king  snakes.  Among  the  reptiles  and  poisonous  insects 
may  be  enumerated  the  chameleon,  a  black  lizard  supposed  to  be  poisonous,  small  flesh-colored 
scorpion,  and  centipede. 

l!ain.  and  river  waters  are  used  exclusively.  The  supply  of  the  former  is  obtained  from  wooden 
reservoirs,  built  over  ground  adjoining  the  officers'  quarters,  barracks,  and  hospital.  Of  these  there 
are  seven  capable  of  containing  about  5,000  gallons  each.  During  seasons  of  drought  the  supply 
thus  obtained  is  liable  to  become  exhausted,  and  river  water  is  then  the  sole  dependence.  In  JUay 
last,  in  consequence  of  continued  dry  weather,  it  became  necessary  to  use  rain-water  for 'some 
weeks.  An  analysis  made  at  that  time  of  a  specimen  taken  from  the  surface  gave  the  following 
result: 


Grains  per  gallon. 

Reaction. 

•°    o 

a 

Date  of  examination. 

Physical  characters. 

g 

•3 

ti 

4 

•g    « 

a 

to 

1 

"a 

S    s 

ST 

"1   ** 

CM 
O 
® 

'C 

d 

I 
g 

_g 
1 

N 

1 

o  a 

o 

a 
3 

1 

1 

May  14,  1870  

Turbid,  tasteless,  no  odor. 

128 

2.156 

12 

4 

Slightly  acid.. 

Alkaline. 

The  mosquitoes  constitute  a  serious  obstacle  to  the  enjoyment  of  life  at  this  post,  for  they  not 
only  ply  their  calling  with  great  diligence  during  the  night,  but  in  summer  time  arc  equally  zealous 
22 


170  DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITAKY  POSTS. 

throughout  the  day.  Various  expedients  are  adopted  to  avoid  and  drive  them  away.  The  smudge 
is  brought  into  frequent  and  useful  requisition ;  gloves  are  worn,  and  a  covering  made  of  mosquito- 
bar  is  frequently  used  to  protect  the  head  and  face.  Kerosene  oil,  spirits  of  camphor,  essence  of 
pennyroyal,  and  other  pungent  substances  are  rubbed  on  the  skin  with  good  effect.  Rags  saturated 
with  crude  carbolic  acid,  and  waved  to  and  fro  in  the  air,  and  camphor,  volatilized  by  heat,  will 
drive  these  pests  out  of  an  apartment;  but  they  return  soon  after  in  increased  numbers.  Probably 
the  best  course  is  to  endure  them  as  philosophically  as  possible. 

The  constituents  are  subject  doubtless  to  variation,  the  earthy  as  well  as  the  organic  particles 
being  augmented  during  high  water,  and  the  reverse  obtaining  during  a  low  stage.  The  amount 
of  sediment  brought  down  by  the  Mississippi  River  is  enormous.  Forshay  and  Riddle,  of  New  Or- 
leans, from  observations  extending  over  a  period  of  thirty  years,  have  shown  it  to  be  between 
three  and  four  hundred  millions. of  cubic  feet  annually. 

The  extremes  of  temperature  are  never  very  great.  The  mercury  seldom,  if  ever,  reaches  100° 
F.  in  the  shade,  and  ice  has  formed  but  twice  in  the  past  three  years,  and  then  only  temporality  in  thin 
pellicles.  A  pleasant  breeze  from  the  Gulf  prevails  throughout  the  day  during  summer,  and  the 
nights  are  almost  always  cool  enough  for  comfortable  and  refreshing  sleep.  The  atmosphere  is 
usually  charged  with  moisture,  especially  during  the  warmer  seasons,  and  yields  it  readily  to  sub- 
stances having  an  affinity  therefor.  The  phosphorus  on  matches  frequently  becomes  so  moist  as 
to  be  incapable  of  ignition,  and  instruments  rust  with  great  readiness.  Snow  is  a  most  unusual 
event,  and  only  occurs  in  a  few  scattered  flakes  at  a  time.  The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  south 
and  southwest.  Warm  weather  commonly  commences  in  the  early  part  of  April,  and  continues  until 
the  latter  part  of  November. 

The  fort  is  located  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  The  parade  inside  the  fort  and  the  surface  of  the 
river  have  generally  a  common  level.  Brick  and  sod  are  the  materials  of  which  the  fort  is  con- 
structed. It  is  a  bastioiied  work  surrounded  by  a  wet  ditch,  with  a  second  wet  ditch  exterior  to 
the  covered  way.  The  parade  before  the  rebellion  was  occupied  by  a  defensive  barrack,  but  either 
during  the  time  it  remained  in  possession  of  the  rebels,  or  shortly  afterward,  this  building  was  re- 
moved. A  portion  of  the  parapet  over  the  covered  way  was  used  during  the  war,  and  for  some 
years  previous,  as  a  burial  ground ;  but  the  bodies  have  since  been  exhumed  and  removed  to  the 
cemetery  at  Fort  St.  Philip. 

The  quarters,  barracks,  and  hospitals,  at  both  Forts  Jackson  and  St.  Philip,  are  built  on  brick 
piles  between  two  and  three  feet  high.  The  barracks  consist  of  one  frame  building,  lathed  and  plas- 
tered inside.  The  building  is  divided  in  the  center  by  a  hall,  24  by  11  feet,  into  two  equal  compart- 
ments, each  measuring  70  by  24  feet,  with  a  general  height  of  13J  feet.  A  covered  gallery,  11  feet 
wide,  surrounds  the  building.  Ventilation  is  effected  solely  by  means  of  windows  and  doors.  There 
are  ten  of  the  former  opening  into  the  barrack  rooms,  each  measuring  5£  by  3£  feet,  and  four  of  the 
latter  G£  by  4£  feet.  Two  rooms,  11  by  S£  feet,  at  each  end  of  the  building,  are  occupied  by  non-com- 
missioned officers.  A  ridge  ventilator  and  registers  are  great  desiderata  for  all  barracks  in  this 
climate,  and  especially  for  the  one  in  question,  as  the  windows  are  altogether  too  small  to  admit 
the  requisite  amount  of  air.  These  rooins  are  at  present  occupied  by  about  100  men,  giving  to  each 
an  air  space  of  453  cubic  feet.  Double  bunks  in  two  tiers  are  used. 

There  are  no  wash  or  bath-rooms,  or  water-closets.  The  men  use  a  sink,  built  projecting  over 
the  water,  on  the  remains  of  an  old  gunboat  at  the  bank  of  the  river.  Disinfection  is  thus  accom- 
plished by  the  current. 

One  kitchen  and  mess-room  are  used  in  common  between  the  two  companies.  They  are  built 
in  rear  of  the  barracks,  extending  back  at  right  angles  from  the  center  of  the  main  building. 

Two  buildings,  old  and  dilapidated,  are  used  as  quarters  for  laundresses  and  married  soldiers.. 
They  are  built  of  rough  boards,  whitewashed  outside  and  inside ;  contain  together  about  twelve 
rooms,  and  stand  on  the  bank  of  the  exterior  moat. 

Five  buildings  are  used  as  officers'  quarters ;  No.  1,  a  large  two-story  brick  building,  containing 
twelve  rooms,  and  belonging  to  the  engineer  department,  old  and  condemned,  and  nearly  unfit  for 
occupation.  Each  room  has  an  average  size  of  18  by  15  feet.  In  addition  to  quarters  for  two  officers, 
the  building  also  furnishes  offices  for  adjutant  and  quartermaster.  No.  2,  a  one-story  frame 
building,  82  by  1C  feet,  yellow  washed,  and  containing  four  rooms  and  a  kitchen,  formerly  used  as 
ft  hospital,  is  situated  on  the  bank  of  the  ri  ver,  heated  by  means  of  stoves,  and  ventilated  by  windows. 


FORTS  JACKSON  AND  SAINT  PHILIP,  LOUISIANA.  171 

The  remaining  three  buildings  are  built  in  cottage  style,  roofed  with  slate,  painted  white,  and  fur- 
nished with  green  window  shutters.  They  are  each  one  story  high,  45  feet  long  by  18  feet  wide, 
with  ceiling  14  feet  high.  The  first  of  this  series  contains  three  rooms,  each  18  by  14  feet,  and  hall, 
18  by  13  feet;  the  second,  two  rooms  and  hall  of  same  dimensions;  the  third,  three  rooms,  each 
about  18  by  14  feet.  The  latter  was  formerly  intended  for  use  as  offices,  but  has  served  as  quarters 
ever  since  it  was  built.  The  rooms  do  not  connect.  There  are  no  water-closets  or  bath-rooms. 
Two  sinks,  which  were  built  many  years  ago,  and  stand  facing  the  row  of  cottages,  are  used  by  officers. 
They  should  be  removed  or  inclosed  in  lattice-work. 

One  large  frame  building,  GO  by  47£  feet,  one  story  high,  divided  equally  by  a  partition,  is  used 
for  commissary  and  quartermaster  store-rooms.  It  is  whitewashed  and  slate-roofed,  and  stands  be- 
tween the  officers'  quarters  and  barracks. 

The  guard-house  is  situated  in  the  fort,  with  two  doors  opening  into  the  sally-port  and  one  into 
the  fort.  It  com  prises  three  rooms,  viz:  The  guard-room,  13Jby  14ifeet;  the  prison,  17  by  20  feet; 
and  the  dungeon,  14£  by  7  feet,  all  having  an  average  height  of  eight  feet,  warmed  by  means  of  fire- 
places, and  ventilated  by  one  embrasure,  3  by  2  feet,  and  three  doors,  3£  by  5  feet.  For  the  ordinary 
uses  of  a  guard-house  the  prison-room  would  be  entirely  suitable ;  but  for  the  confinement  of  gen- 
eral prisoners,  in  such  numbers  as  are  at  present  confined,  it  is  altogether  unfit.  Fort  Jackson  has 
recently  been  converted  into  a  penal  post,  and  there  are  at  present  sixty-five  convict  prisoners  here, 
undergoing  sentence  for  various  offenses,  desertion  being  the  principal.  Eleven  are  confined  in  the 
prison-room  above  described,  and  thirty-two  in  a  casemate  of  the  fort,  (29  by  15  feet,  and  9  feet  high,) 
and  twenty-two  in  two  hospital  tents  pitched  on  the  parade  in  the  fort.  It  will  be  readily  seen  that  the 
allowance  of  air  to  the  prisoners  in  the  casemate  and  prison  is  quite  insufficient.  As  a  remedy  for 
tliis  state  of  affairs  another  casemate  in  the  fort  is  preparing  for  the  reception  of  a  dozen  or  so,  and 
will  be  ready  for  occupation  in  a  few  days.  The  stockade,  at  present  in  course  of  erection,  is  built 
of  piles,  10  by  10  inches,  implanted  five  feet  in  the  ground  and  projecting  twelve  feet  above.  A 
space  of  two  inches  is  left  between  each  pile  to  secure  a  little  circulation  of  air  inside.  This  structure 
will  inclose  an  area  150  by  75  feet,  and  a  building  100  by  25  feet,  with  ceiling  about  fourteen  feet 
high,  eighteen  windows,  three  doors,  fourteen  registers,  and  a  ridge  ventilator  running  the  entire 
length  of  building.  It  will  accommodate  about  100  prisoners,  and  at  least  two  mouths  will  be  con- 
sumed in  its  completion. 

The  hospital,  situated  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  is  a  new  building,  135  by  25  feet,  constructed 
of  boards,  arranged  vertically  and  battened;  the  ward,  Co  by  24  feet,  occupying  the  center.  At 
one  end  are  two  lavatories,  15£  by  13£  and  13£  by  8  feet;  kitchen,  15J  by  10  feet;  pantry,  10  by  8£ 
feet,  and  dining-room,  15  by  24  feet — the  dispensary,  15  by  15£  feet;  the  store-room  and  steward's 
quarters  occupy  the  other  end.  The  rooms  are  all  14  feet  high.  The  building  is  yellow  washed  and 
furnished  with  green  window  shutters  exteriorly,  and  is  lathed  and  plastered  inside;  warmed  by 
means  of  stoves,  lighted  and  ventilated  by  windows  and  doors.  The  ward  contains  twenty  beds, 
allowing  to  each  an  air  space  of  about  1,100  cubic  feet.  No  water-closet ;  no  dead-house.  Baggage 
of  patients  stored  in  store-room.  A  covered  gallery  around  the  hospital  is  included  in  the  plan  of 
the  building,  but  as  yet  has  not  been  constructed.  I  consider  it  an  essential  feature  to  all  hospitals 
in  this  latitude.  A  ridge  ventilator  I  regard  also  as  an  almost  indispensable  necessity.  Two  case- 
mates in  the  fort  are  occupied  as  a  post  bakery.  There  is  no  library. 

Accumulations  of  water  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  fort  and  buildings  are  conducted  by 
ditches  into  a  reservoir  near  the  edge  of  the  river,  where  a  stationary  engine  of  eight  to  ten  horse- 
power is  worked  almost  incessantly  in  rainy  seasons  discharging  into  the  river.  This  apparatus 
was  brought  here  in  1865  upon  the  recommendation  of  an  inspecting  board  of  surgeons,  and  answers 
an  excellent  purpose.  The  slops,  ofl'al,  excreta,  &c.,  are  thrown  into  the  river. 

The  river  affords  the  only  means  of  bathing.    The  men  are  obliged  to  bathe  twice  a  week. 

There  is  no  garden,  the  ground  being  too  wet  for  cultivation. 

There  is  regular  communication  with  New  Orleans  twice  a  week,  liable  only  to  interruption  by 
the  occurrence  of  an  epidemic. 

In  the  ordinary  course  of  mail  a  letter  will  go  to  department  headquarters  in  about  ten  days, 
and  to  Washington  in  seven  days. 

The  vicinity  is  thinly  settled  by  Creoles,  Spanish,  French,  Germans,  and  Irish.  They  follow 
agricultural  pursuits  chiefly. 


172  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  prevailing  diseases  during  the  past  year  were  malarial  fevers  and  diarrhoea.  While  colored 
troops  garrisoned  the  post  intermittent  fevers  were  comparatively  rare,  but  since  the  advent  of 
white  troops  there  has  been  a  marked  increase  of  these  diseases.  In  many  of  the  latter  the  disease 
appears  to  have  been  contracted  elsewhere ;  however,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  conditions  of 
this  locality  are  eminently  favorable  to  the  development  of  that  class  of  complaints.  Indeed,  in  a 
paludcil  district  such  as  this,  near  the  delta  and  embouchures  of  a  large  river,  covered  partially  with 
water  and  overgrown  with  exuberant  vegetation,  which  is  acted  upon  by  a  high  degree  of  tempera- 
ture during  many  months  of  the  year,  it  might  reasonably  be  supposed  that  miasmatic  diseases 
would  constitute  the  exclusive  forms  of  sickness.  They  certainly  are  the  most  important;  but  when 
we  take  into  consideration  that  the  great  majority  of  troops  serving  here  are  unacclimated,  the  ratio 
is  found  to  be  surprisingly  small.  The  immunity  is  probably  due  iu  a  measure  to  the  sanitary  pre- 
cautions adopted  early  iu  the  season  and  subsequently.  Rigid  police  measures  have  been  enforced, 
and  special  attention  has  been  given  to  the  use  of  disinfectants  and  the  removal  of  vegetable  mat- 
ter liable  to  undergo  decomposition.  The  administration  of  prophylactics  was  also  commenced  on 
the  first  of  this  month.  The  men  are  much  exposed  to  the  night  air  and  direct  rays  of  the  sun, 
which  necessarily  exert  a  deleterious  influence  upon  their  health,  and  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  an- 
ticipate an  increased  amount  of  sickness  during  the  ensuing  summer  and  fall  mouths.  Diarrh<ea 
is  rarely  serious,-  and  usually  yields  to  appropriate  treatment. 

Fort  St.  Philip,  opposite  and  a  short  distance  above  Fort  Jackson,  and  a  work  of  less  magnitude 
and  importance,  islocatediu  latitude  29°  21'  52.74"  north,  and  longitude  89°  26'  55.96"  west.  The  fort 
is  on  the  same  general  level  with  Fort  Jackson,  but  the  ground  immediately  surrounding  it  is  some" 
what  higher.  Further  beyond  the  ground  again  becomes  low,  marshy,  and  subject  to  overflow 
Occupied  first  as  a  military  post  by  the  Spaniards,  the  main  portion  of  the  fort  now  standing  was 
built  during  the  Spanish  occupation  of  the  country,  probably  some  time  during  the  middle  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  During  the  first  year  of  the  war  it  was  held  and  considerably  improved  by  the 
rebels.  It  sustained  more  damage  from  the  bombardment  in  1862  than  Fort  Jackson.  The  reserva- 
tion made  iu  1842  comprises  section  11  of  township  19,  range  17  east,  of  the  southeastern  district 
of  Louisiana.  The  main  work  of  the  fort  is  built  of  brick,  and  in  the  form  of  a  very  irregular  poly- 
gon, surrounded  by  a  wet  ditch. 

There  are  no  suitable  quarters  provided  for  garrison  iuside  the  fort.  One  wooden  building  is 
used  for  barracks,  88  by  25  feet,  with  a  porch,  9  feet  wide,  running  the  length  of  the  building  in 
front  and  rear.  The  barrack-room  is  74  feet  long  by  24  feet  wide,  14  feet  from  the  floor  to  the 
eaves,  and  about  19  feet  from  the  floor  to  the  ridge.  There  are  two  rooms  at  one  end,  12  by  9  feet, 
with  a  corridor  between  them,  12  by  5£  feet.  Inclusive  there  are  fifteen  windows,  each  7£  by  3J 
feet,  and  five  doors,  8  by  3§  feet ;  a  ridge  ventilator  about  50  feet  long  by  3£  feet  in  height,  and 
twelve  base  ventilators,  (registers,)  afford  an  ample  circulation  of  air.  Warmed  by  stoves,  burn- 
ing wood. 

These  barracks  were  intended  for  occupation  by  one  full  company,  (100  men,)  but  as  compa- 
nies are  rarely  or  never  full,  that  number  is  seldom  quartered  in  them.  For  50  men  there  is  an  air 
space  of  about  560  cubic  feet  for  each.  At  present  Fort  St.  Philip  is  not  garrisoned,  and  there 
is  consequently  no  bedding  in  the  quarters.  There  are  no  water-closets ;  sinks  built  over  the  moat. 
The  kitchen  and  mess-room  are  in  a  detached  wooden  building  about  15  yards  from  the  bar- 
racks, 50  by  20J  feet,  with  a  porch  in  front,  50  by  5£  feet. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  two  new  wooden  buildings,  of  equal  size,  45  feet  in  length  by  25  feet  3 
inches  in  width,  built  in  cottage  style.  There  are  porches  in  front  and  rear  of  the  buildings,  and  of 
the  same  length,  by  9  feet  7  inches  wide.  Each  building  contains  four  rooms,  each  17  feet  10  inches 
in  length  by  11  feet  9  inches  in  width,  and  13  feet  9  inches  in  height.  A  hall,  24  by  9  feet,  divides  each 
building  into  two  equal  parts.  There  are  no  offices  or  store-houses.  Supplies  are  obtained  from 
Fort  Jackson. 

The  guard-house  is  a  small  frame  building,  situated  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  1S£  by  14  feet, 
with  four  windows  and  one  door,  and  divided  into  two  rooms  of  nearly  equal  size. 

The  hospital  is  precisely  similar  in  its  main  details  to  the  one  at  Fort  Jackson. 

No  bakery,  laundry,  school-house,  or  chapel,  nor  stables. 

Water  is  obtained  from  four  overground  cisterns,  each  capable  of  holding  about  5,000  gallons. 
No  means  of  extinguishing  fire.  Natural  surface  drainage  pretty  good.  No  artificial  drains  or 
sewers. 


BATON  ROUGE,  LOUISIANA. 


173 


The  hygiene  of  the  post  is  perhaps  a  little  better  than  that  of  Fort  Jackson,  in  consequence  of 
the  higher  and  dryer  ground  on  which  the  quarters  and  barracks  stand. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Jackson,  Louisiana, 

colored  troops,  for  Hie  years  1868  and  1869. 


€ 

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1868  

136.  16 

808 

233 

99 

25 

18 

39 

53 

11 

71 

1869     

98.75 

653 

97 

147 

36 

48 

4 

51 

1 

Statement  shoielng  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  St.  Philip,  Louisiana, 

colored  troops,  for  the  years  18G8  and  1869. 


£ 

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67.41 

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91.  18 

439 

50 

101 

2 

5 

36 

40 

3 

47 

'  Include  laryngitis,  broiicliitis,  pneumonia,  and  plurisy. 


BATON  ROUGE,  LOUISIANA. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  E.  A.  KOERPER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Baton  Rouge  is  situated  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  River,  latitude  30°  3G'  north,  lon- 
gitude 14°  28'  west  of  Washington,  and  on  the  first  high  land  or  bluff  found  in  ascending  the  river. 
This  bluff  is  about  22  feet  above  high  water  and  GO  feet  above  the  level  of  the  Gulf.  The  surface 
of  the  government  reservation  is  undulating,  and  has  good  natural  drainage.  On  the  north  is  a 
bayou,  which  empties  into  the  river  about  200  yards  above  the  barracks. 

The  barracks  consist  of  four  two-story  brick  buildings,  erected  in  1823-'24.  There  was  origin- 
ally a  fifth  building  forming  the  river  side  of  the  pentagon,  but  this  was  removed  many  years  ago. 
The  northeast  and  southeast  wings  are  used  as  officers'  quarters,  the  dimensions  of  each  being  182 
by  24  feet,  and  a  veranda,  12  feet  in  width,  extends  the  whole  length  of  the  building,  both  front  and 
rear.  Staircases  lead  from  the  outside  to  both  galleries.  The  north  and  southwest  wings,  occu- 
pied by  the  enlisted  men,  are  similar  to  the  officers'  quarters,  except  that  the  dimensions  are  184  by 
34  feet.  The  upper  stories  contain  two  dormitories,  accommodating  one  company,  fitted  up  with 
double  bunks,  and  allowing  5G3  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man.  Fireplaces  are  the  means  of  warm- 
ing the  quarters;  the  ventilation  is  ample.  Large  sinks  are  built  near  the  river.  Two  small  rooms 
at  each  end  of  the  building,  and  communicating  with  the  dormitories,  are  used  as  offices  and  store- 
rooms. The  ground  floor  contains  two  kitchens,  two  mess-roo  as,  and  two  store-rooms.  Each 
building  is  adapted  for  two  companies.  The  northeast  and  southwest  wings  have  each  a  sally-port 
through  the  center.  The  sally-port  of  the  north  wing  has  been  closed  up  and  is  now  used  as  a 
guard-house.  This  contains  a  fireplace  and  three  windows,  two  in  front  and  one  back,  which  are 
the  only  means  of  ventilation.  One  of  the  store-rooms  is  used  as  a  cell,  which  is  badly  ventilated, 
unless  the  door  is  kept  open. 


174 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  hospital  is  a  new  frame  building  arranged  according  to  the  plan  laid  down  in  Circular  No.  4, 
Surgeon  General's  Office,  18C7,  for  twelve  beds.  Its  situation  is  very  unfavorable  and  much  inferior 
to  one  on  the  high  bank  of  the  river,  where  ventilation  and  drainage  would  have  been  Ccisily 
accomplished.  The  building  is  placed  on  the  north  side  of  the  barracks ;  it  is  weather-boarded  on 
the  outside,  and  plastered  and  ceiled  on  the  inside.  The  wards,  each  21  by  44  feet,  are  supplied 
with  ridge  ventilators,  and  shafts  inclosing  the  stove-pipe  in  winter.  The  necessary  current  of  air 
is  admitted  through  an  opening  in  the  floor  under  the  stove.  Air  space  per  bed,  8G4  cubic  feet. 
The  bath-rooms  are  well  arranged;  pipes  lead  from  the  cisterns  to  the  bath-tubs,  and  waste-pipes 
from  thence  to  the  drain.  There  is  a  sink  apart  from  the  main  building.  The  whole  hospital  is 
lighted  by  thirty  gas  burners,  of  which,  however,  only  one-third  are  in  permanent  use.  The  hospi- 
tal grounds  are,  as  yet,  in  a  primitive  condition;  fruit  and  shade  trees  have  been  planted — the 
grounds  in  the  rear  of  the  building  are  used  as  a  garden. 

The  post  bakery  is  in  good  condition  and  well  conducted. 

The  water  supply  is  obtained  from  cisterns,  which  are  kept  clean,  and  the  water  is  all  that  can 
be  desired.  The  grounds  about  the  post  are  well  drained  by  artificial  surface  drains,  which  are 
daily  disinfected  with  lime  and  carbolic  acid. 

The  prevailing  diseases  at  this  post  are  of  a  malarious  origin;  quotidian  and  tertian  intermit- 
tent fevers  make  their  appearance  in  May  and  June;  in  July  and  August,  they  are  more  of  remit- 
tent character,  and  frequently  congestive.  In  September,  the  fevers  are  of  a  severe  congestive  or 
typhoid  type.  Dysentery  appears  in  isolated  cases,  and  is  easily  controlled  if  properly  attended  to 
in  the  commencement.  There  is  a  swamp  situated  behind  the  garrison  and  arsenal  where,  proba- 
bly, most  of  the  malarial  agents  are  formed  which  render  the  garrison  so  unhealthy  in  summer. 
During  high  water  or  rainy  weather,  a  lake  of  a  half  a  mile  in  length,  and  from  20  to  150  yards  in 
breadth,  is  formed,  which,  as  soon  as  the  Mississippi  falls,  or  the  season  becomes  fair,  dries  out,  and 
so  gives  rise  to  the  formation  of  malaria.  The  side  of  the  garrison  facing  toward  the  swamp  is  most 
unhealthy,  and  whenever  the  wind  comes  from  that  direction  malarious  diseases  increase  in  number. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases,  at  Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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226.  83 

1,518 

1,033 

132 

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51 

7 

1869 

253  25 

1  059 

2 

681 

80 

8 

1 

2 

45 

14 

3 

50 

4 

Iiiclude  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pueuiiionia,  and  pleurisy. 


SHREVEPORT,  LOUISIANA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  P.  F.  HARVEY,  AND  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON 

MILTON  A.  ROACH,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

This  post  is  located  about  half  a  mile  northwest  of  the  city  of  Shreveport,  on  the  right  bank  of 
Bayou  Cross. 

The  buildings  at  the  post  were  erected  and  used  as  an  arsenal  by  the  rebels  during  the  late 
war.  There  were,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  about  fifty-six  buildings,  as  near  as  can  be  learned,  upon, 
the  ground — three  constructed  of  brick,  and  evidently  designed  for  the  manufacture  of  ordnance ; 
the  remainder,  rude  unfinished  frame  buildings,  many  of  them  destitute  of  windows,  and  all  in  a 
state  of  dilapidation.  A  number  of  them  have  been  torn  down,  others  are  occupied  by  troops  as 
quarters,  and  the  remainder  are  rented  by  the  ordnance  department  to  negroes. 


JEFFERSON,  TEXAS. 


175 


The  post  is  pleasantly  situated  in  a  healthful  locality,  on  an  eminence  surrounded  by  natural 
ravines.  The  ground  occupied  embraces  an  area  of  73  acres.  The  climate  is  mild ;  average  tem- 
perature 65.24° ;  moisture  61.07.  Prevailing  winds  from  southeast  and  north. 

An  old  frame  building  is  used  as  quarters  for  the  men.  It  is  much  out  of  repair,  and  badly 
ventilated  and  lighted.  For  the  want  of  window-sash  and  glass  the  windows  are  closed  with 
boards.  The  building  is  warmed  by  open  fireplaces.  Wooden  bunks  are  used,  with  the  usual 
bedding.  Air  space  per  man  406  cubic  feet.  The  kitchen  is  a  frame  building,  13  by  14  by  7£  feet> 
containing  one  door  and  one  window ;  the  mess-room  measures  24§  by  14  by  7£  feet,  and  contains 
two  doors,  and  one  window  without  sash  or  glass.  The  sinks  are  well  arranged,  beiug  placed  over 
the  bayou. 

Two  unfinished  frame  buildings,  of  two  rooms  each,  comprise  quarters  for  as  many  families  of 
soldiers.  The  houses  are  neither  lathed  nor  plastered.  Similar  buildings,  in  similar  repair,  are 
occupied  by  the  officers  as  quarters. 

The  store-houses,  two  in  number,  are  commodious  and  well  policed.  The  guard-house,  a  frame 
buildiiig,  13  by  10  by  7£  feet,  is  also  much  out  of  repair,  and  ill  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the 
command.  The  only  means  of  ventilation  is  by  the  door  and  fireplace.  The  average  occupancy 
is  five. 

The  hospital  building  is  60  by  24J  by  9|  feet,  partitioned  into  a  ward,  dispensary,  and  kitchen, 
and,  if  thoroughly  repaired,  would  be  sufficient  for  the  sick  of  this  command.  The  rooms  are 
warmed  by  fireplaces,  and  lighted  by  windows.  The  ventilation  is  bad.  The  ward  contains  eight 
beds,  with  an  air  space  to  each  of  812  cubic  feet.  There  is  no  wash-room  nor  water-closet;  the 
sink  is  situated  in  a  ravine  to  the  rear  of  the  building.  The  stable  is  a  brick  building  in  excellent 
repair. 

The  water  supply  cannot  be  said  to  be  good,  either  in  quantity  or  quality,  although  with 
straining  it  answers  tolerably  well.  The  supply  is  obtained  from  two  cisterns  which  will  furnish, 
during  a  moderately  rainy  season,  sufficient  for  the  number  of  men  now  present. 

There  is  no  artificial  drainage  at  the  post.  After  heavy  rains  the  water  collects  upon  the  low 
grounds  which  partly  surround  the 'barracks  on  the  south,  rendering  it  marshy  and  the  source  of 
infectious  gases.  Vegetation  is  luxuriant  and  insect  life  abundant.  The  locality  is  represeuted 
to  be  exceedingly  unhealthful  during  the  summer  season. 

The  prevailing  diseases  at  the  post  and  vicinity  are  intermittent  and  remittent  fevers. 

/Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Shreveport,  Louisiana, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


SB 

Sb 

£ 

£  *• 

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1868.. 

109.08 

561 

2 

349 

78 

27 

4 

22 

1 

186S),  (10  months)  

72.9 

266 

3 

207 

8 

2 

14 

2 

10 

1 

'Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


POST  OF  JEFFERSON,  TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CARLOS  CARVALLO,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Jefferson,  Marion  County,  Texas,  the  fifth  city  of  Texas,  having  a  population  of  8,000  inhab- 
itants, is  sitviated  on  the  border  of  Big  Cypress  Bayou,  which  communicates  with  the  Bed  Eiver. 
Latitude,  32°  49'  30"  north,  and  longitude  94°  17'  west  from  Greenwich.  It  is  59  miles  distant  from 
Shreveport  Louisiana,  whence  there  is  direct  water  communication  to  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  all 
the  year  round,  and  16  miles  distant  from  Marshall,  which  is  in  railroad  communication  with 


176  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

Shreveport,  Louisiana.  Direct  communication  by  water  in  June,  July,  and  August,  to  Shreve- 
port, is  generally  limited  to  steamboats  of  light  draught. 

There  is  no  reservation,  the  troops  being  quartered  on  hired  ground  in  the  suburbs  of  the  town. 
The  soil  is  sandy.  No  mineral  products  in  the  vicinity.  The  soil  is  fertile  for  cotton,  tobacco, 
wheat,  and  vegetables. 

There  is  plenty  of  water  in  the  Big  and  Black  Cypress  Bayous,  which  surround  the  southern 
limits  of  the  town,  and  drinking  water  is  obtained  from  numerous  wells  and  a  few  cisterns.  The 
climate  is  mild,  a  fine  breeze  blowing  even  in  the  middle  of  the  day;  the  nights  in  summer  are 
generally  cool  and  pleasant ;  in  winter  "  cold  northers  "  are  frequent  and  sudden. 

Itain  falls  all  the  year  round,  but  especially  in  the  winter  mouths.  Snow  storms  are  rare  and 
light. 

The  troops  have  been  quartered  in  two  distinct  camps  until  July  20,  1870,  on  which  date  the 
cavalry  were  ordered  within  the  limits  of  the  infantry  camp.  The  infantry  camp  is  situated  on  a 
slight  elevation  on  the  borders  of  Cypress  Bayou,  and  includes  9£  acres  on  the  southwest  outskirt 
of  the  town. 

The  enlisted  men's  quarters  are  on  a  sandy  slope  of  the  elevation  referred  to.  It  has  been 
occupied  siuce  December  13,  1868,  and  contains  the  stockade,  which  was  in  constant  use  during 
the  "  period  of  reconstruction." 

Tents  are  used  exclusively  as  quarters  for  the  men,  generally  in  patches  of  two,  three,  or  four 
common  tents,  floored  and  framed  with  pine  lumber,  some  with  brick  chimneys,  others  provided 
with  sheet  or  cast  iron  stoves;  they  are  lighted  with  candles,  and  ventilated  by  raising  the  sides. 

There  are  generally  two  or  three  men  in  each  tent,  giving  492  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man. 
There  are  no  bath-rooms.  Pit  sinks  are  used,  disinfected  with  lime.  The  kitchens  are  wooden  sheds, 
with  brick  floors. 

The  quarters  for  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  common  tents,  framed;  some  have  the 
addition  of  one  or  two  wooden  sheds. 

The  officers  occupy  tents  in  camp ;  generally  one  hospital  and  wall  tent,  as  quarters  for  married 
officers,  with  two  or  three  wall  and  common  tents  as  kitchens  and  servants'  quarters,  and  two  wall 
tents  for  single  officers.  They  are  heated  by  stoves  or  open  fireplaces  with  chimneys. 

The  depot  quartermaster  and  depot  and  post  commissary  have  hired  houses  for  their  store- 
houses in  the  center  of  the  town. 

The  guard-house  at  the  infantry  camp  is  the  outer  portion  of  the  stockade,  under  a  covered 
porch,  protected  on  the  exposed  side  by  canvas ;  it  is  heated  by  cast-iron  stoves,  and  ventilated  by 
raisiug  the  canvas.  At  the  cavalry  camp  is  a  guard-house,  divided  into  two  rooms,  one  for  the 
prisoners,  about  10  by  10  feet,  with  small  window  and  door  opening  into  the  other  room,  7  by 
10  feet,  for  the  guard;  the  fireplace  of  brick  for  burning  wood,  the  window  and  door  furnishing 
ventilation,  which  would  have  been  imperfect  but  for  the  numerous  cracks  and  holes  throughout 
the  entire  house. 

The  hospital  formerly  occupied  a  two-story  frame  building,  at  the  head  of  the  main  street,  but 
on  account  of  its  dilapidated  condition  was  transferred,  May  15, 1869,  to  a  fine  new  two-story  house, 
opposite  the  cavalry  camp,  with  seventeen  rooms,  and  two  large  lots,  rent  $100  per  month  for  each. 
On  January  24,  1870,  in  was  moved  into  tents  in  the  cavalry  camp,  which  have  since  Jbeen  trans- 
ferred to  the  permanent  camp.  It  now  consists  of  three  hospital  tents  as  wards,  one  hospital  tent 
as  office,  one  hospital  tent  as  dispensary,  two  wall  tents  as  dining-room,  one  wall  tent,  two'wall- 
tent  flies,  and  one  common  tent  as  kitchen,  one  wall  tent  and  one  common  tent  as  steward's  quar- 
ters, one  wall  tent  as  commissary  store-room,  three  common  tents  as  hospital  attendants'  quarters, 
one  common  tent  as  laundry,  and  one  common  tent  as  matron's  quarters,  all  floored  and  framed 
with  pine  lumber,  and  heated  with  stoves,  lighted  with  candles,  and  ventilated  by  raising  the  tent 
sides. 

The  bath  and  wash-room  is  in  a  wall  tent,  at  the  back  end  of  the  ward,  and  furnished  with 
wash-tank  and  a  bath-tub. 

The  library  consists  of  199  miscellaneous  works. 

Water  for  cooking,  washing,  and  bathing  purposes  is  obtained  hi  barrels  from  the  bayou, 
prisoners  hauling  it  in  wagons  every  day.  Drinking  water  is  obtained  from  one  spring  and  one  well 
in  camp,  and  from  neighboring  wells,  and  is  of  good  quality. 


AUSTIN,  TEXAS. 


177 


The  natural  drainage  is  excellent ;  the  ground  is  very  sandy,  and  absorbs  the  moisture. 

The  men  bathe  in  the  bayou  at  pleasure  in  the  summer. 

There  is  no  hospital  garden.  Last  year  an  attempt  was  made  to  cultivate  a  post  garden  across 
the  bayou,  but  it  proved  a  failure. 

There  is  communication  to  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  by  steamboat  direct,  or  by  stage  to 
Marshall;  thence  by  railroad  to  Shreveport,  Louisiana  ;  thence  direct,  by  Ited  River  and  the  Mis- 
sissippi, to  New  Orleans.  The  mails  are  regular  from  New  Orleans,  twice  weekly.  It  requires 
generally  ten  days  for  a  letter  to  reach  headquarters,  Department  of  Texas,  and  from  fourteen 
to  seventeen  days  to  Washington. 

Intermittent  fever  is  very  prevalent,  probably  due  to  the  large  amount  of  stagnant  water 
around  the  town.  Pulmonary  catarrh  is  prevalent  in  winter ;  also,  diarrhoea,  dysentery,  and 
rheumatism. 

The  general  duties  of  the  garrison  during  the  past  year  have  been  those  of  sheriff  and  mounted 
constables,  arresting  murderers  and  horse  thieves,  &c. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Jefferson,  Texas,  for  the 

years  1868  and  1869. 


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AUSTIN,,  TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  V.  D.  MIDDLETON,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Austin,  the  capital  of  Texas  and  county  seat  of  Travis  County,  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Colorado  Eiver,  400  miles  from  its  mouth,  and  230  miles  from  Galveston,  in  latitude  30°  15' 
north,  and  longitude  97°  47'  west  from  Greenwich.  Brenham,  the  present  terminus  of  the  railroad 
in  this  direction,  is  100  miles  southeast.  San  Antonio  80  miles  southwest.  Between  Brenham  and 
Austin  there  is  a  daily  line  of  stages,  and  between  San  Antonio  and  Austin  a  tri-weekly  line. 

'  The  town  is  built  on  a  succession  of  hills,  between  Waller  and  Shoal  Creeks ;  the  most  elevated 
point,  known  as  Capitol  Hill,  is  640  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  150  feet  above  the  bank  of 
the  river ;  the  State-house  stands  upon  this  hill,  commanding  an  extended  view  of  the  surround- 
ing country.  The  houses  are  built  chiefly  of  wood  and  stone,  one  story  high,  and,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  those  on  Main  and  Pecan  streets,  are  very  much  scattered.  The  most  prominent  buildings 
in  the  town  are  the  State-house,  governor's  mansion,  land  office,  and  headquarters  fifth  military 
district.  There  are  also  many  private  houses  of  one  and  two  stories,  well  built  and  presenting  a 
handsome  appearance. 

It  is  difficult  to  obtain  reliable  information  in  reference  to  the  early  occupation  of  Austin  as  a 
military  post.  One  or  two  companies  of  the  Second  United  States  Dragoons,  with  regimental 
headquarters,  were  stationed  here  from  1847  to  1852,  Colonel  Harney,  commanding.  The  ground 
occupied  by  these  troops  is  about  half  a  mile  north  of  the  State-house,  and  is  known  as  the  Harney 
Place.  It  is  believed  there  were  no  troops  here  from  the  latter  date  above  mentioned  until  the 
close  of  the  late  war  in  1865,  when  General  Merritt  established  his  headquarters  temporarily  at  the 
governor's  mansion,  the  troops  being  encamped  at  various  points  about  the  town,  lu  October, 
1865,  the  Sixth  Kegiinent  of  United  States  Cavalry,  Seventh  and  Twelfth  Indiana,  and  First  Iowa 
23 


1 78  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

volunteer  cavalry,  General  Sturgis,  commanding,  arrived  here,  and  went  into  camp  about  one  mile 
northwest  of  the  city  on  Shoal  Greek.  During  the  spring  of  I860  the  volunteers  were  mustered 
out,  and  the  Sixth  United  States  Gavalry  moved  camp  to  the  site  now  occupied  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Colorado,  one  mile  west  of  the  city.  This  location  was  Avell  selected  for  an  encampment;  the 
soil  is  sandy,  the  drainage  naturally  good,  and  an  abundant  supply  of  water  is  always  at  hand ; 
since  its  establishment  in  1865  this  camp  has  been  garrisoned  by  two  companies  of  either  the  Fourth 
or  Sixth  United  States  Cavalry,  and  one  or  two  of  the  Tenth,  Eleventh,  or  Seventeenth  United 
States  Infantry.  These  companies  have  been  moved  on  an  average  once  in  six  months,  other 
companies  of  the  same  or  another  regiment  relieving  them;  three  companies  always  constituting 
the  garrison. 

The  country  surrounding  Austin  is  diversified  by  hills,  valleys  and  plains,  streams  and 
rivulets.  The  town  is  surrounded  by  hills,  which  are  covered  with  grass,  evergreen,  chaparral,  and 
live  oak,  and  from  many  prominent  points  the  view  is  very  picturesque.  The  valleys  and  plains 
are  extremely  fertile  and  highly  cultivated.  The  soil  consists  of  a  black  calcareous  loam,  admira- 
bly adapted  for  gardening  purposes.  The  hills  are  composed  of  limestone,  clay,  and  gravel.  The 
geological  formation,  in  general,  belongs  to  the  lower  chalk  and  upper  oolite. 

No  portion  of  Texas  surpasses  this  for  stock-raising.  All  uncultivated  laud  is  covered  with 
rich  grass,  and  is  abundantly  supplied  with  water  running  in  streams  and  rivulets  in  every  direc- 
tion. The  curly  mesquite  is  said  to  be  the  most  nutritious  variety  of  grass,  and  grows  quite  luxuri- 
antly ;  the  common  prairie  grass  is,  however,  the  most  abundant.  In  the  spring  and  early  summer 
beautiful  flowers  adorn  the  prairies;  among  them  may  be  seen  the  verbena,  violet,  blue  lark- 
spur, coreopsis,  and  cactus.  The  principal  trees  are  the  live  oak,  water  oak,  post  oak,  black 
jack,  red  oak,  scrub  oak,  and  white  oak;  pecan,  black  walnut,  cotton  wood,  cypress,  cedar,  slippery 
elm,  hackberry,  ash,  wild  cherry,  and  mesquite.  About  six  miles  northwest  of  the  city  there  is  an 
extensive  cedar  brake.  The  wild  plum  grows  quite  abundantly  and  bears  a  delicious  fruit.  Of 
the  plants  may  be  mentioned  the  woodbine,  sumach,  milkweed,  sunflower,  pope  weed,  poison  vine, 
and  lamb  lettuce.  The  lamita,  a  bush  growing  to  the  height  of  several  feet,  is  quite  plentiful,  the 
berries  of  which  are  somewhat  similar  in  taste  to  the  currant,  and  may  be  used  for  the  same  pur- 
poses. Several  varieties  of  grape  grow  in  great  profusion  in  the  low-lands  aiid  will  make  an  excel- 
lent quality  of  wine. 

There  are  but  few  wild  animals  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Austin.  The  hare,  rabbit,  fox, 
squirrel,  and  skunk  abound,  but  the  deer,  antelope,  and  bear  are  rarely,  if  ever,  seen. 

Among  the  birds  are  the  pinnated  grouse,  quail,  white  and  blue  crane;  duck,  viz.,  teal,  gray, 
ring-neck,  and  mallard ;  chaparral  cock,  mocking-bird,  woodcock,  curlew,  plover,  wild  pigeon,  dove, 
robin,  blackbird,  crow,  and  buzzard. 

There  are  many  fish  in  the  Colorado.  The  most  prominent  are  the  catfish,  buffalo,  bass,  gas- 
per, alligator,  gar,  and  perch. 

Many  reptiles  and  insects  exist  here  as  in  other  parts  of  the  State,  viz.,  the  rattlesnake,  mocca- 
sin, copperhead,  and  adder;  tarantula,  centipede,  scorpion,  horned  frog,  and  several  varieties  of 
lizard;  the  black  and  red  ant,  sand  fly,  buffalo  gnat,  and  mosquito.  The  whole  country  is  some- 
times devastated  by  the  grasshoppers,  which  come  in  a  perfect  swarm  about  the  mouth  of  August. 

The  country  is  abundantly  supplied  with  water,  very  clear,  but  holding  a  large  quantity  of 
lime  in  solution,  and  thus  rendered  objectionable  for  drinking  and  washing.  Nearly  every  honse, 
however,  has  a  cistern;  and  as  there  are  several  public  ones  in  the  town,  there  is  no  difficulty  in 
obtaining  a  bountiful  supply  of  good  rain  water  at  all  times. 

The  climate  of  this  section  of  Texas  is  quite  salubrious.  Although  the  sun  is  extremely  hot 
in  summer,  the  temperature  of  the  atmosphere  is  much  modified  by  the  southeasterly  breeze  that 
blows  almost  continuously  during  the  twenty-four  hours.  The  summer  usually  lasts  from  April  to 
October,  about  six  months.  The  daily  mean  of  the  thermometer  during  the  past  year,  18G9,  was  as 
follows,  viz:  January,  51.48° ;  February,  55.3° ;  March,  62.49° ;  April,  67.01°;  May,  72.7<J°;  June, 
74.83°;  July,  81.66°;  August,  84.27°;  September,  75.59°;  October,  62.54°;  November,  62.66°,  and 
December  46.74°.  The  highest  range  of  the  thermometer  was  98°  at  2  p.  m.  on  the  8th  of  August. 
August  was  the  warmest  month,  the  monthly  mean  being  94°  at  2  p.  m.,  while  that  for  June  was 
88.26°,  and  for  July  89.45°.  A  remarkable  feature  of  this  climate  is  the  suddenness  with  which  the 
north  wind  arises  in  the  winter,  constituting  "the  norther;"  the  temperature  of  the  atmosphere  is 


AUSTIN,  TKXAS.  179 

sometimes  reduced  from  80°  to  30°  in  a  few  hours,  and  is  very  trying  to  both  animal  and  vegetable 
life.  The  coldest  day  of  the  year  was  December  22d;  the  thermometer  indicated  21°  at  7  a.  m.,  42° 
at  2  p.  m.,  and  30°  at  9  p.  in.  The  amount  of  rain  during  the  past  year  was  30.12  inches,  the 
greater  portion  of  it  falling  during  the  months  of  May,  June,  and  July.  The  prevailing  wind  iu 
summer  is  southeast;  in  winter,  southeast,  north,  and  northwest. 

The  military  camp,  as  before  stated,  is  situated  one  mile  west  of  the  city,  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Colorado,  and  is  well  located  as  regards  drainage,  the  water  running  oft' in  every  direction  and 
conveyed  by  a  ravine  on  either  side  into  the  river,,  the  bluff  being  about  40  feet  above  its  surface. 

The  officers  and  men  are  quartered  in  tents,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  guard-house,  library, 
kitchens,  and  mess-houses,  there  are  no  buildings  at  the  camp.  Each  set  of  officers'  quarters  con- 
sists of  one  hospital  tent  as  parlor  and  sitting-room,  two  wall  tents,  one  as  dining-room,  the  other 
as  bedroom,  and  one  common  tent  as  kitchen.  These  sets  are  so  arranged  that  they  are  about  10 
feet  apart  and  in  a  line  on  the  east  side  of  the  encampment  facing  the  guard-house.  They  are 
heated  by  fireplaces  and  stoves,  and  lighted  by  kerosene  oil  lamps  and  candles. 

The  enlisted  men  are  sheltered  by  common  tents,  two  of  them  placed  end  to  end,  boarded  up 
and  floored,  and  arranged  in  a  line  on  each  side  of  the  encampment.  Four  meu  occupy  a  set  of 
quarters,  each  man  having  his  own  bunk,  bedsack  filled  with  hay,  and  blanket.  These  quarters 
are  warmed  in  winter  by  stoves  and  lighted  by  candles,  which  assist  materially  in  causing  a  very 
vitiated  atmosphere.  In  the  rear  of  each  company  there  is  a  mess-room,  kitchen,  and  bake-oven. 
Each  married  soldier  has  a  wall  tent  for  quarters  and  common  tent  for  kitchen.  The  laundresses, 
who  are  not  soldiers',  wives,  are  similarly  quartered. 

It  is  poor  economy  to  continue  troops  for  any  length  of  time  under  canvas.  I  have  fre- 
quently advised  the  erection  of  permanent  quarters  at  this  post  as  being  much  less  expensive 
to  the  government  and  more  conducive  to  the  health  of  the  garrison  than  tents.  Although 
lumber  is  high  in  this  country  on  account  of  expensive  transportation,  yet.  when  it  is  remembered 
that  the  cost  of  a  hospital  tent  is  $103  22,  including  transportation,  of  a  wall  tent  $72,  and  of  a 
common  tent  $27  47,  and  that  canvas  must  be  replaced  in  this  climate  about  once  in  eight  months, 
it  will  be  seen  that  the  advantages,  as  regards  expense,  are  decidedly  in  favor  of  permanent  quarters. 
•  Even  if  the  post  should  be  discontinued  in  the  course  of  a  year,  the  lumber  could  be  sold  for  almost 
as  much  as  it  originally  cost.  The  hygienic  advantages  to  be  derived  from  commodious  and  well- 
ventilated  quarters  are  incalculable,  and  should  be  paramount  to  all  other  considerations. 

The  quartermaster  and  commissary  store-houses  are  iu  the  city,  in  the  first  story  of  the  build- 
ing occupied  by  district  headquarters.  They  are  large,  airy  store-rooms,  well  arranged  and  kept 
scrupulously  clean.  Hospital  tents  are  used  at  camp  for  company  store-houses. 

The  guard-house  is  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  square  opposite  the  officers'  quarters.  It 
is  constructed  of  heavy  lumber,  20  by  30  by  10  feet,  with  piazza  all  around  it;  the  front  piazza  is 
boarded  up  and  used  for  guard-room.  The  buildin'g  is  entirely  too  small,  and  is  badly  ventilated. 
It  is  warmed  in  winter  by  a  stove  in  the  prison-room  and  fireplace  in  the  guard-room.  On  an 
average  there  are  thirty  prisoners,  white  and  black,  citizens  and  soldiers,  in  constant  confinement 
in  this  house,  each  man  having  only  about  200  cubic  feet  of  air  space.  In  the  winter  the  apertures 
for  the  admission  of  fresh  air  are  closed,  and  the  room  is  heated  by  a  stove.  The  atmosphere  is 
sometimes  intolerable,  especially  at  night,  as  the  necessities  of  nature  are  performed  in  the  room, 
and  the  barrel  into  which  fecal  and  other  refuse  matter  is  .thrown  remains  unemptied  until  after 
reveille.  The  citizen  prisoners  rarely,  if  ever,  wash  themselves  or  have  change  of  clothing,  and 
the  exhalation  from  their  bodies  is  very  offensive.  There  being  oitly  one  prison-room,  soldiers  who 
are  confined  for  minor  offenses,  such  as  absence  without  leave,  drunkenness,  &c.,  are  made  to  asso- 
ciate with  murderers  and  thieves,  which  is  certainly  not  well  calculated  either  to  improve  their 
morals  or  to  elevate  the  status  of  the  enlisted  men  of  the  army.  I  have  time  and  again  recom- 
mended that  the  guard-house  be  enlarged  so  that  there  could  be  sufficient  air  space  for  the  number 
of  occupants,  with  proper  ventilation,  and  a  sufficient  number  of  rooms  to  allow  a  classification  of 
prisoners;  nothing  has,  however,  been  done  in  reference  to  my  suggestions. 

The  post  hospital  is  located  in  the  city,  on  Pecan  street,  one  square  west  of  Main.  The 
administration  building  was  formerly  occupied  as  a  private  residence.  The  lot  attached  to  it  is 
200  feet  front  by  135  feet  deep,  and  it  was  rented  by  the  Quartermaster's  Department  in  1868,  at 
$90  per  month,  with  a  proviso  that  the  owner  would  build  a  suitable  ward  and  laundry  in  the  yard. 


180  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  administration  building  contains  three  rooms,  16  feet  square,  and  a  hall.  It  is  built  of  wood, 
and  has  a  wide,  piazza  in  front  the  whole  length  of  the  building.  The  rooms  are  used  as  office, 
steward's  room,  and  store-room,  the  dispensary  being  in  the  hall.  The  kitchen  and  mess-room  are 
immediately  in  rear,  in  a  small  wooden  building  hardly  large  enough  for  the  purpose.  The  ward  is 
about  10  feet  in  rear  of  the  kitchen  and  the  laundry  10  feet  to  the  left.  These  buildings  were 
erected  by  the  owner  of  the  property  in  the  summer  of  1868,  but  are  not  well  adapted  to  the  pur- 
poses for  which  they  are  required.  The  ward  is  40  by  20  by  10  feet,  with  two  doors,  one  at  each 
end,  and  ten  windows,  five  on  each  side.  It  contains  ten  beds,  is  heated  by  a  stove,  and  ventilated 
by  a  small  cupola  in  the  roof  with  openings  in  it.  Air  space  per  bed,  800  cubic  feet.  It  is  a  rough 
wooden  structure,  in  which  the  boards  are  placed  up  and  down ;  there  is  no  plastering  or  lining  of 
any  kind,  nor  is  it  ceiled;  an  awning  has  been  placed  around  it,  except  on  the  north  side,  which 
shields  it  from  the  sun  and  renders  it  somewhat  more  comfortable  in  summer  than  it  would  be 
otherwise.  An  old  building  in  very  bad  repair,  situated  about  20  feet  to  the  left  of  the  adminis- 
tration building,  is  used  as  a  convalescent  ward,  and  answers  a  very  good  purpose  in  summer,  but 
is  too  open  for  winter  use.  An  old  building  to  the  right  of  the  kitchen  is  used  as  a  bath  and  wash- 
room, and  is  supplied  with  a  bath-tub  and  basins.  The  linen-room  is  fitted  np  very  nicely  with 
shelving,  and  next  to  this  is  the  commissary  store-room.  There  are  no  water-closets,  but  tolerably 
well-arranged  sinks,  kept  well  cleansed  and  disinfected,  are  located  about  30  feet  from  the  ward. 
No  dead-house  has  as  yet  been  erected  ;  post-mortems  are  made  in  the  dispensary,  and  the  dead 
are  placed  in  the  laundry  to  await  burial..  The  baggage  of  patients  is  stored  in  the  linen-room. 

There  has  not  been  a  post  bakery  in  operation  at  this  post  for  several  years ;  each  company 
has  an  oven,  and  the  saving  on  flour  accrues  to  the  company  fund.  The  post  school  is  held  in  a 
hospital  tent  immediately  in  rear  of  the  library;  an  educated  soldier  is  employed  as  teacher,  and 
eight  or  ten  children  enjoy  the  advantages  of  the  school. 

The  stables  are  located  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  northwest  of  the  camp,  forming  three  sides 
of  a  square ;  they  are  620  feet  long,  tightly  closed  on  the  outside  with  pickets,  but  open  on  the 
inside  all  the  way  around ;  shed-roof  shingled. 

The  library  is  hardly  worthy  of  mention — no  attention  whatever  has  been  paid  to  it ;  in  fact 
there  has  been  no  post  fund  out  of  which  to  purchase  books. 

There  being  no  roofing  at  the  camp  it  is  impossible  to  have  cisterns,  and  the  water  supply  is 
derived  entirely  from  the  river.  This  contains  a  large  amount  of  lime,  but  is  much  less  impreg- 
nated than  that  from  wells  and  springs  in  the  vicinity.  The  hospital  is  supplied  with  drinking 
water  from  the  cistern  at  district  headquarters,  but  there  is  a  well  in  the  yard  from  which  water  is 
obtained  for  other  purposes.  With  the  exception  of  fire  buckets,  of  which  there  is  a  sufficient 
number  on  hand,  there  are  no  means  of  extinguishing  fire;  pains  are  taken  to  have  these  placed 
at  suitable  distances  in  the  hospital,  so  as  to  be  in  readiness  in  case  they  are  needed. 

As  before  stated  the  drainage  at  camp  is  naturally  good ;  there  are  no  sewers ;  refuse  is  col- 
lected in  barrels  which  are  emptied  every  morning  in  a  neighboring  ravine.  The  sinks  are  situated 
about  50  feet  in  rear  of  the  company  quarters ;  they  are  well  policed  and  disinfected  every  few  days. 

No  special  arrangements  have  been  made  with  reference  to  bathing  in  winter.  In  summer  the 
men  are  required  to  bathe  in  the  river  at  least  once  a  week. 

The  full  army  ration,  of  good  quality  and  sufficient  quantity  and  variety,  is  drawn  every  ten 
days  from  the  subsistence  store-house  in  Austin.  Fresh  vegetables,  butter,  and  eggs  can  be  pro- 
cured in  the  vicinity  at  moderate  prices,  and  the  company  fund  allows  each  company  commander 
to  supply  his  men  with  these  articles  as  often  as  two  or  three  times  a, week.  No  gardens  have 
been  cultivated  at  the  post  during  the  past  year. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  from  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  and  received  in  good  condition, 
but  there  is  often  great  delay  in  transportation,  and  it  has  frequently  happened  that  stores  have 
been  three  months  en  route.  A  larger  supply  of  medicines  is  required  at  this  post  than  the 
strength  of  the  command  would  seem  to  justify,  but  when  the  large  number  of  persons  entitled  to 
medicine  is  taken  into  consideration,  embracing  officers  and  enlisted  men  at  district  headquarters, 
•with  their  families,  transient  officers  and  troops,  it  will  be  seen  that  a  supply  for  a  permanent  gar- 
rison would  be  very  inadequate  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  service.  Frequently,  small  requisi- 
tions for  other  posts  are  filled  at.this  hospital,  and  detachments  of  troops  going  out  on  scout  or 
other  duty  are  furnished  with  a  small  supply  of  medicine. 


SAN  ANTONIO,  TEXAS. 


181 


Thi.s  is  one  of  the  healthiest  points  in  the  State,  and  the  true  estimate  of  the  amount  of  sick- 
ness will  embrace  only  those  cases  that  were  admitted  to  hospital  for  treatment,  which  will  reduce 
the  percentage  to  23.8.  Sick-call  is  held  at  the  camp  dispensary  at  7  a.  in.,  and  such  cases  as 
require  hospital  treatment  are  sent  to  the  city  by  ambulance.  During  the  months  of  June,  July, 
August,  and  September,  intermittent  fever  (quotidian  and  tertian)  prevailed  to  a  very  great  extent, 
and  all  other  diseases  received  an  impression  from,  and  were  much  modified  by,  malarial  influences. 
During  the  month  of  May  a  pond  of  standing  water,  located  about  fifty  yards  southeast  of  the 
camp  in  the  river  bottom,  was  drained  successfully,  and  shortly  afterwards  intermittent  fever 
began  to  appear,  the  sick  report  increasing  from  10  to  40  out  of  a  mean  strength  of  250.  In  July 
an  immense  overflow  occurred,  the  river  rising  30  feet  in  as  many  hours.  When  the  water  sub- 
sided a  large  amount  of  alluvial  deposit  was  observed  along  the  river  bank,  and  almost  immedi- 
ately afterwards  the  sick  report  was  again  increased  by  the  addition  of  a  number  of  cases  of 
malarial  fever,  in  connection  with  diarrhrea  and  dysentery.  Quinine  in  10  or  15-grain  doses,  three 
times  daily,  has  usually  been  thoroughly  efficient.  Rheumatism  seems  to  prevail  very  extensively 
in  this  climate;  perhaps  the  variation  in  temperature  between  the  days  and  nights,  amounting  to 
fifteen  or  twenty  degrees,  may  have  some  influence  in  producing  it. 

The  garrison  being  so  near  town  there  is,  as  may  be  expected,  a  great  deal  of  venereal  diseases 
and  derangements  of  the  digestive  organs,  the  result  of  dissipation.  As  a  general  rule,  however, 
the  sanitary  condition  of  the  troops  is  about  as  good  as  that  of  any  other  post  in  Texas. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Austin,  Texas,  for  the  years 

1868  and  18G9. 


N 

-d 

00 

. 

ID 

5    ,H 

§3 

£ 

i  ^ 

I 

S 

1. 

| 

Years. 

£ 

-s 

a 

0) 

'o 

3 

3 

e  -K 
8    S 

—         Efi 

>» 

••5 

C3 
1 

pj 
*S 

•a  i 

•=  -1 

rt 

•3 

§ 

"3   s 

S  "" 

5 

fr-       ^i 

S 

g 

a 

5 

O 

a 

P 

H 

S 

'p 

1 

1 

,3 

W 

fi 

« 

u 

O 

1868 

265  08 

701 

4 

243 

165 

46 

2 

28 

4 

23 

2 

1869  

276.  25 

650 

1 

345 

111 

20 

19 

1 

14 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


SAN   ANTONIO,    TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  D.  BACHE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  post  or  town  of  San  Antonio  de  Bexar  is  situated  in  latitude  29°  30'  north,  and  longitude 
22rf  30'  west  from  Washington,  at  an  altitude  of  55G  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 

The  barracks,  store-houses,  and  other  buildings  in  the  service  of  the  garrison,  being  wholly 
within  the  corporation  limits,  any  description  of  the  post  will  of  necessity  embrace  an  account  of 
the  topography  of  the  town,  and  such  features'in  its  construction,  drainage,  and  general  character- 
istics as  may  influence  the  hygiene  of  the  population.  Broadly  speaking,  the  town  lies  upon  both 
banks  of  the  San  Antonio  River,  and  stretches  across  the  tongue  of  land  separating  that  stream 
from  the  Arroyo  San  Pedro,  a  small  creek  emptying  into  the  former  at  the  lower  limits  of  the 
suburbs.  The  San  Antonio  River  rises  three  miles  above  the  town,  where  it  springs  boldly  from 
the  base  of  the  low  limestone  hills,  which  are  here  the  outlying  spurs  of  the  great  cretaceous  strata 
constituting  the  high  table  lands  of  Texas.  The  valley  of  the  river  is  shut  in  by  hilly  ranges  run- 
ning in  a  southeasterly  direction,  the  hills  having  generally  an  altitude  of  from  200  to  300  feet 
above  the  level  plain  that  lies  between.  The  area  occupied  by  the  town  is,  for  the  population, 
quite  extensive,  extending  for  two  miles  in  the  line  of  the  river,  and  from  a  half  to  three  quarters 


182  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

of  a  mile  upon  either  side  but,  except  in  the  central,  or  business  portion,  it  is  not  closely  built,  the 
houses  being  widely  separated,  and  for  the  most  part  surrounded  by  gardens. 

The  population  of  San  Antonio  is  variously  estimated  at  from  12,000  to  15,000  persons,  com- 
posed nearly  equally  as  to  nationality  of  Americans,  Germans,  and  Mexicans,  or  mixed  races. 
There  is  a  difficulty  iu  even  making  this  estimate  with  approximate  correctness  which  attaches  to 
-few  other  places,  due  to  the  large  migratory  or  floating  population.  As  the  great  freight  center 
for  Western  and  Northwestern  Texas,  and  for  Chihuahua,  and,  indeed,  all  Northern  Mexico,  San 
Antonio  is  subject  during  the  season  of  business  activity  to  a  large  influx  of  strangers,  and  to  con- 
stant fluctuations  iu  this  respect  from  the  numbers  of  those  employed  as  carriers  of  merchandise 
iu  the  requirements  of  their  trade. 

The  old  mission  of  San  Antonio  de  Valero  was  founded  in  1715,  the  barracks  of  the  garrison 
and  other  offices  occupying  the  sides  of  the  quadrangle,  in  the  center  of  which  were  the  missions — 
afterwards  secularized  as  parish  churches.  These  quadrangles  form  the  present  plazas  or  squares, 
the  churches  and  garrison  buildings  remaining  much  as  they  were  finished,  altered  only  to  suit  the 
demands  of  present  utility.  The  remainder  of  the  town  is  modern  in  architecture,  the  poorer 
Mexican  population  only  living  in  the  thatched  huts,  or  jacals,  a  style  of  habitation  which  the 
general  mildness  of  the  climate  permits. 

Owing  to  the  small  average  rain-fall  in  this  section  of  Texas,  amounting  to  but  30  inches  in  the 
year,  and  the  danger  from  protracted  droughts,  a  thorough  system  of  artificial  irrigation  is  neces- 
sary to  insure  any  certain  return  in  crops,  especially  iu  the  smaller  articles,  such  as  vegetables. 
Ditches  for  this  purpose — some  of  them  five  or  six  miles  in  length — intersect  the  town,  in  various 
directions,  and  from  these  mains  smaller  trenches  traverse  the  gardens  to  every  point.  As  these 
water  channels  are  not  protected  or  built  with  masonry,  but  are  simply  cut  rudely  in  the  earth, 
they  are  constantly  filling  with  the  washings  of  the  ground  under  irrigation,  and  choked  with 
garbage  and  refuse  matter  thrown  into  them  for  the  purpose  of  removal.  The  water  supply  of 
the  town  is  so  defective,  and  so  little  a  subject  of  regulation,  that  the  water  of  these  ditches  is 
commonly  used  both  for  drinking  and  cooking  by  many  living  on  their  banks  and  their  vicinity, 
except  when  so  muddy  as  to  be  repulsive.  In  this  I  think  we  may  find  an  easy  explanation  of  the 
rapid  and  fatal  spread  of  the  various  epidemics  of  cholera  that  have  visited  this  place.  It  is  fair  to 
ascribe  also  to  this  system  of  irrigation,  in  which  large  surfaces  of  ground  are  constantly  exposed 
alternately  to  the  action  of  water  and  the  heat  of  the  sun,  much  of  the  increasing  prevalence  of 
malarial  disease,  which,  it  is  affirmed,  was  almost  unknown  here  not  many  years  ago.  To  the  de- 
cay of  vegetable  matter  from  this  cause  must  be  added  also,  as  an  important  factor  in  the  production 
of  zymosis,  the  exhalations  from  the  sluggish  streams  in  the  ditches,  and  the  rank  growth  upon 
their  banks.  The  other  means  of  water  supply  are  wells  and  cisterns,  though  the  latter,  owing  to 
the  cost  of  construction,  are  but  few.  The  garrison  is  wholly  supplied  for  drinking  purposes  from 
this  source,  the  cisterns  having  iu  all  a  capacity  of  over  70,000  gallons,  sufficient  to  serve  through 
a  season  of  unusual  drought.  The  system  of  drainage,  if  system  it  can  be  called,  employed  through- 
out the  town  is  in  every  way  defective  and  insufficient.  Upon  only  one  or  two  of  the  principal 
thoroughfares  is  any  attempt  made  to  carry  off  artificially  even  the  ordinary  rain-fall,  which  in 
summer  is  often  sufficient  to  flood  the  streets.  As  the  ground  is  almost  level,  the  surface  drainage 
is  reduced  to  its  lowest  point  of  efficiency,  leaving  for  slow  removal  by  evaporation  and  absorption, 
the  water  that  could  readily  be  carried  into  either  of  the  larger  streams  or  the  irrigating  ditches. 

The  buildings  used  as  barracks,  hospital,  and  store-houses  are,  with  the  exception  of  the  Alamo, 
the  property  of  private  citizens,  and  are  rented  by  the  government.  They  are  constructed  of  both 
the  compact  and  soft  limestone,  quarried  a  few  miles  from  the  town,  this  being  the  material  in 
almost  universal  use  for  building. 

The-  barracks  were  originally  designed  as  store-houses,  in  connection  with  the  larger  building 
adjoining  them,  used  by  the  subsistence  department  and  as  offices  for  post  headquarters  and  the 
depot  quartermaster.  The  situation  of  the  barracks  is  bad,  bordering  upon  the  low  ground  in  a 
curve  of  the  river,  and  subject,  during  the  spring  freshets,  to  sudden  inundation.  Once  during  the 
past  year,  and  once  in  1806,  the  water  rose  rapidly  in  the  night,  attaining  a  height  of  several  feet 
above  the  barracks  floor,  forcing  the  soldiers  to  abandon  their  quarters.  These  overflows,  besides 
their  danger  to  life,  destroy  and  damage  much  public  property,  and  are  apt,  unless  their  effects  are 


SAN  ANTONIO,  TEXAS.  183 

neutralized  at  once,  to  produce  a  serious  increase  of  disease.  While  objectionable  in  this  resect, 
and  faulty  in  want  of  adaptation  to  their  present  use,  the  buildings  are,  however,  more  suitable  for 
the  occupation  of  troops  than  any  others  accessible.  The  government  would  certainly  gain  much  in 
point  of  economy  in  the  health  and  discipline  of  the  garrison,  were  permanent  barracks  erected  upon 
the  higher  ground  at  some  distance  from  the  town. 

The  building  occupied  as  cavalry  quarters  is  34  by  83  feet;  height  of  wall,  15J  feet;  to  top,  8J 
feet.  It  is  warmed  by  stoves;  lighted  naturally  by  windows,  and  artificially  by  candles.  The 
amount  of  air  space  in  infantry  barracks  with  present  occupancy  is  830  cubic  feet  per  man ;  cavalry 
barracks,  1,058  cubic  feet.  Ventilation  is  effected  by  doors,  windows,  and  shafts.  The  bunks  are 
of  wood,  double,  in  two  tiers,  containing  tlie  usual  bedding.  The  sinks  are  pits,  8  feet  in  depth, 
emptied  as  occasion  requires.  The  kitchens  are  well  arranged  and  supplied;  the  mess-rooms  are 
furnished  with  good  tables,  benches,  and  table  furniture. 

Quarters  for  married  soldiers  are  principally  in  small  rented  houses  in  the  vicinity  of  the  com- 
pany barracks. 

No  special  buildings  are  provided  for  officers'  quarters,  which  are  rented  and  assigned  by  the 
quartermaster. 

The  Alamo  is  occupied  by  the  quartermaster's  department  as  a  store-house  for  forage,  camp  and 
garrison  equipage,  and  to  some  extent  for  workshops.  The  walls  are  still  in  excellent  preservation, 
though  dating  from  1744,  and  subjected  since  then  to  several  siege's  and  assaults. 

The  guard-house,  in  its  general  features,  does  not  differ  materially  from  buildings  of  this  kind 
in  use  throughout  the  army,  at  least  such  has  been  my  experience.  The  faults  and  deficiencies  are 
so  palpable  that  it  scarcely  is  necessary  to  recite  them.  The  building  contains  a  guard-room,  16 
feet  4  inches  by  2G  feet ;  prison-room,  1C  feet  4  inches  by  16  feet ;  and  7  cells.  With  au  occupancy 
of  15,  the  air  space  in  the  prison-room  per  man  would  be  153  cubic  feet,  with  a  superficial  area  of 
16  feet  per  man,  or  a  space  little  over  5  feet  long  by  3  feet  wide.  The  construction  of  the  cells  is, 
however,  intolerably  worse,  7  feet  long,  7  feet  in  height,  and  2  feet  wide,  giving  an  interior  space  of 
98  feet.  It  is  noticeable,  in  this  connection,  that  the  only  deaths  (two)  occurring  at  this  post  during 
the  past  year  have  been  in  cases  of  men  in  confinement  in  the  guard-house,  one  resulting  from 
typhoid  pneumonia,  the  other  a  case  of  congestion  of  stomach,  and  meuiuges  of  the  brain  with 
effusion,  in  a  man  who  had  been  confined  for  six  mouths  at  this  post  and  elsewhere.  Though  no 
direct  cause  of  death  can  be  traced  in  their  confinement,  there  was  evidently  a  strong  devitalizing 
agency  at  work  in  both.  There  is  no  means  of  warming  the  guard-house,  except  a  stove  in  the 
guard-room. 

The  hospital  was  a  private  residence,  but  from  the  manner  of  its  construction  and  from  loca- 
tipn  it  is  admirably  adapted  to  its  present  purpose.  It  is  two  stories  high,  with  basement,  the 
latter  containing  the  dining-room,  kitchen,  and  store-room.  The  first  story  is  divided  in  the  center 
by  a  hall,  7  feet  9  inches,  extending  from  front  to  rear,  with  a  staircase  leading  to  a  similar  hall 
above.  On  the  right  of  the  hall  are  the  office  and  dispensary,  above  which  arc  the  steward's  room 
and  linen-room.  Three  wards  occupy  that  portion  of  the  building  left  of  the  halls  mentioned ;  the 
largest  ward,  extending  from  front  to  rear,  on  the  first  floor,  is  19  feet  9  inches  by  34  feet  3  inches, 
and  has  a  capacity  for  eight  beds,  giving  to  each  a  cubic  air  space  of  930  feet.  Over  this  ward  are 
two  others,  the  first  19  feet  9  inches  by  19  feet  9  inches;  the  other,  19  feet  9  inches  by  14  fe.-t. 
These  rooms  are  at  present  unoccupied.  There  is  no  bath-room;  the  lavatory  is  supplied  with 
ordinary  appliances.  The  hospital  sink  is  located  at  a  distance  from  the  building,  and  consists  of 
pits  which  are  emptied  every  three  months. 

The  post  bakery  will  supply  200  loaves  daily. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  from  New  Orleans,  and  received  in  good  condition  and  so  kept. 

The  prevailing  diseases  at  the  post  are  intermittent  and  remittent  fevers,  and  various  forms  of 
catarrh. 


184 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  sho win g  mtia-n  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  San  Antonio,  Texas,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


<S 

S 

i 

i 

& 

§  -g 

> 

So 

a 

a  * 

1 

Years. 

1 

4  a 

3 

C3    -S 
8H 
« 

I 

>a 

"S 

g 

*3 

|| 

a 
9 

s 

I1 

1 

"P      "» 

=    -= 

S 

(D 

1 

E 

1 

!3 

s 

1 

1 
0 

o 

1868              ,         .  .              

143.  33 

151 

41 

15   ' 

17 

i 

4 

1 

30 

1 

1869 

128  83 

154 

71 

24 

11 

8 

1 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pnoumouia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  RICHARDSON,  TEXAS. 

RETORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  H.  PATZKI,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  post  of  Fort  Richardson  is  located  in  Jack  County,  Texas,  in  latitude  33°  15'  north,  and 
longitude  21°  15'  west,  upon  the  smith  bank  of  Lost  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Trinity  River,  south- 
west from  and  about  seven  miles  above  the  point  at  which  it  empties  its  waters  into  the  west  fork 
of  that  stream.  The  nearest  range  of  hills  is  that  known  as  "Flat  Top  Mountain,"  about  20  miles  in 
a  west-northwesterly  direction,  aud  which  is  one  of  the  low  ranges  of  hills  that  divide  the  head- 
waters of  the  Brazos  from  those  of  the  Trinity.  These  hills  appear  to  be  detached  spurs  of  the 
Wichita  Mountains,  through  which  the  Red  River  passes  at  about  CO  miles  northeast  of  the  post, 
and  which  seem  to  form  part  of  a  mountain  system  from  which  diverge  the  lesser  tributaries  of 
the  Brazos,  the  Trinity,  aud  the  Red  Rivers.  The  village  of  Jacksboro,  the  county  seat  of  Jack 
County,  is  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  post,  being  situated  on  the  north  bank  of  Lost  Creek, 
and  about  one-half  mile  distant.  The  nearest  settlements  are  Weatherford,  the  county  seat  of 
Parker  County,  distant  42J  miles  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  on  the  direct  mail  route  to  Waco  and 
Austin ;  Decatur,  in  Wise  County,  distant  40  miles  cast-southeast  on  the  road  leading  toward  Jeffer- 
son and  towns  in  eastern  Texas,  and  Montague,  in  Montague  County,  distant  about  40  miles  in  a 
northeasterly  direction  and  on  the  line  of  the  overland  mail  route  from  Fort  Concho,  in  Texas,  to 
Fort  Smith,  in  Arkansas.  Calvert,  the  present  terminus  of  the  Texas  Central  railroad,  is  the 
nearest' point  at  which  railroad  communication  can  be  obtained,  and  is  distant  202  miles  from  the 
post,  reached  via  Waco,  from  which  it  is  55  miles  distant  in  a  southeasterly  direction. 

The  village  of  Jacksboro,  before  the  war  a  station  of  the  overland  mail  route,  was  occupied  as 
a  military  post  in  the  summer  of  1866.  In  April,  1807,  the  place  was  abandoned,  except  as  a  mail 
station,  and  the  troops  moved  to  Fort  Belknap  and  Buffalo  Springs.  The  latter  place,  in  Clay 
County,  about  28  miles  north  from  Jacksboro,  was  selected  as  the  site  for  a  permanent  post, 
and  the  necessary  materials  aud  a  force  of  mechanics  and  laborers  sent  there  in  July,  1867,  and 
operations  commenced,  but  owing  to  a  failure  in  the  supply  of  water,  and  the  distance  from 
timber,  it  was  abandoned,  and  the  material  sent  to  this  place,  where  the  present  post  was 
commenced  in  the  latter  part  of  November,  1867,  the  plans  originally  designed  for  the  post  at 
Buffalo  Springs  being  partially  followed  in  its  construction.  The  reservation  on  which  the  post 
is  built  is  a  rectangle  of  one  mile  square,  Ideated  on  a  high  rolling  prairie,  bounded  on  the  eastern, 
southern,  aud  western  sides  by  belts  of  timber,  and  on  the  northern  side,  for  nearly  its  entire 
ength,  by  Lost  Creek,  which  runs  in  an  easterly  direction  at  that  point. 

The  geological  formation  of  the  vicinity  consists  principally  of  lime  and  sandstone,  and  large 
masses  of  rock  predominate.  The  whole  region  appears  to  be  underlaid  with  a  stratum  of  rock, 
.  which  is  covered  but  thinly  by  soil,  or  crops  out  at  the  surface,  except  in  the  "  bottoms"  or  small 
valleys  watered  by  streams,  which  sometimes  admit  of  cultivation.  The  adjacent  country  for 
many  miles  around  the  post  is  of  the  same  general  formation.  Notwithstanding  the  thinness  and, 
barrenness  of  the  soil  the  grazing  in  the  immediate  vicinity  is  excellent,  the  grass  being  prin- 


I •(  >HT  KICHARDSOX,  T  K X  AS.  185 

cipally  rnesquite,  a  variety  superior  to  ordinary  prairie  grass.  At  Fort  Belkuap,  -5-  miles  west  of 
the  post,  ou  the  east  bauk  of  the  Brazos,  bituminous  coal  of  a  quality  resembling  that  of  western 
Pennsylvania'  is  found,  and  some  small  veins  which  crop  out  near  the  surfaep  have  been  opened. 
Indications  of  considerable  deposits  of  copper  ore  have  been  seen  within  about  75  miles,  iu  a 
northwesterly  direction,  some  specimens  of  which  on  being  assayed  have  proved  very  rich,  and 
contain  silver  in  considerable  quantity. 

The  varieties  of  timber  in  the  neighborhood  are  oak,  pecan,  and  mesquite,  but  generally  of  a 
small  and  stunted  growth,  and  unfit  for  building  purposes,  except  the  construction  of  picket  or 
stockade  houses;  the  timber  used  in  the  building  of  the  post  having  been  procured  on  the  I'.ig 
Sandy  in  Wise  County,  about  ,'5S  miles  due  east  from  the  post,  at  which  point  the  government  saw- 
mill was  located.  Within  the  past  month  the  mill  has  been  removed  to  a  point  distant  about  18 
miles  from  the  post,  on  a  small  tributary  of  the  west  fork  of  the  Trinity,  the  supply  of  timber  at 
its  former  location  having  been  exhausted. 

The  mustang  grape  and  chickasaw  plum  abound,  and  the  pecan  nut,  which  grows  upon  the 
tree  of  that  name,  may  be  gathered  in  great  quantities.  The  wild  onion,  a  wholesome  and  palata- 
ble addition  to  the  soup  ration,  is  found  iu  small  quantities  on  the  prairies,  and  along  the  banks  of 
the  water-courses.  Buffalo  are  found  during  the  winter  months  within  .'JO  or  40  miles  to  the  north- 
west of  the  post,  but  in  the  warm  season  are  rarely  seen  south  of  lied  River.  Antelope  and  deer 
are  numerous,  and  bear  and  panther  occasionally  met  with.  Of  smaller  animals  raccoons  and  rab- 
bits are  very  plentiful.  Of  the  latter  the  hare,  or,  as  it  is  popularly  known  iu  this  State,  the  uinle- 
ear  variety,  is  the  most  numerous.  Wild  turkeys  exist  along  all  the  water-courses  in  incredible 
numbers,  and  prairie  chickens  and  wild  duck  are  seen  at  times.  Fish  cannot  be  obtained  (except 
some  small  varieties  in  Lost  Creek)  nearer  than  the  Brazos  Itiver,  the  nearest  point  of  which  is 
about  30  miles  distant.  In  that  stream  they  are  very  abundant,  but  of  little  variety,  catfish,  drum, 
buffalo,  and  gaspers,  (the  latter  nearly  resembling  the  catfish,)  being  about  the  only  kinds  found 
which  are  tit  for  food.  Turtle  abound  in  all  the  streams.  Tarantulas,  centipedes,  and  scorpions 
infest  this  whole  region,  and  chameleons  and  horned-toads  may  be  frequently  met  with.  The  copper- 
head, moccasin,  puff-adder,  and  rattlesnake  are  found,  the  latter  very  frequently,  but  generally 
of  small  size.  Besides  these  there  are  several  unimportant  varieties  of  harmless'  serpents  found 
in  great  numbers,  such  as  the  black  snake,  chicken  snake,  and  common  house  snake. 

The  water  for  culinary  purposes  is  obtained  from  the  creek,  and  that  for  drinking  from  springs, 
of  which  several  are  to  be  found  along  the  creek  iu  proximity  to  the  post.  The  supply  of  water 
from  this  source  is  both  good  and  ample,  although  containing  a  slight  excess  of  lime.  The  creek 
cuts  its  course  through  the  rocks  and  runs  between  steep  banks  shaded  with  fine  trees,  the  narrow 
seam  of  which  forms  a  pleasant  relief  from  the  monotonous  prairie.  It  is  at  most  places  narrow  and 
shallow,  but  expands  at  others  into  pond-like  basins  with  beautifully  clear  water.  To  the  great 
depth  of  some  of  these  expansions  the  creek  is  supposed  to  owe  its  name,  and  they  contain  an  ample 
supply  of  good  water  for  the  post  during  the  dry  season  when  the  creek  ceases  to  run.  The  heavy 
rains  of  the  wet  season  swell  the  creek  not  unfrequeutly  to  the  top  of  its  banks. 

The  heat  of  the  summer  months,  reflected  from  the  rocky  soil,  bare  of  shade  trees,  would  be  in- 
supportable if  it  were  not  tempered  by  constant  breezes  from,  the  southwest  or  southeast,  and  close 
sultry  nights  are  unknown  even  during  the  hottest  weather.  These  winds  contain  but  little  moist- 
ure, owing  to  the  character  of  the  surface  over  which  they  sweep  before  reaching  here.  The  rain- 
fall during  this  season  is  but  scanty,  yet  sometimes  so  heavy  as  to  render  the  labors  of  the  farmer 
fruitless.  The  uncertainty  of  the  climate  in  this  respect,  together  with  the  thinness  of  the  soil  cov- 
ering the  rocky  substratum,  form  the  most  serious  obstacles  to  successful  agriculture  in  this  portion 
of  Texas.  The  mean  temperature  of  the  summer  is  7(5.52°,  and  the  maximum  100°.  From  the  be- 
ginning of  November  until  the  end  of  March  "northers"  are  frequent ;  and  although,  usually  of  short 
duration,  yet  they  sometimes  prevail  for  days,  the  cold  being  intense  during  their  continuance. 
Snow-storms  occur  but  rarely,  generally  but  one  or  two  during  the  season,  and  the  quantity  of  snow 
which  falls  is  so  slight  that  it  soon  disappears.  The  mean  temperature  of  the  winter  is  51.21°,  and 
the  minimum  lb'°.  Spring  may  be  said  to  fairly  commence  early  in  April,  and  no  degree  of  cold  is 
experienced  before  the  end  of  October.  Horses  and  other  domestic  animals  inured  to  the  climate 
24 


186  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

arc  exposed  to  the  weather  during  tbe  entire  winter  with  impunity,  the  low  temperature  incident 
to  the  "northers"  above  referred  to  being  about  all  the  really  cold  weather  experienced. 

No  fortified  buildings  or  fort  proper  has  been  erected,  the  Jbrt  as  described  below  comprising 
the  garrison  and  structures  contained  therein.  It  is  located  in  the  northwestern  angle  of  the  res- 
ervation, and  is  about  200  yards  distant  from  the  creek,  the  ground  sloping  gradually  up  from  its 
banks,  the  highest  portion  (the  southern  side  of  the  quadrangle  on  which  the  officers'  quarters  are 
built)  being  about  30  feet  above  the  level  of  the  stream.  It  is  a  parallelogram  of  1,400  feet  from 
north  to  south,  and  1,300  feet  from  east  to  west.  Four  buildings  for  barracks  were  built  by  the 
troops  in  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1809.  They  run  in  a  line  from  east  to  west,  with  an  interval 
of  50  feet  between  them,  550  feet  from  and  facing  the  officers'  quarters.  They  are  constructed  of 
pickets,  on  what  is  known  as  the  stockade  principle,  the  pickets  being  cut  of  a  length  of  11  feet, 
and  sunk  two  feet  in  the  ground.  Three  of  these  buildings,  marked  Q  on  the  accompanying  Plate 
(Plate  No.  IV)  are  85  feet  in  length  by  20  feet  in  width,  and  one  marked  R,  100  feet  in  length  and 
20  feet  in  width,  all  being  of  a  height  of  9  feet  in  the  elear  (to  the  eaves)  and  15  feet  to  the  ridge. 
A  room  of  15  feet  is  partitioned  off  at  the  western  end  of  each  building  for  the  use  of  the  first  and 
quartermaster  sergeants,  the  loft  above  serving  as  a  store-room  for  company  property.  Each  bar- 
rack is  warmed  by  two  large  wood  stoves,  the  pipes  of  which  pass  through  the  roof.  Six  windows, 
three  in  front  and  the  same  number  in  rear,  and  two  doors,  one  in  front,  the  other  in  rear,  supply 
light  and  ventilation  ;  the  latter  of  which,  however  ample  it  may  be  in  summer,  is,  in  the  absence 
of  ridge  ventilation,  very  deficient  in  the  winter,  when  the  cold  necessitates  the  closing  of  windows 
and  doors  and  the  maintaining  of  fires.  The  three  smaller  barracks  have  a  capacity  of  28,  and  the 
larger  one  of  34  men,  at  COO  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  The  present  average  occupancy  of 
the  former  is  about  35,  with  about  457  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man;  and  of  the  latter,  which  is 
occupied  by  two  companies,  00  men,  with  340  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  But  while  the  oc- 
cupanc.y  of  the  others  has  not  varied  much  in  the  past  from  the  present  average,  the  larger  bar- 
rack was  occupied  last  winter  by  more  than  100  men,  (I  Company  Twenty-fourth  Infantry,)  re- 
ducing the  air  space  below  200  cubic  feet  per  man.  To  judge  from  the  number  of  bunks  with  which 
these  barracks  are  furnished,  the  three  smaller  (Q)  were  intended  to  accommodate  72  men,  and  the 
larger  one  (R)  90  men,  which  would  have  given  233  cubic  feet  of  air  space  in  the  former  and  210  in 
the  latter,  per  man.*  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  these  buildings  were  not  erected  with  a  view  to 
proper  air  space  and  ventilation,  and  to  be  hoped  that  new  barracks,  which  will  be  necessary  if  the 
present  garrison  of  nine  companies  is  continued,  will  be  free  from  such  grave  objections.  .  Some 
difficulty,  however,  will  be  experienced  to  locate  such  structures,  as  there  is  not  room  to  build  four, 
much  less  five,  of  them  in  a  line  with  the  old  buildings,  without  011  one  side  encroaching  too 
much  upon  or  even  overlapping  the  hospital,  and  on  the  other  side  blockading  the  subsistence  and 
quartermaster's  store-rooms.  This  difficulty  would  have  been  obviated  if  the  quarters  for  the  men 
had  been  built  en  echelon  from  north  to  south,  which  would  have  afforded  the  additional  advantage 
of  permitting  the  prevailing  southerly  breezes  to  sweep  their  whole  length,  while  the  present  plan 
prevents  to  a  great  extent  the  current  of  air  in  the  rear  of  the  barracks  and  kitchens,  where  refuse 
is  most  apt  to  collect,  and  at  the  same  time  exposes  a  large  surface  to  the  northerly  storms  of  the 
winter.  The  beds  are  wooden  bunks,  4  feet  wide  and  6£  feet  long,  each  holding  four  men,  two  above 
and  two  below.  The  bedding  consists  of  blankets,  and  double  bedsacks  filled  with  hay,  which  is 
renewed  monthly.  There  is  no  provision  made  for  wash  and  bath-rooms,  the  men  having  to  wash 
in  the  open  air.  The  privies  are  situated  in  the  rear  of  each  set  of  quarters,  (150  feet  distant,)  and 
have  movable  troughs,  lined  with  zinc,  under  the  seats,  the  contents  of  which  are  required  to  be 
emptied  daily.  Each  of  the  three  barracks  (Q)  has  a  kitchen  and  mess-room  25  feet  in  rear,  50  feet 
in  length,  by  17  feet  in  width,  and  8  feet  high  in  the  clear,  built  in  the  same  manner  and  of  the 
same  material  as  the  barracks.  A  space  of  sufficient  size  is  partitioned  off  at  one  end  as  a  cook- 
house, the  remainder  being  used  for  the  mess-room.  The  stoves  and  cooking  utensils  are  of  the 
description  furnished  by  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  and  are  suitable  for  the  purpose.  The 
fixtures  of  the  mess-rooms,  provided  from  the  company  funds  of  the  respective  companies,  are  suf- 
ficiently complete. 

The  mess-rooms  are  of  adequate  capacity  for  the  present  strength  of  the  companies,  but  in  case 

*  In  the  above  calculation  space  occupied  by  furniture  is  not  deducted. 


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PLATE  N°  IV. 


FORT  RICHARDSON,  TEXAS.  187 

they  were  to  approximate  to  the  maximum  strength,  only  one  of  the  barracks  (the  larger  one,  and 
which  has  a  mess-room  and  kitchen  of  75  by  20  feet)  would  be  sufficiently  roomy  for  the  purpose 
designed. 

The  quarters  for  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  consist  of  a  varirty  of  log  huts,  frame  houses, 
picket  houses,  and  tents,  scattered  along  the  creek  in  the  northwestern  angle  of  the  fort,  without 
any  system  being  observed  either  as  to  their  location,  structure,  or  fitness  for  the  purposes  for 
which  they  are  used.  Their  location  is  highly  objectionable,  as  the  drainage  from  this  portion  of 
the  cam])  is  received  into  the  creek  above  the  point  where  the  water  for  cooking  purposes  is  ob- 
tained, which  water  is,  however,  also  used  by  many  for  drinking.  A  board  of  officers  has  recently 
been  convened  to  select  a  proper  site  for  these  quarters.  Eight  buildings  have  been  erected  for 
officers'  quarters,  located  upon  the  southern  side  of  the  fort.  Five  of  these  (one  marked  a,  two 
marked  &,  and  two  b'  on  the  plate)  are  frame  buildings;  the  remainder  are  stockade  or  picket- 
houses.  The  lumber  used  in  their  construction  is  principally  cottonwood,  a  variety  considered  ut- 
terly worthless  for  building  purposes  in  regions  where  any  other  can  be  obtained,  but  the  only 
kind  of  timber  convertible  into  lumber  found  in  any  quantity  within  200  miles  of  the  post.  These 
houses  are  one  and  a  half  stories  in  height,  have  each  two  dormer  windows  in  the  front  roof  to 
light  the  attic  which  forms  the  second  story,  have  porches  in  front  and  rear,  and  being  finished 
uniformly  in  cottage  style  with  large  windows,  present  a  neat  appearance,  and  are  quite  comfort- 
able, being  ceiled  and  plastered,  and  the  wood-work  painted.  Four  of  these  (marked  b  b,  and  b'  b') 
contain  four  rooms,  one  large  room,  18  by  18  feet,  on  one  side,  two  smaller  rooms,  18  by  15  feet  and 
15  by  15  feet,  on  the  other  side  of  the  hall,  and  a  kitchen,  15  by  15  feet,  adjoining  the  latter  and 
forming  an  L  with  the  main  building.  Two  of  these  buildings  (V  V)  are  occupied  by  the  two  field 
officers  present.  Of  the  remaining  two  (b  b)  the  continuous  sets  of  two  rooms  and  kitchen  are 
occupied  by  senior  captains,  and  the  single  rooms  on  the  other  side  of  the  hall  by  junior  captains 
or  subalterns,  who  contrive  to  add  a  dining-room  to  their  quarters  by  inclosing  the  back  veranda 
with  canvas,  using  tents  in  the  yard  as  kitchens.  These  cottages  would  accommodate  comfortably 
two  families  if  an  additional  room  had  been  built  to  adjoin  this  single  front  room  as  in  the  central 
building  (marked  «)  occupied  by  the  commanding  officer,  which,  by  this  arrangement,  contains  five 
rooms.  The  three  remaining  buildings  (marked  c  c  and  d)  are  picket  buildings,  one  story  in  height, 
9  feet  to  the  eaves  and  15  feet  to  the  ridge,  two  of  which  (c  c)  are  47  by  16  feet;  the  third  (d)  73  by 
18  feet  in  size.  The  former  are  divided  into  three  rooms,  15£  by  10  feet,  two  of  which  are  occupied 
by  captains,  the  third  by  subalterns.  The  third  of  the  picket  buildings  (d)  contains  four  rooms,  16 
by  18  feet,  and  is  occupied  by  two  captains.  A  back  building,  33  by  15  feet,  containing  two  kitchens, 
is  in  the  rear  of  each  of  these  buildings,  completing  thus  the  allowance  of  the  officers  occupying 
them.  These  picket  quarters  are  decidedly  inferior  in  finish  to  the  frame  houses,  not  being  ceiled, 
the  floors  consisting  of  rough  boards,  the  walls  being  rough  logs,  the  interstices  tilled  with  plaster. 
The  absence  of  verandas,  as  adding  to  the  discomfort  of  the  occupants,  is  much  complained  of. 
The  officers  not  provided  with  quarters  live  in  tents.  It  is  intended  to  erect  three  more  buildings 
of  the  description  of  the  one  marked  d.  All  of  these  quarters  are  heated  by  open  fireplaces,  and 
ample  light  and  ventilation  are  secured  by  windows. 

The  post  water-wagon  supplies  the  officers  with  sufficient  water  for  cleansing  purposes,  while 
that  needed  for  drinking  and  culinary  uses  is  obtained  from  springs  near  the  margin  of  the  creek, 
a  distance  of  but  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the  quarters. 

Privies  are  erected  75  feet  in  rear  of  the  quarters,  having  movable  troughs,  (similar  to  those 
in  use  at  the  barracks,)  which,  in  accordance  with  existing  regulations  at  the  post,  should  be 
emptied  and  cleaned  at  an  early  hour  each  day. 

The  adjutant's  office  is  a  stockade  building  of  47  by  16  feet,  divided  into  three  rooms,  used 
as  offices  by  the  commanding  officer,  adjutant,  and  clerical  force  employed  at  post  headquarters. 
The  quartermaster's  office  is  a  stockade  building  of  77  by  16  feet,  and  is  divided  into  four  rooms, 
two  of  them  furnishing  quarters  for  the  post  quartermaster,  one  used  as  an  office,  and  the  remain-  < 
ing  one  as  quarters  for  the  veterinary  surgeon  and  post  quartermaster  sergeant.  Both  of  these 
buildings  are  of  the  same  height  and  description  as  the  stockade  houses  for  officers,  and  are  suit- 
able for  the  purpose  to  which  they  are  applied. 

The  quartermaster  store-house  and  commissary  building  (n  n  on  plate)  are  built  of  sandstone 


188 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


each  80  by  29  feet,  and  of  a  19-foot  story,  with  a  space  between  them  of  20  feet,  which  was  originally 
designed  to  be  arched  and  to  form  an  entrance  to  the  fort,  it  being  the  central  point  of  its  eastern 
side.  This  spaee.  has  been,  however,  filled  by  a  frame  structure  built  flush  with  the  two  store- 
houses, making  them  parts  of  a  continuous  building.  The  lower  part  is  used  by  the  commissary 
officer  as  a  store-room,  and  the  upper  floor  as  his  office  and  a  sleeping  room  for  his  subordinates. 
An  upper  story  or  loft  in  both  of  the  store-houses  has  recently  been  added  by  laying  a  floor  on  the 
joists,  thus  securing  a  space  where  light  stores  may  be  kept.  These  buildings  are  well  constructed. 
having  18-inch  walls,  and  being  sufficiently  ventilated.  The  subsistence  store-room  is  not,  however, 
of  sufficient  capacity  for  storing  a  six  months'  supply  of  provisions  for  six  companies,  much  less 

for  nine  companies,  the  present  garrison  of  the  post.  The  guard- 
house, which  is  built  of  sandstone  and  of  pickets,  is  37  by  24 
feet,  and  10  feet  in  height.  Figure  22  shows  the  general  arrange- 
ment of  the  building.  C,  cells,  4£  by  8  feet,  by  8  feet  high  ;  G, 
guard-room,  13  by  24  feet,  by  10  feet  high  ;  P,  prison-room,  12 
by  24  feet,  by  10  feet  high. 

The  building  is  warmed  by  a  wood  stove  placed  in  the  center 
of  the  guard-room,  the  pipe  passing  through  the  roof.  The  only 
ventilation  of  the  cells  consists  of  a  grating  in  the  outer  walls, 

12  by  18  inches  in  size,  and  a  few  auger  holes  in  the  doors!  The  atmosphere  is  stifling  and  unhealthy 
in  the  extreme,  and  there  being  usually  two,  and  frequently  three,  prisoners  confined  in  each  cell, 
they  have  but  90  cubic  feet  of  air  each,  and  that  of  the  most  impure  description.  The  prison-room 
has  two  windows,  (not,  however,  so  arranged  as  to  give  cross  ventilation,)  of  about  three  sqiiare 
feet.  As  there  are  frequently  30  inmates  *  of  this  room  at  one  time,  the  allowance  of  air  for  each 
man  is  reduced  to  90  cnbic  feet.  The  average  occupancy  of  the  guard-house  since  January  1,  1870, 
is  23J,  and  since  April  1,  at  which  time  the  garrison  was  augmented  to  its  present  strength,  28. 
An  open  tub  in  the  prison-room  used  for  excreta  renders  the  limited  amount  of  air  still  more  im- 
pure and  offensive.  That  such  a  state  of  affairs  must  prove  deleterious  to  the  health  of  the  occu- 
pants is  evident,  and  it  is  the  imperative  duty  of  the  proper  authority  to  take  such  steps  as  will 
prevent  confinement  from  becoming  a  cruel  punishment.  Besides  the  prisoners,  the  members  of 
the  guard,  (six  upon  an  average,)  also  suffer  by  breathing  the  foul  air  diffused  through  the  whole 
building.  Considering  that  the  prisoners  are  working  the  greater  part  of  the  day  in  the  open  air, 
their  allowance  of  air  space  may,  perhaps,  for  a  limited  time,  be  reduced  below  that  in  permanent 
quarters,  but  the  occupancy  of  the  cells  should  never  exceed  one  to  each,  and  of  the  prisoner's 
room  it  is  thought  that,  with  its  deficient  ventilation,  eight  would  be  the  highest  number  of  pris- 
oners it  could  contain  without  prejudice  to  their  health. 

The  hospital  is  built  of  the  sandstone  found  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  post,  the  lum- 
ber used  in  its  construction  being  furnished  from  the  government  saw-mill,  with  the  exception 
of  the  doors,  window  sashes,  and  ceiling  boards,  which  were  forwarded  from  the  quartermaster's 
depot  at  San  Antonio.  It  is  128  feet  in  length,  from  north  to  south,  and  consists  of  a  main 
building  of  two  stories  in  height  of  33  by  35  feet,  two  wings,  44  by  24  feet,  and  a  kitchen  in 
rear  of  the  main  building,  12  by  20  feet.  A  veranda  of  12  feet  iu  width  surrounds  the  whole 
building.  The  plan  furnished  from  the  office  of  the  Surgeon  General,  (Circular  No.  4,  April  27, 
1867,)  has  been  followed  in  the  construction  of  this  building,  except  in  a  few  particulars.  The  main 
building  is  wanned  by  open  fireplaces,  and  the  wards  by  one  large  wood  stove  placed  in  a  central 
•position  in  each,  the  pipes  of  which  pass  into  the  flues  of  the  main  building  —  the  one  in  the  south 
ward  into  that  of  the  dispensary,  that  of  the  north  ward  into  the  flue  of  the  office.  Ample  light 
is  admitted  by  the  various  windows,  which  are  judiciously  placed,  and  although  the  wards  are 
ceiled  and  ridge  ventilation  thus  cut  off",  thorough  ventilation  is  secured  in  the  warm  season  through 
windows  and  doors  ;  but  the  wards,  if  filled  to  their  capacity  in  the  season  when  fires  are  rendered 
necessary,  would  be  found  very  deficient  in  this  vital  particular,  as  the  ventilating  shafts,  which 
are  but  16  inches  square,  are  too  narrow  to  admit  of  a  stove-pipe  with  safety  passing  into  them, 
whereby  the  air  boxes,  intended  by  the  original  plan  from  the  Surgeon  General's  Office  to  open 

*  On  August  5,  1870,  there  were  10  prisoners  in  the  cells,  (one  of  whom  was  in  solitary  confinement,  occupying  one 
and  cell,  38  in  the  prison-room  —  more  than  can  find  sleeping  room  on  the  floor. 


FOET  RICHARDSON,  TEXAS.  189 

under  the  stoves,  are  rendered  useless,  and  therefore  omitted.  It  is  necessary  to  have  arrange- 
ments made  for  proper  ventilation  before  the  beginning  of  the  cold  season. 

Each  ward  is  33  by  24  feet,  and  contains  12  beds,  which  gives  an  air  space  of  990  cubic  feet  to 
each  patient,  the  ceiling  being  15  feet  high. 

The  bath  and  wash-rooms,  11  by  9  feet,  are  furnished  with  bath-tubs  and  basins.  Sinks  are 
here  much  needed  to  drain  oft'  the  refuse  water.  The  water  supply  being  inadequate  for  water- 
closets,  the  rooms  designated  for  that  purpose  are  furnished  with  air-tight  dose  stools,  which  are 
emptied  immediately  after  use.  Two  sinks  are  located  about  100  feet  in  rear  of  the  building.  The 
flight  of  stairs  ascending  to  the  second  story  is  very  narrow,  (2  feet  8  inches  in  width,)  and  at  an 
angle  (nearly  45°)  that  makes  it  both  dangerous  and  difficult  to  move  heavy  packages  from  one 
story  to  the  other.  The  plan,  so  far  as  regards  a  dead-room  on  the  second  floor,  has  been  changed 
on  account  of  the  narrowness  and  steepness  of  the  stairway,  and  of  the  climate,  which  makes  it 
imperative  to  have  the  dead-house  at  a  distance  from  the  hospital. 

It  is  thought  that  the  room  on  the  first  floor,  intended  as  a  store-room,  is  best  adapted 
as  quarters  for  the  hospital  steward,  it  being  opposite  to  the  dispensary  and  well  suited  to  super- 
intend both  wards.  The  baggage  of  patients  is  properly  labeled  and  kept  in  the  store-rooms 
on  the  second  floor.  The  roof  .of  the  hospital  is  very  defective,  owing  to  the  inferiority  of  the 
shingles  with  which  it  is  covered.  It  is  desirable  that  a  vane  should  be  placed  upon  the  roof,  as 
the  observations  of  the  directions  of  the  winds  are  necessarily  inaccurate  without  one.  A  lightning 
rod  is  necessary  on  account  of  the  hospital  building  forming  the  highest  point  within  the  post  or 
vicinity.  The  artificial  illumination  of  the  hospital  since  the  promulgation  of  General  Orders  No. 
17,  Headquarters  of  the  Army,  Adjutant  General's  Office,  Washington,  District  of  Columbia,  Feb- 
ruary 8,  1870,  is  rather  deficient  even  for  the  ordinary  routine  of  duty  in  the  eveniug,  and  would 
be  found  still  more  so  if  the  performance  of  surgical  operations  in  the  evening  should  become 
necessary. 

A  stockade  laundry  has  recently  been  erected  about  60  feet  in  rear  of  the  hospital,  (marked  t 
on  plate,)  16  by  17  feet  in  size,  covered  with  canvas,  the  pipe  of  the  caldron  passing  through  the 
roof,  no  chimney  or  fireplace  having  been  built.  The  fixtures  are  yet  incomplete.  This  building 
is  also  used  as  a  dead-house  for  want  of  one  built  for  the  purpose. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  a  cistern  has  not  been  provided  for  in  the  plan,  as  the  large  expanse 
of  roofing,  embracing  an  area  of  over  8,000  square  feet  of  surface,  would,  if  properly  guttered, 
supply  an  abundance  of  rain  water.  It  is  more  particularly  to  be  desired  that  such  an  arrange- 
ment could  be  made,  as  the  supply  of  water  furnished  by  the  water-wagon  is. at  times  inadequate 
for  bathing  and  cleansing  purposes. 

The  post  bakery  (marked/  on  plate)  is  built  of  stone.  26  by  26  feet,  and  twelve  feet  high  to  the 
eaves.  The  oven,  built  against  its  rear  wall,  is  14  feet  square,  and  hasacapacity  of  about  400  rations 
at  one  baking.  As  two  "batches"  of  bread  could,  upon  occasion,  be  produced  in  the  course  of  24 
hours,  its  total  capacity  per  day  is  upward  of  800  loaves.  The  floor  of  the  bakery  is  of  stone,  two 
windows  give  cross  ventilation,  and  the  whole  structure  is  commodious,  and  entirely  suitable  for 
the  purpose  designed. 

There  is  no  laundry,  chapel,  or  school-house  at  the  post,  and  no  provision  is  made  for  affording 
the  troops  any  opportunity  for  religious  or  other  instructions. 

The  magazine  is  built  of  stone,  18  by  16  feet,  and  11  feet  in  height  to  the  eaves.  The  roof  is 
rendered  fire-proof,  being  of  rock,  covered  with  a  cement  of  tar  and  gravel.  The  walls  are  double 
and  18  inches  in  thickness. 

The  stables,  of  which  two  have  been  erected,  (marked  fc  I;  on  plate,)  are  built  of  pickets  with 
shingled  roofs.  The  one  nearest  the  guard-house  is  200  feet  in  length  and  35  feet  in  width,  the 
remaining  one  of  the  same  length  and  30  feet  in  width ;  double  doors  at  each  end  and  in  the  center 
of  each  side  of  the  buildings,  and  loop-holes  in  each  stall  admit  plenty  of  light  and  air. 

The  post  library  is  at  present  kept  in  the  office  of  the  post  commissary,  and  contains  120  vol- 
umes, the  greater  part  of  which  are  well  selected  works  of  fiction,  embracing,  among  others,  those 
of  Scott,  Lever,  and  Dickens;  in  addition  to  which  are  a  few  standard  text-books  and  historical 
and  poetical  works.  A  few  weekly  papers  are  furnished  from  the  post  funds,  but  there  being  neither 
a  reading-room  at  the  post,  nor  any  suitable  place  provided  for  the  library,  its  usefulness  is  greatly 
restricted. 


190  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  water  supply  is  obtained  from  Lost  Creek,  and  from  the  several  springs  situated  near  its 
banks,  all  of  which  are  in  close  proximity  to  the  post.  No  cisterns -or  reservoirs  are  constructed, 
although  the  large  area  of  roofing  on  the  hospital,  store-houses,  barracks,  &c.,  would  serve  to  collect 
large  quantities  of  rain  water  during  the  wet  season.  The  post  water-wagon  (a  tank  of  about  500  gal- 
lon sea  pacity)  is  kept  running  constantly,  by  which  the  officers,  troops,  hospital,  bakery,  offices  and 
laundresses  are  supplied,  and  each  cavalry  company,  having  a  cart  of  their  own,  can  procure  addi- 
tional supplies  for  their  own  use  when  required.  The  water  thus  supplied  is  depended  upon  by  the 
enlisted  men  mainly  for  cooking  purposes,  by  some  also  for  drinking,  and  by  the  officers  exclusively 
for  cleansing  purposes.  There  are  no  means  at  hand  for  extinguishing  fire  except  by  pails  filled  with 
water  kept  standing  in  the  passages  and  rooms  of  the  various  buildings.  A  fire-engine,  with  suffi- 
cient hose,  is  needed  for  the  protection  of  the  large  amount  of  public  property  from  this  source  of 
danger,  as  a  fire  would  be  very  destructive,  in  the  absence  of  a  tire  apparatus,  owing  to  the  highly 
inflammable  nature  of  the  lumber  used  in  the  construction  of  the  buildings. 

The  natural  drainage  of  the  camp  is  so  good  that  it  has  not  been  deemed  necessary  to  improve 
it  by  artificial  means.  Notwithstanding  that  the  drainage  from  the  post  reaches  the  creek  at  a  point 
above  that  at  which  the  supply  of  water  is  obtained  by  the  post  water-wagon,  the  water  is  free  from 
impurities,  as  the  rains,  during  which  the  washings  from  camp  reach  the  creek,  are  usually  so  vio- 
lent as  to  carry  away  the  impurities  and  leave  the  water  in  comparative  purity  after  a  short  lapse 
of  time.  The  place  where  the  water,  is  obtained  is  not  a  matter  of  choice  but  of  necessity,  the 
banks  above  the  post  being  so  steep  as  to  be  inaccessible  to  a  team.  There  are  no  sewers  at  the  post. 
The  slops,  offal,  and  excreta  are  removed  daily,  and  are  emptied  into  the  old  bed  of  the  creek  below 
the  point  where,  the  water  supply  is  obtained  and  about  500  yards  leeward  to  the  post.  Nature's 
scavengers  very  effectively  prevent  an  accumulation  of  filth.  The  system  of  privies  at  the  post  is 
not  free  from  objections,  and  notwithstanding  the  attention  paid  to  the  police  of  the  camp  by  the 
commanding  officer  and  the  officers  of  the  day,  they  will  occasionally  become  offensive.  The  sol- 
diers, naturally  averse  to  work  of  such  a  nature,  will  try  to  shirk  it,  in  handling  the  boxes  care- 
lessly spill  the  contents,  or  bring  them  back  insufficiently  cleaned ;  the  boxes  besides  are  not  suffi- 
ciently tight  to  prevent  leaking.  As  it  appears  to  be  intended  to  continue  Fort  Richardson  as  a 
permanent  post  for  a  large  garrison,  it  would  be  a  most  important  improvement  if  earth  closets  or 
similar  contrivances  could  be  arranged,  to  be  cleaned  under  contract. 

A  large  water-hole  in  Lost  Creek,  below  the  fort,  is  used  by  the  troops  for  bathing  purposes, 
and  has  never  yet  failed  to  have  a  sufficient  depth  of  water.  Except  this  place,  however,  no  facilities 
for  bathing,  either  natural  or  artificial,  exist. 

The  cemetery,  located  nearly  in  the  center  of  the  reservation  and  about  400  yards  east  from 
the  fort,  is  50  feet  square,  surrounded  by  a  paling  fence,  and  contains  twelve  graves. 

The  post  garden,  containing  about  two  acres,  is  located  on  the  bank  of  the  creek  in  the  north- 
western corner  of  the  fort,  (marked  w  on  plate.)  It  is  cultivated  by  the  labor  of  two  enlisted  men 
detailed  for  the  purpose,  the  necessary  seeds  and  implements  being  purchased  from  the  commissary 
officer  at  the  expense  of  the  post  fund.  Sweet  potatoes,  Lima  beans,  beets,  tomatoes,  and  lettuce 
have  been  produced  in  limited  quantities,  but,  as  before  remarked,  the  irregularity  and  uncertainty 
of  this  climate  present  almost  insurmountable  obstacles  to  the  successful  prosecution  of  "truck 
gardening"  in  average  seasons. 

No  hospital  or  officers'  gardens  have  been  laid  out,  but  at  recent  distributions  of  vegetables  a 
portion  has  been  furnished  the  hospital  for  the  use  of  the  sick. 

Cows  can  be  procured  in  the  spring  of  the  year  by  obtaining  permission  from  the  owners  to 
drive  them  in  from  the  prairie,  as  they  prefer  having  their  cows  and  calves  cared  for  during  the 
summer  season  to  allowing  them  to  roam  at  large.  The  only  labor  incident  to  keeping  them  is  the 
building  of  a  pen  or  corral,  and  to  have  them  driven  up  each  night,  feeding  being  unnecessary,  as 
Texas  cattle  derive  all  their  sustenance,  during  the  entire  year  from  the  surrounding  prairies. 
Milch  cows  (and  calves)  can  be  purchased  at  from  $15  to  $20  each,  and  sheep  at  from  $2  to  $3  50 
per  head. 

The  majority  of  the  officers  at  the  post  have  secured  cows,  but  owing  to  the  small  number  of 
attendants  during  the  last  spring  and  the  considerable  number  of  patients  usually  in  the  hospital 
at  the  time,  the  post  surgeon  did  not  feel  warranted  in  attempting  to  secure  a  supply  of  milk  in 
this  way.  The  scarcity  of  timber  makes  the  building  of  pens  also  difficult. 


FOET  KICHARDSON,  TEXAS.  191 

The  kind  arid  quautities  of  subsistence  stores  required  by  existing  orders  to  be  kept  on  band 
by  commissary  officers  can  always  be  obtained  from  tbe  post  commissary.  The  post  trader  has 
occasionally  a  small  supply  of  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables,  but  as  there  is  no  farming  country  in 
the  vicinity,  and  the  roads  leading  to  this  place  from  a  distance  being  frequently  rendered  insecure 
by  the  presence  of  hostile  Indians,  the  market  is  but  poorly  and  irregularly  supplied.  An  occasional 
wagon-load  of  vegetables,  brought  from  Parker  or  Tarrant  Counties,  is  (he,  only  source  of  supply  in 
this  particular.  Milk  during  the  summer  season  averages  about  10  cents  per  quart,  and  butter 
from  25  to  40  cents  per  pound,  while  during  the  winter  the  former  article  brings  25  cents  per  quart, 
and  the  latter  from  50  to  GO  cents  per  pound.  These  high  prices  in  a  country  where  cattle  are  so 
abundant,  is  occasioned  by  the  owners  not  feeding  their  stock,  but  allowing  them  to  depend  solely 
on  the  herbage  they  can  pick  up.  Eggs  and  chickens  are  proportionately  high,  the  former  ranging 
from  30  to  75  cents  per  dozen,  and  the  latter  from  40  to  75  cents  apiece  during  the  year.  Fresh 
vegetables  can  seldom  be  obtained,  and  command  enormous  prices  for  the  reasons  given  above. 

The  furniture  of  the  barracks  has  been  made  by  the  troops  of  the  garrison,  and  answers  the 
purpose  sufficiently  well.  That  of  the  officers'  quarters  (with  the  exception  of  a  few  tables  and 
wardrobes  and  the  shelving  in  the  five  frame  houses)  has  been  obtained  by  them  from  a  distance. 
Owing  to  the  scarcity  of  lumber,  and  the  small  force  of  mechanics,  the  officers  and  men  derive  but 
little  benefit  from  the  provisions  of  General  Order  No.  31,  Headquarters  of  the  Army,  Adjutant 
General's  Office,  Washington,  District  of  Columbia,  March  21,  1870.  The  nearest  point  at  which  a 
general  assortment  of  furniture  can  be  procured  is  Weatherford,  in  Parker  County,  and  as  a  matter 
of  course  it  commands  the  high  prices  occasioned  by  scarcity  of  material,  long  and  costly  transpor- 
tation, and  want  of  competition. 

The  medical  supplies  are  obtained  on  semi-annual  requisitions  upon  the  medical  purveyor  at 
New  Orleans,  and  are  forwarded  by  water  to  Galveston,  thence  by  rail  to  Calvert,  and  to  this  place 
by  teams.  There  is  occasionally  a  long  delay  before  the  supplies  are  shipped  from  the  railroad 
terminus.  The  amount  on  hand  is  sufficient  to  meet  emergencies  even  in  case  the  filling  of  requisi 
tions  should  be  delayed.  On  account  of  the  prevalent  diseases  of  the  post  and  the  frequent  issues 
to  scouting  parties  or  transient  troops,  the  quantity  of  some  articles  as  fixed  by  the  supply  table 
proves  inadequate,  especially  quina-  sulph.,  sinapis  nigri  pulveris,  line  pulvis.,  tr.  ferri  chloridi, 
liquor  ammonia,  and  bismuth.  The  supplies  are  stored  in  store-rooms  on  the  second  floor  of  the 
hospital,  which  are  well  furnished  with  shelving  and  closets. 

The  routes  leading  to  the  post  are  liable  to  frequent  interruption,  owing  to  the  suddenness  and 
rapidity  with  which  the  rivers  and  creeks  become  converted  from  almost  dry  ravines  into  impass- 
able torrents,  in  which  condition  they  remain  for  days  after  a  heavy  fall  of  rain.  Bridges  are  rare, 
and  but  little  labor  being  expended  on  roads  in  this  region,  their  condition  after  a  continued  storm 
is  such  as  to  render  teaming  difficult. 

Two  mails  are  received  weekly,  via  Waco.  Two  mails  from  the  north,  via  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas, 
are  also  received  each  week,  but  this  latter  line  is  not  yet  in  successful  operation,  and  along  its 
entire  route,  from  a  point  about  70  miles  east  of  Jacksboro  to  Fort  Coucho,  its  western  terminus,  its 
coaches  have  been  frequently  attacked  and  several  of  its  employes  killed  by  Indians.  Letters  reach 
the  headquarters  of  the  department  (Austin,  Texas,)  via  Waco,  in  six  days,  and  Washington  by 
either  the  Waco  or  Fort  Smith  route  in  from  twelve  to  twenty  or  twenty-four  days. 

The  great  majority  of  the  inhabitants  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  are  engaged  in  the  cattle 
business,  but  little  attention  being  paid  to  agriculture.  The  character  of  the  population  is  such  as 
is  peculiar  to  a  frontier  country,  but  less  marked  by  lawlessness  than  in  some  other  parts  of  Texas. 

The  whole  of  the  frontier  line  of  counties  of  the  State  west  of  Grayson  County  has  been  for 
the  past  four  years  subject  to  the  inroads  of  Indians  during  the  summer  and  fall  of  each  year. 
Prior  to  the  late  war  the  population  of  Jack  County  was  about  four  fold  what  it  now  is,  the  settle- 
ments having  been  deserted  during  the  war,  owing  to  the  increased  danger  from  Indians,  at  a  time 
when  the  fighting  material  was  engaged  elsewhere.  The  boldness  of  these  predatory  Indians  is 
increasing  from  year  to  year,  the  scouting  parties  sent  in  pursuit  of  them  failing  to  overtake  or 
meet  them,  except  in  rare  instances.  It  would  appear  that  these  bands  are  principally  Kiowa 
Indians,  who  draw  supplies  from  the  United  States  government  at  the  reservations  north  of  the 
Texas  frontier,  as  the  instances  in  which  they  have  boasted  of  their  exploits,  after  returning  from 
a  plundering  and  murdering  expedition  in  this  region,  are  numerous  and  well  authenticated.  The 


192  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

"  Southern  Comancbes,"  whose  hunting  grounds  cover  all  of  the  unsettled  territory  of  the  State  west 
of  the  Brazos,  are  also  constantly  committing  depredations,  but  it  is  believed  they  rarely  extend 
their  operations  so  far  cast  as  this  post.  The  settlers  in  the  tiers  of  frontier  counties  being  widely 
scattered,  bands  of  savages,  frequently  numbering  hundreds,  cross  into  the  State  during  the  first 
of  the  moon,  divide  into  small  parties,  and  plunder  the  country  (often  50  jnile.s  further  from  this 
post)  during  the  full  of  the  moon,  and  in  the  wane  pass  out  of  the  country  and  meet  at  some  point 
far  out  of  reach  of  pursuit,  with  large  numbers  of  horses  and  scalps  as  the  result  of  their  raid. 
Each  mouth  while  the  grass  lasts  depredations  are  committed,  the  settlers  living  in  constant  dread. 
There  is  scarcely  a  family  in  Cook,  Montague,  Clay,  Young,  Jack,  Wise,  Denton,  or  Parker  Counties 
that  has  not  suffered  in  property  or  the  lives  of  its  members  within  the  past  five  years.  A  scout 
of  about  fifty  men  of  Sixth  United  States  Cavalry,  under  command  of  Brevet  Major  C.  B.  McLellan, 
captain  Sixth  Cavalry,  was  attacked  by  a  band  of  upward  of  two  hundred  Indians,  near  the  south 
fork  of  the  Little  Wichita  River,  (some  sixty  miles  from  the  post,)  on  July  12,  that  was  evidently 
en  route  for  the  settlements.  Major  McLellan  fought  them  for  several  hours,  retreating  at  the  same 
time,  and  suft'ered  a  loss  of  two  enlisted  men  killed  and  ten  wounded,  besides  the  surgeon  accom- 
panying the  scout.  It  was  noticed  that  this  band  of  Indians  was  armed  with  breech-loading  fire- 
arms, in  some  instances  of  a  superior  description  to  those  of  the  soldiers. 

The  health  of  the  garrison  during  the  past  year  was  comparatively  good,  notwithstanding  the 
prevalence,  to  a  certain  degree,  of  malarial  diseases.  These  increased  in  frequency  from  February 
until,  in  August,  they  formed  nearly  three-fourths  of  all  the  diseases  reported ;  then  gradually 
decreased,  so  that  after  October  but  few  cases  were  observed,  but  never  disappearing  altogether. 
Many  of  these  diseases  are  contracted  in  the  river  bottoms,  where  the  scouting  and  escort  parties 
usually  camp,  in  order  to  be  within  easy  distance  from  the  water;  but  the  majority  of  the  cases 
certainly  originate  here,  some  of  the  most  obstinate  cases  being  observed  in  persons  who  have 
never  left  the  post.  The  quotidian  intermittent  is  the  most  predominant  type,  tertian  being  much 
rarer,  and  quartan  not  observed  in  a  single  case.  The  cold  stage  is  usually  absent,  or  only  observed 
during  the  first  attacks ;  the  fever  high  and  protracted,  with  a  tendency  to  anticipating,  until,  if 
not  checked  by  the  proper  treatment,  it  assumes  the  remittent  type.  In  obstinate  cases  the  remis- 
sions soon  become  indistinct,  so  as  to  give  the  disease'  the  character  of  continued  fever.  The 
duration  of  these  remittent  fevers  varied  from  a  few  days  to  three  weeks  and  longer.  Several  of 
these  protracted  cases  were  observed  during  the  last  two  months,  in  which  the  diagnosis  was  not 
without  difficulty,  their  resemblance  to  typhoid  fever  in  its  second  week  being  very  striking.  They 
were  recognized,  after  prolonged  observation,  as  remittent  fevers,  although  rather  different  from 
those  described  in  text-books.  The  more  important  symptoms  distinguishing  this  form  of  fever 
from  typhoid  are  absence  of  the  eruption,  the  most  careful  examination  failing  to  detect  true 
rose-spots,  (sudamina  seen  in  one  case.)  Clearness  of  the  sensorium  during  the  whole  course  of 
the  fever;  the  patients  were  quite  rational,  perfectly  free  from  stupor,  coma,  or  delirium,  (with  the 
exception  of  one  case ;)  absence  of  bronchitis ;  absence  of  pain  in  the  ileo  cuecal  region.  The  tongue 
was  heavily  coated,  but  without  the  bright  edges  and  tips,  remaining  moist  throughout.  The 
pulse,  however,  was  not  nearly  as  frequent  as  in  typhoid  fever,  but  exceptionally  ranging 
above  100.  The  spleen  was  much  enlarged.  The  temperature  ranged  from  100°  and  102.5° 
in  the  morning,  to  101.5°  and  104°  in  the  evening.  When  approaching  convalescence .the  remis- 
sions became  more  marked,  until  constituting  true  intermissions,  with  not  rarely  a  difference  of 
4°  to  6°  between  morning  and  evening  temperature.  In  a  few  cases,  where  the  progress  of  the 
fever  from  the  intermittent,  through  the  remittent  into  the  continued  type  had  been  watched,  the 
curve  of  the  temperature  was  that  of  a  mild  case  of  typhoid  fever  in  its  second  and  first  half  of 
third  week,  preceded  and  followed  by  vacillations,  closely  resembling  Wunderlich's  ambiguous 
period  of  typhoid  fever.  Gastric  and  intestinal  irritation  was  marked  with  some  tympauities  and 
tenderness  in  the  epigastrium.  The  stools  resembled  closely  the  ochrey  discharges  of  typhoid 
ever.  The  debility  was  great  and  the  convalescence  very  slow.  The  proueness  to  recidivation 
was  striking;  all  but  two  cases  relapsing,  one  case  twice  with  fatal  termination.  The  relapses 
occurred  in  from  two  to  eight  days  after  apparent  convalescence.  The  temperature,  after  sinking 
below  the  normal,  continued  during  the  apyretic  stage  to  show  daily  undulations,  in  the  evening 
approaching,  and  receding  again  in  the  morning  from  the  normal.  In  the  case  which  terminated 
fatally,  death  occurred  during  the  second  relapse,  after  three  days  of  violent  delirium,  algidity, 


FOET  RICHARDSON,  TEXAS. 


193 


and  coma.  The  post-mortem  examination  revealed  meningitis,  hypostatic  spleni/.ation  of  lungs,  en- 
gorgement of  spleen  and  liver,  and  well-marked  inflammation  of  lower  portion  of  ilium  extending  into 
the  ascending  colon.  Peyer's  glands  were  slightly  prominent,  but  no  trace  of  ulceration  or  cicatri- 
zation observable.  Mesenteric  glands  were  enlarged. 

Ague  increased  in  frequency  in  hot  weather,  following  heavy  rains.  The  cause  of  disease  is  as 
obscure  here  as  it  is  generally.  Perhaps  the  vegetable  elements  of  the  bottom  of  Lost  Creek, 
and  of  the  surrounding  alluvial  soil,  decomposing  under  the  influence  of  heat  and  moisture,  may 
appear  as  the  true  cause  to  the  adherents  of  one  of  the  many  theories. 

Dysentery,  which  was  quite  frequent  last  summer,  is  rare  this  year.  Diarrho?a  is  of  frequent 
occurrence.  The  privations  and  exposure  of  scouting  parties,  and  ague,  appear  to  be  exciting 
causes  of  the  diseases  of  the  alimentary  canal. 

The  water  at  the  post,  so  far  as  can  be  ascertained  with  the  means  at  hand,  is  free  from  an 
appreciable  amount  of  organic  matter.  Pulmonary  and  rheumatic  diseases  are  rare  the  latter 
chiefly  of  the  character  of  pseudo-rheumatism,  (myalgia,)  caused  by  the  local  malarial  influences. 
Wounds  heal  kindly,  without  complications. 

The  population  of  Jack  county,  taking  the  vote  at  the  election  in  the  fall  of  18G9  as  a  basis, 
and  allowing  five  souls  to  each  voter,  would  be  640,  nearly  the  whole  of  which  number  live  in  the 
village  of  Jacksboro,  the  settlers  in  the  remainder  of  the  county  being  few  and  widely  scattered. 

The  duties  of  the  garrison  during  the  summer  and  fall  of  1860,  in  addition  to  the  large  amount 
of  fatigue  duty  incident  to  building  barracks  and  officers'  quarters  and  removing  rock  and  rubbish 
from  the  parade  ground  and  other  parts  of  the  fort,  were  rendered  more  arduous  on  account  of  the 
incessant  escort  duty  required  by  the  civil  authorities,  in  quelling  disturbances  in  adjacent  coun- 
ties, and  in  preserving  the  peace  during  the  process  of  reconstructing  the  State.  Since  the  State 
has  been  admitted  to  the  Union,  and  the  interference  of  the  military  power  is  no  longer  necessary, 
large  scouting  parties  are  almost  constantly  in  the  field  endeavoring  to  check  the  depredations  of, 
and  to  punish  hostile  Indians. 

Statement  allowing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  white  troops  at  Fort  Rich- 
ardson, Texas,  for  the  years  1808  and  1869. 


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Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort 

Richardson,  Texas,  for  the  year  1869. 


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194  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT  GRIFFIN,  TEXAS. 

INFORMATION   FURNISHED   BY  ASSISTANT   SURGEONS  HENRY  McELDERRY  AND  WILLIAM   R.    STEIN- 

METZ,  UNITED   STATES  ARMY. 

The  precise  geographical  location  of  Fort  Griffin,  Texas,  has  not  been  ascertained  ;  approxi- 
mately it  is  as  follows:  Latitude  32°  8'  north,  longitude  99°  1'  west  of  Greenwich.  It  is  situated 
abont  half  a  uiile  from  the  west  bank  of  the  Clear  Fork  of  the  Brazos,  37  miles  west  of  Belknap, 
85  miles  west-northwest  of  Jacksboro,  150  miles  east-southeast  of  Fort  Concho,  and  about  80  miles 
east  of  Double  Mountain — the  highest  peak  of  the  surrounding  country.  The  post  was  established 
in  the  summer  of  1867  in  lieu  of  Fort  Bdknap,  which  was  at  that  time  abandoned  on  account  of  a 
great  scarcity  of  water.  After  a  careful  survey  of  the  surrounding  country  the  present  location 
was  selected,  which  is  upon  a  place  formerly  known  as  Maxwell's  ranch.  The  command  arrived 
July  31,  1867,  and  encamped  on  the  plateau  near  the  river,  which  position  being  found  uusuited 
for  a  camp  on  account  of  the  marshy  condition  of  the  ground  during  the  rains,  was  soon  after 
changed  to  a  point  on  a  neighboring  height,  situated  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  river. 
Here  the  camp  was  permanently  located,  and  designated  as  Camp  Wilson,  in  honor  of  the  memory 
of  the  late  Lieutenant  Wilson,  of  the  Sixth  United  States  Cavalry.  The  name  of  the  camp  was 
afterwards  changed  to  that  of  Fort  Griffin,  in  honor  of  General  Griffin,  the  late  commander  of  the 
district. 

Through  a  valley  on  the  east,  half  a  mile  wide,  runs  the  Clear  Fork  of  the  Brazos,  the  banks 
of  which  are  lined  by  a  thick  growth  of  trees ;  the  valley  becomes  wider  about  half  a  mile  below 
the  fort,  where  the  Clear  Fork  makes  an  abrupt  curve,  changing  its  course  from  south  to  east.  It 
empties  into  the  Brazos  at  a  point  about  15  miles  south  of  Fort  Belknap.  The  left  bank  rises 
from  the  valley  with  some  abruptness,  in  the  shape  of  bluffs,  and,  gradually  sloping,  is  lost  in  a 
table-land,  which,  extending  to  the  valley  and  the  bluff's  of  the  Brazos,  forms  a  level  or  slightly 
undulating  country,  broken  by  vales  and  creeks.  The  hills  on  the  right  bank  rise  in  form  of  ter- 
races, some  of  which,  at  a  distance  of  four  miles  from  the  fort,  attain  a  considerable  height. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  Clear  Fork,  the  first  prominent  series  of  terraced  hills  rise, 
in  the  shape  of  bluff's,  the  top  of  which  forms  a  plateau  of  about  a  square  mile.  The  fort  has  its 
location  on  the  eastern  portion  of  the  plateau,  covering  an  area  of  about  half  a  square  mile.  To 
the  west  this  plateau  slopes  gradually  to  the  bed  of  Limpid  or  Collins's  Creek  in  a  bottom  land, 
which  extends  to  the  foot  of  the  second  series  of  terraces.  This  is  the  most  prominent  series  of  hills. 

The  vegetable  kingdom  is  poorly  represented  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post.  Of  trees,  there  are 
found  the  post  and  live  oak,  the  ash,  mesquite,  pecan,  and  cottonwood.  There  are  also  several 
species  of  the  cactus. 

The  wild  animals  found  in  this  vicinity  are  the  cougar,  or  Texas  wild  cat,  the  gray  and  white 
wolf,  coyote,  black  wolf,  gray  and  red  fox,  skunk,  raccoon,  black  bear,  opossum,  gray  and  fox 
squinel,  prairie  dog,  mule  rabbit,  American  buffalo,  antelope,  deer,  and  peccary,  or  Mexican  hog. 

The  birds  are  the  eagle,  (bald  and  Mexican,)  wild  turkey,  goose,  duck,  buzzard,  owl,  scissor- 
tail,  Arkansas  fly-catcher,  common  robin,  bluebird,  mocking-bird,  red-winged  blackbird,  common 
crow,  quail,  white  crane,  sandhill  crane,  plover,  and  snipe. 

Rattlesnakes,  (common  und  prairie,)  copperheads,  and  meadow  snakes,  the  horned  toad,  striped 
and  green  lizards,  snapping  and  common  box  turtle,  centipedes,  and  tarantulas  are  found. 

The  fish  are  the  bass,  cat,  gar,  perch,  and  buffalo. 

The  mean  temperature  of  the  winter  months  is  44.63°;  minimum,  11°;  summer  months, 
86.99°;  maximum,  99°  F.  The  fall  of  rain  for  the  months  of  June,  July,  and  August  amounted  to 
14.40  inches;  very  little  snow  falls  in  this  latitude.  Prevailing  winds  during  winter,  north  and 
northeast;  during  summer,  south  and  southeast. 

The  fort  is  elevated  about  100  feet  above  the  level  of  the  Clear  Fork,  and,  as  it  now  stands, 
has  no  regular  shape;  but  it  appears  that  originally  it  was  intended  to  form  a  square.  It  was  at 
first  proposed  to  erect  permanent  buildings  of  stone  at  the  post,  and  every  preparation  to  this  end 


FOET  GRIFFIN,  TEXAS.  195 

was  made.  Steam  saw-mills,  window-Hub,  door  frames,  tools,  and  a  uumber  of  mechanics  were 
promptly  forwarded  to  the  post  from  Sail  Autouio;  aud,  as  it  was  supposed  that  it  would  take  a 
year  or  more  to  complete  the  work,  it  was  determined  to  erect  such  temporary  structures  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  command  as  could  be  sawed  from  lumber  in  the  vicinity — protecting  the 
troops,  in  some  degree  at  least,  from  the  piercing  cold  northers  so  frequent  in  this  climate  during 
the  winter  season. 

Small  temporary  houses,  with  shingled  roofs,  were  built  for  the  men.  A  line  of  officers'  quar- 
ters was  put  up,  consisting  of  a  room  and  a  kitchen  each.  A  log  house,  consisting  of  two  rooms, 
with  a  hall  between,  was  hauled  from  an  old  deserted  ranch,  and  formed  the  quarters  of  the  com- 
manding officer.  A  similar  building  was  brought  in  for  the  hospital.  Thus  the  troops,  with  the 
exception  of  being  crowded,  were  comfortably  quartered  during  the  winter;  and  here  they  still 
remain.  From  some  cause  or  other  the  building  of  the  permanent  post  hae  never  been  commenced. 

The  barracks  consist  of  four  rows  of  small  frame  huts,  running  northeast  to  southwest,  and 
about  50  yards  apart;  ten  in  each  row,  of  the  following  dimensions:  13  by  8£  by  0  feet,  giving  a 
capacity  of  660  cubic  feet  air  space  to  each  hut.  Each  row  is  supposed  to  accommodate  one  com- 
pany, but,  as  seen  by  the  figures,  is  entirely  inadequate  for  the  purpose;  for,  putting  the  minimum 
.strength  of  a  company  down  to  60,  each  shanty  would  be  occupied  by  six  men,  which  would  give 
'  to  each  man  110  cubic  feet  air  space.  The  only  means  of  ventilation  are  the  door  in  front  and 
several  small  openings  in  the  rear  of  the  house  intended  for  windows,  the  fireplaces,  and  the 
crevices  between  the  shingles  of  the  roof.  When  the  door  and  openings  in  the  rear  are  closed,  as 
they  necessarily  must  be  in  the  winter  and  inclement  weather,  there  are  no  means  by  which  air  can 
enter  to  supply  the  upward  current  with  sufficient  rapidity  to  secure  an  adequate  change  of  air,  and, 
thus  crowded,  poisoning  must  be  the  result.  The  records  of  the  hospital  show  that  such  actually 
has  been  the  case,  and  various  cases  of  dysentery,  diarrho?a,  and  continued  fever,  which  occurred 
during  the  autumn  of  1868,  were  attributable  to  this  cause.  This  fact  was  reported  at  the  time  by 
the  post  surgeon,  with  recommendation  that  more  spacious  quarters  be  built ;  but,  so  far,  nothing 
has  been  done  in  regard  to  the  matter.  The  beds  consist  of  single  wooden  bunks;  each  man  has 
his  own  bedsack  and  the  proper  allowance  of  blankets.  There  are  no  wash  or  bath-rooms. 

About  35  yards  from  the  southwest  end  of  each  row  of  company  quarters  are  the  kitchens 
aud  mess-rooms — rough  frame  buildings,  of  the  following  dimensions:  kitchen,  20  by  20  feet,  mess- 
room,  20  by  60  feet. 

The  sinks  for  the  companies  are  three  in  number,  aud  are  situated  about  150  yards  distant 
from  the  quarters,  and  on  a  line  with  the  cavalry  stables.  They  are  supplied  with  movable  boxes, 
perforated  in  the  bottom  to  allow  the  fluid  portion  to  drain  away;  the  solid  portion  retained  in  the 
boxes  is  removed  by  the  prisoners  every  morning  after  reveille.  The  boxes,  after  being  washed 
and  disinfected,  are  replaced. 

Since  the  arrival  of  the  new  troops  two  rows  of  wall  tents  have  been  pitched  and  used  as 
quarters. 

The  quarters  for  the  laundresses  consist  of  six  rough  frame  buildings  and  fourteen  wall  tents, 
two  of  which  accommodate  one  laundress  aud  family. 

The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  frame  buildings  arranged  in  two  lines,  the  first  running  north- 
east and  southwest,  parallel  to  the  company  quarters,  with  the  parade  ground  intervening.  The 
first  building  on  the  northeast  extremity  of  this  line  has  two  rooms  aud  a  kitchen.  The  next  has 
four  rooms  and  a  hall,  and  is  inclosed  in  rear  aud  sides  by  a  picket  fence;  its  roof  is  hipped.  The 
next  is  one  and  a  half  stories  high;  has  four  rooms,  a  hall,  and  two  attics.  The  two  next  are  similar 
to  each  other,  having  each  four  rooms,  a  hall,  and  a  kitchen.  The  last  building  on,  and  standing  a 
little  back  of,  the  line  has  three  rooms  and  a  kitchen.  All  of  these  quarters  have  porticos  in  front, 
and  some  of  them  in  rear.  The  first,  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  sets  have  underground  cellars  in  rear. 
With  the  exception  of  the  first  and  last  set,  all  the  buildings  are  raised  eight  inches  from  the  ground, 
resting  upon  stone  pillars.  The  second  line  runs  almost  at  right  angles  with  the  first,  with  the 
parade  ground  between,  some  200  yards  from  the  northeast  end  of  the  company  quarters,  aud  con- 
sists of  four  small  buildings.  Commencing  from  the  northeast  extremity,  the  first  and  second  are 
similar  to  each  other,  each  containing  two  rooms,  with  a  kitchen  and  servants'  room  detached.  The 
third  is  a  log  building,  with  a  shingle  roof,  having  two  rooms,  a  hall,  and  porch ;  also  servants' 


196  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

room.    The  last  contains  three  rooms,  a  kitchen  and  servants' room  attached;  its  rear  is  inclosed 
by  a  ricket  fence.    All  the  buildings  are  one  story  high,  except  the  third  in  the  first  Hue,  which  is 
.  one  and  a  half  stories  high. 

Since  the  arrival  of  three  more  cavalry  companies,  a  hospital  tent  has  been  put  up,  so  as  to 
cover  somewhat  the  insufficiency  of  officers'  quarters ;  it  is  boarded  three  feet  from  the  ground,  and 
is  floored. 

The  quartermaster's  office  is  in  a  small  frame  house  in  rear  of  the  first  line  of  officers'  quarters ; 
its  rear  is  inclosed  by  a  small  fence  made  of  barrel  staves.  The  office  of  the  acting  commissary 
of  subsistence  is  at  the  commissary  store-house.  The  quartermaster's  store-house  consists  of  three 
large  wooden  buildings,  joined  so  as  to  form  three  sides  of  a  square,  the  fourth  side  being  closed  by 
a  fence.  The  first  is  a  block-house  with  a  shingle  roof,  and  runs  northwest  and  southeast;  it  is  used 
as  a  granary.  The  two  others  are  used  for  quartermasters'  stores,  and  clothing,  camp,  and  garrison 
equipage.  The  open  center  is  used  for  storing  lumber  and  such  other  articles  as  are  not  damaged 
by  the  weather. 

The  commissary  store-house  is  situated  at  the  extreme  southwest  end  of  the  fort,  and  runs  north- 
east and  southwest;  it  is  a  large  frame  building,  125  by  25  feet.  At  its  southwest  end  it  is  parti- 
tioned off  into  two  small  rooms,  which  are  used  as  the  commissary  office.  During  a  heavy  gale  last 
spring  it  was  necessary  to  support  the  building  by  props  on  either  side  to  prevent  its  being  blown 
over. 

The  guard-house  is  situated  between  the  two  mess-rooms  belonging  to  the  two  inner  rows  of 
company  quarters.  It  is  an  old  frame  building,  14  by  32  feet,  and  poorly  adapted  to  its  purpose. 
It  is  divided  into  t\vo  apartments,  one  for  the  guard,  the  other  for  prisoners;  it  is  ventilated  at  the 
ridge,  and  by  means  of  one  grated  window  on  its  front  side.  The  prison-room  is  heated  by  a  stove, 
the  guard-room  by  an  open  fireplace.  A  small  house,  9  by  14  feet,  12  feet  from  the  guard-house, 
is  used  by  the  non-commissioned  officers  of  the  guard. 

The  post  hospital  stands  on  one  of  the  prominent  bluffs  forming  the  plateau  of  the  fort.  It 
consists  of  four  distinct  buildings;  the  first  is  a  dilapidated  log  building,  which,  shortly  after 
the  establishment  of  the  post,  was  hauled  in  from  an  old,  deserted  ranch.  It  contains  the  steward's 
room,  dispensary,  and  a  store-room.  This  building  is  covered  with  a  dirt  roof,  is  very  much  dilapi- 
dated, leans  considerably  to  one  side,  and  leaks  badly.  The  apartment  used  as  a  store-room  was 
poorly  adapted  to  the  purpose,  as  it  was  impossible  to  keep  it  in  order,  in  consequence  of  the  dirt 
falling  off  the  roof,  and  rain  driving  in  through  the  cracks  and  crevices.  It  had  become  necessary, 
in  order  to  protect  the  papers  and  records  which  were  kept  in  the  steward's  room,  and  the  medicine  in 
the  dispensary,  to  cover  the  walls  and  roof  with  old  pieces  of  canvas,  and  even  then,  during  heavy 
rains,  it  was  necessary  to  move  the  papers  from  one  place  to  another  to  keep  them  from  getting  wet. 
In  its  present  condition,  the  old  store-room  is  uusuited  for  any  purpose  except  storing  such  articles 
as  will  not  be  damaged  by  the  rain  and  dirt  which  is  continually  falling  off  the  walls  and  roof. 
The  second  building  is  a  frame  one,  joined  to  the  first  at  a  right  angle ;  is  12  by  34  feet,  and  is 
divided  into  apartments  of  unequal  size,  the  larger  of  which,  the  one  adjoining  the  dispensary,  with 
which  it  is  connected  by  a  door,  is  14  by  24,  and  is  used  for  the  mess-room.  The  smaller,  being  10 
by  14,  is  used  as  the  kitchen.  The  third  building  stands  on  the  opposite  (northwest)  side  of  and  six 
feet  from  the  log  building,  at  right  angles  with  it.  It  is  an  old  frame  house,  formerly  used  as  the 
adjutant's  office,  and  is  divided  into  two  rooms;  the  smaller,  at  the  southeast  end,  is  the  office  of 
the  surgeon  in  charge ;  the  other,  the  store-room,  is  provided  with  shelves  for  the  medicines,  and  a 
closet,  in  which  are  kept  the  poisons  and  most  expensive  drugs.  On  a  line  with,  and  ten  feet  from 
the  log  building,  stands  the  pavilion  ward,  erected  of  lumber,  raised  18  inches  above  the  ground,  on 
stone  supports;  it  is  44  by  20  by  12  feet,  has  four  windows  on  each  side,  and  a  door  at  each  end  ;  at 
the  northeast  end  two  small  rooms  are  partitioned  off,  one  the  wardmaster's,  and  the  other  the  wash 
and  bath-room.  The  ward  proper  is  20  by  33  feet,  is  heated  by  two  sheet-iron  stoves,  and  ventilated 
by  two  shafts,  through  which  pass  the  stove-pipes.  This  building  is  plastered,  but  not  ceiled;  it 
has  a  shingle  roof.  The  capacity  of  the  ward  is  7,920  cubic  feet  of  air  space;  it  contains  twelve 
beds,  giving  an  air  space  of  CGO  cubic  feet  to  each  man.  In  order  to  secure  an  upward  current  of 
air,  several  small  holes  are  made  in  the  floor  under  the  stove.  The  crevices  between  the  boards  of 
the  floor,  at  the  ends  of  the  building,  and  between  the  shingles  of  the  roof,  furnish  a  sufficient 


FOKT  GRIFFIN,  TEXAS.  197 

amount  of  ventilation.  The  privy  for  the  hospital  is  placet!  60  feet  from  the  ward,  and  is  provided 
with  two  sets  of  movable  boxes  lined  with  zinc,  placed  one  within  the  other.  The  smaller  boxes 
are  perforated  in  the  bottom ;  through  these  orifices  the  fluid  excreta  passes  into  the  bottom  box, 
leaving  the  solid  portion  in  the  top.  These  boxes  are  emptied  every  morning  immediately  after 
reveille,  by  the  prisoners,  thoroughly  cleaned  and  disinfected. 

The  dead-house  is  a  small  frame  building,  14  by  14  feet,  situated  on  the  side  of  the  hill, 
about  300  yards  from  the  ward ;  it  Las  a  large  window  on  each  side,  and  is  ventilated  at  the 
eaves;  it  is  furnished  with  a  good  post-mortem  table.  This  building  and  the  ward  are  the  best 
buildings  belonging  to  the  hospital.  An  attempt  was  made  to  dig  a  cellar,  but  had  to  be  aban- 
doned, as  the  ground  was  too  rocky. 

The  hospital  laundry  formerly  consisted  of  a  shanty  south  of  the  hospital,  the  sides  of  which. 
were  weather-boarded,  and  the  roof  covered  with  paulin.  This  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  last 
April ;  lumber  being  very  scarce  at  the  post,  another  could  not  be  erected  at  the  time ;  in  lieu 
thereof  a  hospital  tent  was  pitched  in  the  hospital  cow-pen  to  prevent  its  being  blown  down  by 
heavy  storms ;  in  spite  of  this  precaution,  however,  the  tent  was  blown  down  several  times  during 
severe  storms.  The  matron  has  since  bought  some  pickets  from  a  squatter  in  the  vicinity,  and  had 
a  shanty  erected  in  the  old  place,  covered  with  a  tent-fly. 

The  post  bakery  is  an  old  dilapidated  building  at  the  northern  extremity  of  the  post.  The 
oven  is  of  sufficient  capacity  to  bake  200  loaves. 

The  stables  for  the  cavalry  horses  are  situated  at  the  western  extremity  of  the  fort,  and  consist 
of  four  sheds  running  parallel  to  each  other. 

The  post  library  formerly  consisted  of  .56  volumes  of  miscellaneous  books  and  magazines  of  a 
very  poor  selection.  Upon  the  arrival  of  Company  I,  Sixth  United  States  Cavalry,  it  was  increased 
by  58  volumes  more,  which  had  constituted  the  post  library  of  Corsicana,  Texas. 

The  building  which  was  intended  for  a  reading-room  has  at  present  been  temporarily  assigned 
to  one  of  the  officers  in  consequence  of  the  great  scarcity  of  officers'  quarters ;  it  is  a  small  frame 
house,  12  by  25  feet,  placed  between  the  northwest  extremity  of  the  second  line  of  officers'  quarters 
and  the  outermost  row  of  barracks. 

The  principal  water  supply  is  from  Collins's  Creek;  it  is  hauled  to  the  post  in  a  wagon  built  for 
that  purpose.  During  the  winter  the  water  can  be  used  for  almost  any  purpose,  but  during  the 
summer  it  has  a  bad  taste,  and  is  unfit  for  drinking.  During  the  hot  weather  a  cart  is  sent  to  the 
spring  on  the  bank  of  the  Clear  Fork,  which  furnishes  a  supply  of  water  sufficient  for  drinking 
purposes.  Behind  each  set  of  quarters  are  several  water  barrels  which  are  filled  every  morning. 
There  is  no  cistern  or  reservoir  at  the  post.  The  only  means  of  extinguishing  fire  are  the  water 
barrels  and  the  water-wagon,  which  is  kept  over  night  filled  with  water.  For  immediate  use  in  the 
hospital  a  dozen  fire-buckets  are  kept  constantly  filled  with  water.  Owing  to  the  circumstance  that 
the  plateau  on  which  the  fort  stands  has  an  inclination  on  all  sides,  the  natural  drainage  is  suffi- 
cient to  relieve  the  ground  of  all  surplus  water.  There  are  no  artificial  drains. 

The  offal,  slops,  and  excreta  of  the  post,  as  also  all  refuse  matter  of  the  stables,  are  carted 
away  every  day  by  the  prisoners,  and  taken  to  the  flat  to  the  west  and  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  camp. 

There  arc  no  arrangements  or  regulations  in  regard  to  bathing.  During  the  summer  the  men 
bathe  in  Collius's  Creek  and  the  Clear  Fork. 

There  are  no  gardens  at  the  post,  owing  to  the  great  difficulty  in  raising  vegetables  in  this 
locality  during  the  dry  season,  it  being  necessary  to  keep  up  constant  irrigation. 

The  provisions  are  generally  of  good  quality.  The  flour  delivered  at  the  post  by  the  contractor 
has  not  been  of  the  best  quality.  There  are  two  or  three  stores  within  a  mile  or  two  of  the  post, 
from  which  provisions  may  be  obtained.  Fresh  vegetables  are  extremely  scarce.  Several  settlers 
around  the  post  raise  some  few  vegetables  for  sale,  but  ask  such  high  prices  that  only  the  officers 
can  afford  to  buy  them.  Potatoes  do  not  do  well  in  this  vicinity,  but  can  be  obtained  from  Jacks- 
boro  and  Weatherford  for  from  $3  to  $5  a  bushel. 

The  only  means  of  communication  with  any  town  or  nearest  railroad  station  (which  isCalvert^ 
Texas)  are  government  trains.  These  trains  consist  of  a  number  of  wagons  drawn  by  horses,  mules, 
and  oxen ;  sometimes  as  many  as  ten  wagons  are  in  one  train.  These  trains  are  often,  during  the 
rainy  season,  obliged  to  camp  on  the  banks  of  rivers  for  some  days  before  they  are  able  to  cross. 


198 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Four  mails  per  week  are  received  at  tlie  post,  viz :  from  the  East,  via  St.  Louis  aud  Fort  Smith, 
Sundays  and  Thursdays;  from  the  West,  via  San  Antonio  aud  Fort  Concho,  Mondays  and  Thursdays, 
The  mails  are  often  detained  by  floods  and  freshets  that  occur  during  the  rainy  season,  and  occa- 
sionally are  captured  by  the  Indians.  Eight  days  are  required  for  a  letter  to  reach  department 
headquarters,  and  twelve  days  to  reach  Washington. 

The  inhabitants  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  are  a  rough,  hardy  people,  possessing  all  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  frontier  man.  Their  occupation  is  chiefly  cattle-driving ;  some  little  attention  is  paid 
to  farming. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good ;  the  location  in  regard  to  hygiene  is  most  excellent. 
The  camp  is  thoroughly  policed  every  day  and  the  refuse  matter  carted  away.  Acute  dysentery 
.and  diarrhusa,  as  also  malarial  fevers  in  some  form  or  other,  prevail  here  during  the  summer  and 
autumn  months.  Of  several  cases  of  acute  dysentery,  which  occurred  here  during  the  fall  of  I860) 
one  proved  fatal.  Half  a  dozen  cases  of  this  disease  have  come  under  my  care  during  this  summer, 
all  of  which  were  of  an  obstinate  character;  one  of  them  ended  fatally.  The  miasmatic  fevers  are 
more  amenable  to  treatment.  The  cause  for  these  diseases  is  the  malaria  which  prevails  in  and 
about  the  post,  but  more  especially  iu  the  valley  of  the  Clear  Fork.  In  consequence  of  the  frequent 
heavy  rains  during  the  spring  and  summer  months,  the  creeks  aud  rivers  rise  above  their  banks  and 
overflow  the  valley,  and  when  retreating  within  their  beds  leave  many  animal  and  vegetable  sub- 
stances behind,  which,  by  means  of  the  high  temperature  iu  this  latitude,  soon  undergo  rapid  decom- 
position, and  malaria  is  the  consequence.  Another  cause  for  dysentery  aud  diarrhoea  may  be  found 
in  the  men's  quarters,  which  are  entirely  unsuitable. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  siclt,  and  principal  diseases  of  white  troops   at  Fort 

Griffin,  Texas,  for  the  years  18CS  and  1809. 


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Statement  xhotriiiy  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort 

Griffin,  Texas,  for  the  year  1869. 


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1«69    (5  months)           

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Im-Uule  larynptiB,  hronehitis,  pneuinonin,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  CONCHO,  TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  \V.  M.  NOTSON,  UNITED  STATES  Ali.MV. 

Fort  Concho  is  the  center  of  a  line  of  posts  extending  from  El  Paso,  ou  the  Kio  Grande,  to  the 
northeastern  border  of  Texas,  on  the  lied  liiver.  Beginning  from  the  west  the  garrisoned  posi- 
tions are  Forts  Bliss,  Quit-man,  Davis,  Stockton,  Concho,  Grift™,  aud  Richardson.  It  also  geo- 
graphically, but  without  as  direct  a  road  connection  as  with  the  one  just  named,  forms  one  of  the 


FORT  CONCHO,  TEXAS.  199 

southern  chain  to  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande ;  beginning  from  the  north,  Forts  Concho,  McKavett, 
Clark,  Duncan,  Mclntosh,  Ringgold  Barracks,  and  Brownsville.  Upon  the  establishment  and  gar- 
risoning of  the  new  or  outer  line  several  of  the  older  posts,  which  had  been  occupied  by  federal 
troops  since  the  war,  were  abandoned;  Fort  Mason,  Camp  Verde,  and  Forts  Inge, Lancaster, and 
Hudson  on  account  of  their  position,  and  Fort  Chadburne  because  of  the  failure  of  the  water 
supply. 

Fort  Concho  is  situated  at  the  junction  of  the  North  Concho  and  main  Concho  Rivers,  imme- 
diately west  of  their  point  of  confluence,  the  North  Concho  flowing  in  nearly  a  southeasterly  di- 
rection, and  the  main  Concho  very  nearly  east,  continuing  that  course  until  its  junction  with  the 
Colorado  River.  The  site,  by  approximation,  is  about  100°  20'  west  longitude,  and  31?  30'  north 
latitude,  upon  a  comparatively  elevated  plain  of  prairie  land.  Brief  as  has  been  its  existence,  the . 
foundation  of  the  first  building  having  been  laid  in  January,  1868,  the  identity  of  the  post  has  nearly 
been  lost,  especially  to  the  Post  Office  Department,  on  account  of  the  multiplicity  of  names.  Orig- 
inally called  Camp  Hatch  by  the  first  garrison,  five  companies  of  the  Fourth  Cavalry,  it  was  changed 
at  the  request  of  the  distinguished  officer  of  that  name  of  that  regiment,  and  re-baptized  Camp 
Kelly,  in  memory  of  another  officer  of  the  same  regiment.  The  construction  department,  or  quar- 
termaster, called  it  Fort  Griffin,  until  an  order  from  district  headquarters  fixed  the  present  appella- 
tion. It  is  still  misnamed,  and  the  disappointment  of  the  young  officer  who  may  be  ordered  to  it 
for  a  station,  who  has  built  his  ideas  of  defensive  works  upon  such  examples  as  may  be  found  upon 
eastern  coasts  or  northern  frontier,  will  not  be  lessened  after  his  experience  has  taught  him  that 
the  isolated  post  amongst  merciless  foes  should  be  what  it  is  named,  a  fort. 

On  March  1, 1870,  the  buildings  of  the  post  were,  in  the  order  of  their  construction,  a  commissary 
and  quartermaster  store-house,  hospital,  five  officers' quarters,  a  magazine,  and  two  barracks,  all 
built  of  light-colored  sandstone. 

The  commissary's  and  quartermaster's  store-houses  are  built  upon  the  same  plan,  and  are  of 
the  same  dimensions,  about  100  feet  in  length,  30  in  width,  and  about  the  same  to  the  peak  of  the 
roof,  each  building  forming  one  large  room,  with  one  little  closet  about  10  feet  square  walled  off 
for  office  purposes.  The  flooring  is  of  large  irregular  slabs  of  stone,  cemented  with  ordinary 
mortar.  The  wood-work—rafters,  beams,  &c. — as  in  all  the  other  buildings,  is  of  pecan,  a  peculiarly 
intractable  variety  of  our  northern  hickory,  which  by  its  twisting,  curling,  and  shrinking  hardly 
promises  a  permanence  of  the  symmetry  of  the  buildings  in  which  it  has  been  used. 

The  hospital,  built  upon  the  plan  issued  from  the  office  of  the  Surgeon  General  of  the  Army, 
is  by  far  the  handsomest  and  best  finished  building  at  the  post.  It  is  plastered  throughout,  and 
though  incomplete,  it  is  better  adapted  to  the  necessities  required  of  it  than  any  other  structure  at 
the  post.  It  has  been  objected  by  some  inspecting  officers  that  the  hospital  building  is  too  large  and 
elaborate.  This  does  not  accord  with  the  experience  of  the  medical  officer.  The  capacity  of  the 
two  wards  is  for  twenty-four  beds.  Had  the  original  plan  of  construction  been  carried  out  of 
establishing  a  post  for  eight  companies,  it  is  doubted  whether  sufficient  accommodation  for  the 
sick  directly  entitled  to  care  would  have  been  found  in  the  building.  During  last  summer  (18G9) 
the  Fifteenth  and  Thirty-fifth  regiments  of  Infantry  consolidated  near  this  post,  and  although  their 
combined  numbers  would  not  have  exceeded  the  probable  full  garrison  contemplated  for  Fort  Con- 
cho, it  was  found  uecesssary  by  the  post  surgeon  to  pitch  a  number  of  hospital  tents.  The  par- 
tition walls  of  the  building  are  of  stone,  adding  much  to  its  stability  and  security.  A  belvedere 
has  been  placed  on  the  main  building,  affording  a  distant  if  not  diverse  view  of  the  prairie  in  every 
direction.  Fire-buckets  and  axes  are  kept  in  the  several  halls  of  the  building,  with  printed  direc- 
tions for  their  use  in  emergency.  The  surgery  is  tastefully  and  conveniently  fitted  up.  Cases 
requiring  isolation  and  not  contagious  are  taken  care  of  in  the  upper  rooms,  but  from  the  narrow 
and  winding  stairway  communicating  with  the  upper  floor,  the  rooms  are  scarcely  available  for  that 
purpose,  and  the  middle  upper  room  not  at  all  so  for  the  uses  laid  down  in  the  plan.  The  wards  are 
heated  by  stoves,  all  other  rooms  by  open  fires.  Ventilation  and  light,  thanks  to  shrinking  windows 
and  doors,  are  abundantly  supplied.  The  present  defects  of  the  hospital  building,  it  is  hoped,  will 
gradually  be  provided  for.  Among  them  is  the  absence  of  any  special  means  of  ventilation  as 
provided  for  in  the  plan  of  Circular  No.  4,  Surgeon  General's  Office.  The  plan  of  this  hospital 
was  drawn  by  the  quartermaster  at  San  Antonio,  without  following  closely  the  designs  shown  in 
"  Circular  No.  4,"  and  without  any  consultation  with  the  post  surgeon. 


200  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

No  measures  have  yet  been  taken  for  securing  the  rain  water,  a  necessity  which  will  be  ex- 
plained further  on  in  this  report.  One  cistern,  at  much  expense  and  labor,  has  been  dug  and  blasted 
close  to  the  building,  but  was  left  unfinished  in  February,  1809,  since  which  time  no  work  has 
been  done  on  the  hospital.  This  subject  and  the  necessity  for  a  lightning-rod  and  tire-extinguisher 
were  called  to  the  attention  of  the  Quartermaster  General  of  the  Army  during  his  recent  personal 
inspection,  and  he  suggested  to  the  commanding  officer  that  they  should  receive  early  attention. 
The  flooring  of  the  portico  has  not  been  completed,  and  cave-spouts  are  not  attached  to  the  roof. 
No  inclosure  marks  the  hospital  limits,  and  the  out-buildings  are  of  a  temporary  character  and 
insufficient. 

The  officers'  quarters,  standing  next  in  the  order  of  construction,  are  five  cottage  buildings  of 
stone.  Four,  erected  for  captains'  quarters,  and  one  for  major  or  lieutenant  colonel.  The  quarters 
are  built  with  two  rooms  facing  the  parade,  separated  by  a  broad  hall ;  in  the  rear  of  the  west 
room  a  kitchen.  The  rooms  are  commodious,  about  15  feet  square,  well  lighted,  without  closets  or 
shutters.  The  larger  quarters  are  built  upon  the  same  plan,  with  one  additional  room  in  the  L, 
and  is  about  four  feet  higher.  All  of  the  buildings  have  attics,  and  are  heated  by  open  fires.  Each 
kitchen  is  provided  with  a  pantry.  The  officers'  quarters  are  not  inclosed,  nor  is  any  provision 
made  to  secure  the  privacy  of  separate  families.  The  officers  have  erected  by  their  own  exertions 
temporary  inclosed  sheds  in  the  rear  of  their  several  quarters,  which  during  most  of  the  year  can 
be  used  as  out-door  kitchens.  The  other  outbuildings  are  temporary  structures. 

The  men's  quarters,  last  in  the  programme  of  construction,  have  never  been  completed.  The  one 
facing  the  left  of  the  parade  is  composed  of  three  stone  buildings  ;  the  two  upon  the  front  intended 
to  be  used  as  company  rooms  and  dormitories  are  each  about  120  feet  long  and  25  in  width;  the 
third  building  stands  at  right  angles  in  rear  of  the  center  of  these,  and  was  proposed  for  mess-room, 
kitchen,  and  store-room.  These  buildings  are  all  joined  under  one  roof,  and  called  a  set  of  quarters 
for  one  company,  although  at  present  occupied  by  two.  A  wide  portico  surrounds  the  two  main 
buildings,  but  has  not  yet  been  floored.  An  experiment  was  made,  after  the  order  discontinuing  the 
building  of  the  post  was  received,  to  floor  the  set  of  quarters  with  concrete.  It  proved  a  failure. 
The  other  set  of  quarters  was  started  upon  the  same  plan,  and  except  that  the  wood-work — i.  e., 
fitting  in  of  doors  and  window  sashes — is  not  so  far  advanced,  and  that  it  has  no  rear  building,  is 
similar  to  the  one  already  described.  No  permanent  outbuildings  of  any  kind  are  attached  to  the 
men's  quarters.  The  company  stables  are  merely  frames  covered  with  canvas. 

Anew  guard-house  has  just  been  constructed  of  heavy  pecan  plank;  it  promises  to  be  suitable 
for  the  purpose  designed.  It  contains  two  rooms,  one  for  the  guard  and  one  for  confinement  of 
general  prisoners,  and  also  three  secure  cells  for  the  security  of  the  more  refractory.  A  stone  cor- 
ral, 200  feet  wide  by  250  deep,  is  being  inclosed,  with  the  intention  of  accommodating  both  the  sta- 
bles of  the  quartermaster  and  those  of  the  companies. 

The  original  plan  of  the  post  Avas  a  parallelogram  running  due  east  and  west.  The  cessation 
of  construction  has  so  modified  it  that  it  now  forms  nearly  three  sides  of  a  square.  On  the  north 
side  of  the  parade  ground,  and  facing  the  south,  are  the  men's  quarters;  facing  the  west  the  com- 
missary, quartermasters'  buildings,  and  the  hospital;  facing  Ihe  north  the  officers'  quarters. 

The  general  appearance  of  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  is  a  flat,  treeless,  dreary  prairie. 
The  edges  of  the  two  streams  are  scantily  fringed  with  the  pecan  and  wild  plum ;  straggling 
growths  of  niesquite  sprinkle  the  plain.  The  open  nature  of  the  country  greatly  affects  the  climate 
to  the  comfort  or  discomfort  of  the  residents.  The  glare  from  the  scorched  and  yellow  grass  during 
the  summer  usually  produces  inflammation  of  the  eye,  while  the  unchecked  sweep  of  the  north  wind  in 
winter  (the  well-known  Texan  norther)  is  felt  more  keenly  by  the  northern  sojourner  than  the  severer 
winters  of  his  home.  During  but  small  proportion  of  the  winter  is  it  necessary  to  wear  more 
clothing  than  ordinarily  would  be  required  in  November  in  the  latitude  of  Washington,  but  the 
severity  of  the  "  norther"  is  only  equaled  by  the  suddenness  of  its  appearance.  A  fall  of  more 
than  30°  F.  in  the  thermometer  within  an  hour  has  happened  more  than  once  during  the  last 
year.  The  irregularity  and  uncertainty  of  the  season  precludes  any  agricultural  calculations, 
for  while  the  annual  rain-fall  may  equal  that  of  the  most  fertile  of  the  eastern  States,  the  gather- 
ing of  all  the  rain  into  one  or  two  months  of  the  year  either  drowns  or  scorches  out  the  crops. 
After  these  rains  the  narrow  streams  swell  to  impassibility,  and  the  luckless  gardener  who  has 


FORT  CONCHO,  TEXAS.  201 

trusted  to  his  better  chances  upon  some  river-side  flat  has  his  labor  and  investment  swept  away  in 
an  hour.  For  these  reasons  no  post  garden  has  yet  been  successful,  although  an  effort  is  being 
made  about  seven  miles  southwest  of  the  post,  by  a  fanning  company,  to  cultivate  some  bottom 
lands  by  irrigation.  This  is  to  be  done  by  damming  one  of  the  tributaries  of  the  main  Concho  and 
bringing  the  water  through  a  ditch  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile.  The  post  will  undertake 
to  cultivate  a  garden  there,  it  is  understood,  this  summer.  Water-cresses  are  now  abundant 
upon  both  streams,  having  been  planted  by  the  present  medical  officer  for  obvious  hygienic  reasons. 

The  question  of  the  supply  of  water,  wholesome  and  sufficient  for  the  use  of  the  garrison,  is 
one  which  may  in  any  year  be  an  urgent  sanitary  question.  Although  the,  rain-fall  of  1808  marked 
about  30  inches  and  last  year  20  inches,  it  is  believed  by  the  medical  officer,  on  the  testimony  of 
men  whose  occupations  have  made  them  familiar  with  these  frontiers,  and  especially  cattle  drovers, 
to  whom  an  abundant  supply  of  water  is  a  vital  pecuniary  question,  that  the  two  years  recorded 
have  been  exceptional,  and  even  with  the  abundance  recorded  for  the  former  year,  the  North  Concho, 
instead  of  a  running  stream,  has  been  standing  in  shallow  pools,  while  the  water  of  the  main 
Concho  was  so  impregnated  with  putrefying  animal  m.itter  as  to  be  offensive  bi>th  to  smell  and 
taste.  The  waters  of  both  streams  are  slightly  impregnated  with  lime.  In  very  dry  seasons,  when 
the  half  famished  buffalo  arrive  at  their  banks,  they  crowd  into  it  in  such  numbers  that  very  many 
are  drowned — so  many  as  to  affect  the  purity  of  the  stream  in  the  manner  just  referred  to.  These 
rivers  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  and  above  it  vary  from  fifteen  to  forty  feet  in  width,  have  a  gravel 
or  rock  bottom,  and  are  fordable  at  almost  any  point. 

In  anticipation,  of  this  deficient  supply  of  water  the  post  surgeon  earnestly  urged  that  suitable 
cisterns  might  be  attached  to  each  of  the  buildings,  and  his  application  so  far  met  with  favorable 
consideration  as  to  have  one,  intended  then  to  be  one  of  a  series,  started.  The  one  begun  was  at 
the  rear  of  the  hospital  building,  and  was  planned  according  to  the  diagram  and  description  recom- 
mended by  Dr.  Parkes  to  the  barrack  commission.  It  was  completed  only  as  far  as  the  main  reser- 
voir. One  or  more  of  the  large  wooden  tank  cisterns,  formerly  in  use  by  some  of  the  United  States 
general  hospitals  in  the  South,  have  been  asked  for. 

Three  or  four  severe  storms,  accompanied  by  thunder  and  lightning,  have  been  experienced 
during  the  existence  of  the  post,  the  flashes  being  vivid,  near,  and  rapid.  Considerable  anxiety  was 
felt  for  the  safety  of  the  hospital  building,  standing  as  it  does  upon  an  elevated  plain,  and  being  itself 
higher  than  any  building  or  tree  for  many  miles.  One  unusually  severe  hail-storm  occurred 
in  June,  1808,  arising  without  warning,  and  from  the  weight  and  accumulation  of  the  masses  of 
ice,  breaking  in  the  tents,  (the  garrison  were  not  then  in  quarters,)  the  troop  horses  were  stampeded, 
and  most  of  the  poultry  about  the  post  killed.  In  lifteen  minutes  from  the  beginning  of  the  storm, 
the  parade  ground  was  covered  with  hail-stones  to  the  depth  of  more  than  two  inches.  Several 
were  measured  and  found  to  exceed  an  inch  and  a  half  transversely  by  three  fourths  of  an  inch 
in  thickness.  The  belt  of  storm  cloud  was  very  narrow,  not  quite  reaching  a  mile,  and  was  travel- 
ing due  southeast. 

Supply  is  a  vital  question  to  the  post.  No  means  of  transportation  from  the  coast  exist  except 
by  wagons.  Indiauola  is  about  550  miles  distant ;  San  Antonio,  the  commissary  and  quartermaster 
depot,  about  230  miles.  When  the  rainy  season  sets  in,  communication  almost  entirely  ceases. 
Two  or  three  days'  rain  upon  the  light  soil  of  the  prairie  so  loosens  it  that  an  ordinarily  ladened 
wagon  will  sink  to  the  hubs  and  the  mule  to  his  girth.  The  winter  of  1808  and  1869  was  specially 
marked  as  wet,  and  no  supplies  were  received.  The  succeeding  winter  has  been  unusually  favorable. 
Rising  rivers  frequently  delay  even  the  mail  for  several  days. 

The  post  is  entirely  dependent,  the  soil  having  no  natural  products  of  any  utility  to  a  resident. 
For  prevention  of  scurvy,  the  post  surgeon  was  fortunate  enough  to  find  some  "lamb's  quarter" 
(chenopodium)  for  the  use  of  the  troops  while,  awaiting  the  arrival  of  supplies  last  spring.  The 
nearest  village  is  Fredericksburg,  a  German  settlement  upon  the  Perdenalis  River,  ICO  miles  from 
the  post.  The  nearest  neighbors  are  the  mail  station,  three  miles,  Bismarck  farm,  seven  miles. 
Those  are  both  companies,  and  not  actual  settlers.  The  nearest  actual  resident  is  18  miles,  and 
his  nearest  neighbor  11  miles  beyond  him.  The  vicinity  of  the  post  is  abundantly  supplied  with 
game.  Buffalo  exist  in  countless  herds  during  the  winter  and  spring,  and  deer  and  antelope  at  all 
seasons.  The  large  gray  wolf  and  the  coyote,  are  abundant,  and  the  fox,  the  badger,  and  peccary 
20 


202 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


can  easily  be  found  when  desired.  The  prairie  for  miles  in  every  direction  being  one  vast  "  dog 
town,"  the  prairie-dog  holes  interfere  somewhat  with  the  pursuit  of  the  chase.  Water  fowl  of 
every  kind,  from  the  large  white  swan  to  the  green- winged  teal,  abound  upon  the  rivers.  Wild 
turkey  and  quail,  both  the  brown  of  Virginia  and  the  blue  or  tufted  quail  of  Xew  Mexico,  can  be 
found  anywhere  upon  the  streams.  Immense  catfish,  weighing  even  as  much  as  75  pounds,  with  eels 
of  proportionate  size,  and  a  trout,  called  in  this  country  a  bass,  with  smaller  fish,  reward  the  angler 
for  very  little  exertion.  It  may  be  some  drawback  that  a  country  supplied  so  lavishly  with  game 
is  equally  generously  furnished  with  venomous  reptiles  and  insects.  A  prairie-dog  town  is  the 
well-known  habitat  of  the  rattlesnake,  as  also  the  rocky  borders  of  the  streams ;  his  kindred,  the 
water-moccasin,  in  this  country  attains  a  gigantic  development.  Tarantulas  and  lesser  spiders  lurk 
under  every  cactus  shrub,  and  the  centipede  brings  forth  its  interesting  brood  in  every  pile  of  chips 
or  lumber  about  one's  quarters.  The  post  surgeon  having  been  bitten  on  the  hand,  while  taking- 
hold  of  a  towel  in  which  the  insect  was  coiled,  by  a  centipede,  afterwards  measured  and  found  to 
be  seven  and  a  half  inches  long,  enters  so  much  testimony  against  the  special  virulence  either  of 
their  jaws  or  claws.  The  bite  was  painful  for  an  hour  or  two,  but  no  other  trouble  resulted, 
neither  ulceration  nor  swelling.  Small  scorpions,  from  two  to  three  inches  in  length,  are  found, 
though  less  frequently  than  either  the  centipede  or  tarantula.  Indians,  believed  to  be  chiefly  Co- 
manches  and  Kiowas,  commit  frequent  depredations  in  the  vicinity.  Horses  have  been  repeatedly 
stolen  within  the  post  lines,  and  as  late  as  the  middle  of  February  of  the  present  year  a  citizen 
has  been  killed  and  scalped  within  a  mile  of  the  adjutant's  office. 

The  situation  of  the  post  is  an  unusually  healthful  one,  and  it  is  thought,  under  some  precau- 
tions, such  as  guarding  against  the  sudden  change  of  temperature,  especially  in  winter,  a  desirable 
one  for  the  treatment  of  tubercular  cases.  The  prevalent  disease  has  been  rheumatism,  while  at 
times,  from  causes  before  referred  to,  diarrhoea  has  been  epidemic.  The  similarity  of  diseases,  as 
well  as  topographical  resemblance  between  this  portion  of  Texas  and  the  reports  of  some  of  the 
British  surgeons  concerning  the  table  lands  north  of  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  has  been  noticed.  The  post 
is  now  garrisoned  by  three  companies  of  colored  soldiers;  their  duties  are  scouting,  picketing 
the  mail  road,  escorting  the  mail  coaches,  and  general  escort  duty.  From  the  central  position  of 
the  post  on  three  roads  of  travel  more  duty  devolves  upon  the  troops  and  officers  than  of  any  post 
forming  parts  of  either  of  the  chains  of  defenses  referred  to  in  the  beginning  of  this  communica- 
tion. 

Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  sicJc,  and  principal  diseases  of  white  troops  at  Fort  Concho, 

Texas,  for  the  years  1868  and  18G9. 


f 

a 
Years. 

X 

1 

Wholi1  number 
taken  sick. 

Typhoid  fever. 

Malarial  levers. 

Diarrhopa  and 
dysentery. 

.2 

1 
1 

Venerealdiseases. 

*-> 

1 

Rheumatism.. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions.* 

o 
ft 

1868  (11  months)             323  54 

736 

263 

164 

2 

17 

15 

20 

50 

1869  (7  months)              226  57 

131 

1 

15 

16 

18 

14 

15 

1 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort  Concho, 

Texas,  for  the  year  1869. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  MoKAVETT,  TEXAS.  203 


FORT  McKAVETT,  TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SFRGEON  REDFORD  SHARPE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  McKavett  is  situated  on  a  high  bluff  on  the  right  bank  of  the  San  Saba,  some  two  miles 
from  the  source  of  the  river,  latitude  30°  50'  north,  longitude  100°  20'  west,  and  180  miles  north 
west  of  San  Antonio,  and  2,OGO  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

The  spring  which  furnishes  the  post  with  water  expands  into  a  lagoon  of  considerable  size  be- 
tween the  post  and  the  San  Saba  river,  and  is  distant  from  the  post  about  300  yards — the  post  being 
about  125  feet  above  the  level  of  the  spring.  I  find  in  the  notes  compiled  by  Brevet  Major  J.  V.  D. 
Middleton,  assistant  surgeon  United  States  Army,  the  following  historical  facts:  This  fort  (McKav. 
ett)  was  built  by  the  Eighth  United  States  Infantry  in  1852,  and  named  after  Lieutenant  McKav- 
ett, who  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Monterey,  Mexico.  In  18GO  the  post  was  abandoned  by  order 
of  General  Twiggs.  and  the  troops  moved  into  the  interior  of  the  State.  When  reoccupied  April 
1st,  1868,  the  post  was  found  to  be  one  mass  of  ruins — only  one  house  being  at  all  habitable,  and 
the  whole  command  was  compelled  to  go  under  canvas.  The  post  covers  about  six  acres  of  a 
broad  hill  which  slopes  gradually  to  the  river.  The  river  has  the  appearance  of  rising  from  three 
heads,  called  the  "North,  Main,  and  South  prongs,"  but  is  now  furnished  almost  entirely  by  the  South 
prong,  arising  about  two  miles  west  of  the  post.  This  prong,  in  its  course,  spreads  out  into  a 
lake  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  length,  and  from  50  to  100  feet  in  width.  Opposite  the  post 
the  stream  becomes  small — a  mere  creek — 20  feet  wide,  and  from  one  to  three  feet  deep.  It 
flows  through  a  fertile  valley  a  mile  in  width,  and  afterwards  through  broad  plains  to  the  Colorado, 
about  100  miles  from  its  present  source. 

The  post  is  completely  surrounded  by  hills,  with  intervening  valleys.  The  hills,  as  a  rule,  arc- 
low,  and  of  uniform  size,  sloping  on  every  side,  and  covered  with  grass,  mesqnite,  and  live  oak. 
The  stunted  live  oak,  interspersed  here  and  there  with  trees  of  larger  growth  in  the  valleys, 
with  the  pecan,  wrater  oak,  and  willow  on  the  margin  of  the  water- courses,  each  presenting  a  differ- 
ent hue,  give  to  the  whole  country,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  a  variegated  aspect,  which  is  very 
beautiful.  The  prevailing  wind  during  the  summer  months,  and,  indeed,  during  the  whole  year, 
(except  the  "  northers,")  is  from  the  southeast. 

Fort  McKavett  was  built  originally  of  stone,  the  roofing,  flooring,  &c.,  of  wood.  During  the 
time  of  its  abandonment,  all  the  buildings  went  to  ruin.  The  walls,  which  were  not  put  up  properly 
in  the  first  place,  tumbled  down,  and  the  wood- work  went  into  decay.  When  the  post  was  reoccu- 
pied in  April,  18G8,  one  house  alone  was  habitable,  and  that  had  been  kept  in  repair  by  the  owner 
of  the  post.  The  buildings  are  located  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  are  situated  on  the  four  sides  of 
a  parade  or  plaza,  100  yards  square.  It  was,  perhaps,  built  in  this  manner  to  render  it  defensible 
against  the  attacks  of  Indians.  At  a  later  period,  several  buildings  were  put  up  on  the  outside  of 
this  square,  among  which  were  the  quarters  of  the  commanding  officer,  hospital,  and  quarters  for 
married  soldiers  and  laundresses. 

Until  March,  1869,  very  little  work  had  been  done,  owing  mainly  to  the  lack  of  mechanics  and 
the  extreme  slowness  with  which  material  was  supplied.  At  that  date,  Company  A,  Fourth  Cavalry, 
and  one  company  of  the  Thirty-fifth  Infantry  were  relieved  by  headquarters  and  two  companies  of 
the  Forty-first  Infantry  and  Companies  F  and  M  of  the  Ninth  Cavalry,  under  command  of  Brevet 
Brigadier  General  E.  S.  Mackenzie,  colonel  Forty -first  United  States  Infantry.  Almost  immediately 
the  work  of  rebuilding  the  post  commenced ;  ample  and  substantial  corrals  for  the  cavalry  horses 
were  built  at  once ;  the  barracks  for  the  men  were  put  in  complete  repair,  and  company  kitchens, 
guard-house,  sinks,  and  all  outbuildings  thoroughly  renovated.  Officers'  quarters  have  also  been 
enlarged,  and  in  fact  almost  rebuilt,  with  new  floors,  roofing,  windows,  doors,  &c. 

The  quarters  of  the  commanding  officer  are  situated  about  100  feet  south  of  the  parade,  are 
comfortably  large,  and,  when  repaired,  will  be  commodious,  and  in  every  way  pleasant. 

The  quarters  for  officers  are  on  the  south  and  west  sides  of  the  parade,  opening  upon  it ;  are 
well  adapted  to  the  purpose,  although  not  large,  and  will  compare  favorably  with  other  frontier 
quarters,  especially  so  far  as  the  expenditure  of  money  is  concerned. 


204  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  barracks  for  the  men  are  three  in  number,  situated  on  the  north,  east,  and  west  sides  of 
the  square,  and,  unless  the  command  is  very  materially  increased,  afford  ample  room.  Each  man 
is  furnished  with  an  iron  bedstead,  and  the  quarters  are  kept  strictly  clean. 

The  commissary  and  quartermaster's  store-houses  are  on  the  eastern  flank,  outside  the  parade, 
as  also  the  chapel  and  store  of  the  post  trader.  The  carpenter  shop,  quartermaster's  granary,  and 
other  outbuildings,  are  on  the  north,  in  rear  of  the  barracks. 

The  post  hospital  is  in  the  southwest  corner,  rather  in  the  rear  of  the  line  officers'  quarters,  and 
on  a  parallel  line  with  commanding  officer's  house.  The  main  building,  50  by  20  feet,  of  wood, 
consists  of  one  ward,  containing  twelve  beds,  a  dispensary,  and  a  ward-masters  room.  It  is  a 
very  inferior  building,  and  in  no  way  adapted  to  rainy  or  winter  seasons.  Upon  the  occupancy  of 
this  post  by  General  Mackenzie,  the  hospital  was,  perhaps,  the  most  comfortable  building  here, 
hence  no  work  has  been  done  to  render  it  better.  A  comfortable  building  of  stone  should  take  the 
place  of  this  temporary  wooden  structure,  with  such  an  addition  to  its  size  as  would  bring  the 
store-room,  steward's  room,  dispensary,  office,  &c.,  all  under  one  roof,  having  the  dining-room, 
kitchen,  laundry,  and  room  for  attendants  in  an  addition,  to  the  rear,  thereby  dispensing  with  the 
many  small  and  ungainly-looking  houses  that  have  been  put  up  from  time  to  time,  as  kitchen,  wash- 
house,  &e.,  since  the  temporary  hospital  was  built. 

The  guard-house  is  on  the  north,  and  in  rear  of  the  barracks,  and  is  ample  and  quite  comfort- 
able, as  it  should  be.  Its  occupancy  will  average  twelve  for  the  past  six  months. 

The  post  gardens  are  situated  in  the  north,  on  the  lagoons,  and  about  half  a  mile  distant  from 
the  post.  They  are  furnishing  a  good  supply  of  vegetables,  and  are  in  every  way  a  benefit  to  the 
command.  Fresh  vegetables  are  distributed  every  morning. 

I  have  served  at  no  post  since  I  have  been  on  duty  in  Texas,  since  December,  1865,  where  more 
attention  is  paid  to  cleanliness  of  quarters,  and  where  all  sanitary  and  hygienic  rules  are  more 
thoroughly  enforced,  and  where  more  deference  is  paid  to  the  suggestions  of  the  medical  officer  in 
regard  to  such  rules.  The  sinks  for  both  officers  and  men  are  built  of  stone  and  furnished  with 
movable  troughs.  These,  in  addition  to  being  thoroughly  disinfected  every  morning,  are  washed 
three  times  a  week,  and  recently,  during  the  warm  weather,  they  were  removed  a  mile  distant,  near 
the  San  Saba  Kiver,  daily,  washed  and  returned,  and  fresh  lime,  acid  carbolic,  and  ferri  sulphas 
freely  used  in  and  about  them.  No  slops  of  any  kind  are  allowed  to  accumulate  about  the  kitchens, 
but  all  swill,  &c.,  is  emptied  regularly  every  morning  after  reveille.  All  offal  from  the  stables  is 
removed  daily  in  army  wagons  more  than  a  mile  from  the  post,  except  such  as  is  needed  at  the 
post  gardens. 

Water  is  supplied  from  the  springs  in  water-wagons,  and  delivered  morning  and  evening  in 
barrels  at  each  kitchen.  The  water  is  pure  and  clear,  but  contains  a  large  per  cent,  of  lime. 
Cisterns  have  been  asked  for,  which  will  add  greatly  to  the  comfort  and  health  of  the  command. 

There  is  no  more  healthy  post  on  the  Texas  frontier  than  Fort  McKavett.  The  dryness  of  the 
atmosphere,  the  height  above  the  sea-level,  the  pure  bracing  winds  that  come  here  divested  of 
everything  noxious,  or  even  damp  or  unpleasant,  all  tend  to  make  it  a  paradise  for  any  one  suffering 
from  any  weakness  of  the  air  passages. 

The  sick  rates  during  the  past  two  years  afford  ample  proof  of  the  above.  During  the  past 
month,  however — May — there  has  been  an  endemic  or  epidemic  of  acute  diarrhoea,  resulting  in  two  or 
more  instances  in  dysentery.  What  may  be  the  cause  it  is  difficult  to  conjecture.  Unusual  pains 
have  been  taken  both  as  regards  the  cleanliness  of  the  camp,  carefulness  in  cooking,  variety  in 
diet,  and  personal  cleanliness  of  the  men.  The  want  of  force  or  vim  in  colored  troops  in  sick- 
ness, in  contrast  with  the  white,  has  been  thoroughly  and  forcibly  exemplified  in  this  epidemic. 
That  there  are  some  wonderful  exceptions  to  this  has  been  fully  proven  at  this  post.  They  are, 
however,  the  exceptions  necessary  to  make  the  rule  good. 

The  great  drought  seems  to  have  affected  the  milk,  which  has  been  used  in  large  quantities  by 
the  troops,  the  absence,  of  grass  forcing  the  cows  to  eat  many  poisonous  weeds.  The  meat  (beef) 
seems  to  have  been  affected  in  the  same  way.  Whether  these  causes  have  in  any  way  influenced 
these  cases  of  diarrhrea  is,  to  say  the  least,  very  doubtful.  The  use  of  milk  was,  however,  stopped 
by  a  post  order,  and  at  this  writing  the  epidemic  is  almost  exhausted,  (the  last  of  May.)  The 
disease  has  not  been  confined  to  the  men  alone,  nearly  all  the  officers  of  the  command  have  been  com- 
plaining, and  an  infant  daughter  of  the  commanding  officer,  Captain  H.  Carroll,  died.  The  exu- 


FOKT  McKAVETT,  TEXAS. 


205 


berant  growth  of  cryptogamous  and  other  plants  may  have  induced  or  helped  to  bring  on  a  mias- 
matic influence,  which,  added  to  the  general  carelessness  of  the  black  race,  is,  perhaps,  the  most 
probable  cause  of  the  endemic.  Happily,  at  this  writing,  June  20th,  there  is  very  little,  if  any,  of 
the  disease  left.  An  abundant  rain  has  given  plenty  of  grass,  and  the  milk  and  beef  are  both  freed 
from  their  poisonous  influences. 

The  post  bakery  is  new,  and  furnishes  most  excellent  bread ;  it  is  under  the  management  of 
the  post  treasurer. 

So  much  has  already  been  said  as  to  the  geology  of  the  post  that  little  remains.  Limestone 
is  the  base,  and  the  water  is  thoroughly  impregnated  with  it.  Colonel  Crawford,  late  assistant  sur- 
geon United  States  Army,  speaks  of  the  formation  as  follows,  iu  his  report  of  this  post  in  1853 : 

The  region  consists  of  the  upper  secondary,  or  the  substitute  for  the  chalk  formation  in  this  country,  and  the  lower 
tertiary.  Here  aud  there  the  secondary  appears  in  small  patches,  and  continues  superficial.  No  evidence  of  primary 
formation  or  of  volcauic  rocks  exists.  The  hills  have  no  regularity,  are  low,  of  almost  uniform  size,  and  composed 
entirely  of  limestone.  Toward  the  southwest  these  hills  become  higher,  and  of  a  rougher  and  more  broken  character  ; 
and  further,  there  is  no  sandstone  formation  iu  the  vicinity,  or  any  arenaceous  deposits  that  have  yet  been  discovered 
nearer  than  35  or  40  miles,  where  there  is  a  belt  running  uorth  and  south.  From  the  regular  outline  of  the  hills  there 
are  no  faults  existing  where  an  opportunity  is  presented  to  examine  the  succession  of  strata. 

Again  :  The  flinty  formation  is  scattered  over  the  whole  face  of  the  country,  and  is  deeply  imbedded.  At  the  head 
of  Llono  River,  where  the  side  of  a  large  hill  has  been  washed  so  as  to  expose  the  strata  to  the  depth  of  200  feet  or  more, 
a  continuous  layer  of  flint,  underlying  marl,  and  marly  limestone  was  observed. 

Upon  my  arrival  in  Texas,  in  December,  1805,  after  the  close  of  the  war,  I  was  continually  told 
that  the  seasons  were  exceedingly  dry,  aud  at  times  there  would  be  no  rain  for  months.  A  residence 
of  nearly  five  years  has  disproved  this  assertion,  aud  there  is  nothing  needed  to  develop  the  vast 
mineral  and  agricultural  resources  of  the  whole  State  but  muscle  and  vigor.  The  valley  of  the 
San  Saba  is  a  garden,  waiting  to  be  planted,  and  wealth  awaits  those  who  come  here  and  go  to  work. 
The  extreme  healthfulness  of  the  climate  is  another  great  inducement.  The  steady  work  of  a  few 
years  in  this  magnificent  country  will  enrich  any  man,  and  add  to  the  wealth  of  the  State  and 
nation.  Once  establish  a  system  of  railroads,  and  no  more  children  are  stolen,  or  families  made 
desolate  by  the  inroads  of  the  Indians.  The  cattle  can  truly  be  said  to  roam  upon  a  thousand  hills, 
and  Texas  will  be  the  empire  of  the  Occident. 

•  I  cannot  close  this  report  without  calling  attention  to  the  fact  that  much  too  long  a  time  is  used 
in  transporting  medicines,  &c.,  from  the  medical  purveying  depot;  quite  frequently  four  and  five 
and  even  six  months  are  necessary  to  receive  supplies  from  said  depot.  This  I  do  not. in  any  way 
believe  to  be  the  fault  of  the  medical  purveyor  in  Xew  Orleans.  While  stationed  in  San  Antonio, 
there  were  many  commands  ordered  on  the  frontier  whose  only  supplies  were  such  as  I  could  furnish 
them  from  the  post  hospital ;  and  this  I  could  not  have  done  had  I  not  retained  extra  quantities  of 
medicines  and  supplies  turned  into  me  by  the  volunteers  going  out  at  that  time.  But  for  this  the 
troops  would  have  suffered  greatly,  and  in  many  instances  they  did,  as  I  could  not  supply  them. 
A  medical  purveyor  at  San  Antonio  is  a  necessity  for  the  convenience  of  the  frontier. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  andprincipal  diseases  of  white  troops  at  Fort  McKarett. 

Texas,  for  the  years  1868  and  1800. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


206 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort 

McKavett,  Texas,  for  the  year  1869. 


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Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  BROWN,  TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON   WILLIAM  J.   WILSON,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  DATED  JULY  19,  1870. 

The  government  reservation  upon  which  the  post  of  Fort  Brown  is  built  is  a  tract  of  land 
containing  in  all  358.J  acres,  situated  on  the  Rio  Grande  immediately  adjacent  to  the  city  of 
Brownsville,  Texas,  in  latitude  25°  53'  16"  north,  and  longitude  97°  96'  26"  west,  and  with  an  elevation 
of  about  50  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  distant  about  one 
mile,  is  the  Mexican  city  of  Matamoras.  The  reservation  is  of  a  somewhat  triangular  shape,  and 
on  the  east,  west,  and  south  bounded  by  the  Rio  Grande. 

In  1846,  during  the  Mexican  war,  a  six-bastioned  field  work — old  Fort  Brown,  (the  remains  of 
which  are  still  in  existence) — was  thrown  up  by  the  troops  under  the  command  of  General  Taylor, 
and  when  he  marched  to  Point  Isabel  to  bring  up  his  trains,  was  garrisoned  by  the  Seventh  In- 
fantry, under  the  command  of  Major  Brown.  During  General  Taylor's  absence  it  was  bombarded 
by  the  Mexicans  for  seven  days.  Major  Brown  lost  his  life  from  a  shell-wound  received  during  that 
bombardment.  The  Mexicans  also  attempted  an  assault,  but  were  driven  off  by  «  few  discharges 
of  grape  and  cannister.  After  having  fought  the  battles  of  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma, 
General  Taylor  reached  Fort  Brown,  and  relieved  the  fort.  In  the  fall  of  1848,  immediately  after 
the  treaty  of  peace,  the  United  States  troops  moved  over  to  this  bank  of  the  river,  and  in  the  be- 
ginning of  1849  quarters  for  the  officers  and  soldiers  were  built  and  a  permanent  post  established. 
In  1861,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion,  it  was  evacuated  by  our  troops,  and  remained  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  rebels  till  1864,  when  it  was  burned  by  General  Bee.  In  1865  it  was  again  occupied 
by  United  States  troops,  and  temporary  huts  or  cantonments  were  built,  which  were  nearly  all 
demolished  by  the  hurricane  of  1867.  Plans  and  specifications  had  at  that  time  been  prepared  and 
approved  for  the  erection  of  quarters,  and  one  house  had  actually  been  commenced,  but  it  too  was 
destroyed. 

The  reservation  consists  of  low  flat  prairie  land  covered  with  chaparral,  a  small  stunted  growth 
of  underbrush  or  small  timber,  mostly  consisting  of  mesquite  and  wausatchie.  This  prairie  land,  at 
no  very  distant  period  of  the  earth's  history,  must  have  been  covered  with  water,  as  it  consists  mostly 
of  an  alluvial  deposit,  underlaid  at  a  depth  of  about  6  feet  with  a  quicksand  some  4  to  6  feet  in 
depth.  It  contains  no  mineral  products  whatever,  but  is  very  fertile  during  favorable  seasons, 
producing  two  crops  of  corn  or  cotton  annually.  Cotton  here,  as  in  Mexico,  is  perennial,  and 
sometimes  reaches  the  height  of  15  or  20  feet.  Sugar-cane  grows  in  great  luxuriance.  The  castor- 
bean  seems  a  native  of  the  soil,  and  can  be  produced  with  very  little  trouble,  and  in  great  abun- 
dance. These  are  the  principal  crops  raised  in  this  vicinity. 

There  is  a  considerable  variety  and  abundance  of  game ;  the  bob-white  or  quail,  plover,  and 
several  varieties  of  wild  duck — the  teal,  the  black  duck,  the  gray  or  spoonbill,  a  few  mallard,  and 
still  fewer  canvass-back — visit  this  neighborhood,  and  are  easily  obtained  on  the  ponds  or  lagoons 
about  here.  Wild  geese  and  brant  are  plentiful,  and  deer  can  be  obtained  at  a  distance  of  from 
6  to  12  miles  from  Brownsville.  The  fish  that  are  obtained  here  are  brought  from  Brazos 


FORT  BROWN",  TEXAS.  207 

Santiago,  a  distance  of  some  28  miles ;  they  consist  of  bass,  mullet,  flounders,  oysters,  and  redfish. 
The  June  fish,  weighing  sometimes  some  300  to  500  pounds,  is  also  caught  and  obtained  from  there. 
In  the  Kio  Grande  and  in  the  lagoon  inside  the  reservation,  the  silver  bass  and  the  mud  catfish,  buf- 
falo, and  perch,  weighing  from  5  to  6  pounds,  are  caught.  Of  wild  animals  there  are  few,  the 
principal  being  the  catamount,  and  the  prairie  wolf  or  coyote.  Of  reptiles,  there  are  the  rattlesnake, 
moccasin  snake,  the  adder,  the  blacksnake  or  racer,  and  the  chicken  snake. 

The  climate  of  this  part  of  Texas  is  very  dry,  i.  e.,  with  rain  at  very  long  intervals,  though 
the  average  annual  fall  i.s  probably  as  great  as  in  other  and  more  northern  parts  of  the  State. 
The  air,  however,  as  shown  by  the  wet-bulb  thermometer,  is  nearly  always  saturated  with  moist- 
ure, there  being  at  the  most  about  two  degrees  difference  between  the  wet  and  dry  bulb.  During 
the  summer  mouths,  from  May  till  October,  the  thermometer  generally  stands,  in  the  daytime, 
from  about  85°  to  95°  F.  There  is,  however,  a  steady  breeze  (the  southeast  trades)  blowing  all 
the  time,  which  very  considerably  moderates  the  temperature  and  renders  the  extreme  heat  very 
endurable.  The  nights,  after  sundown,  are  also  very  cool,  so  that  we  can  sleep  with  comfort,  and 
rise  in  the  morning  refreshed  for  the  labors  of  the  day.  In  the  winter  months  the  temperature 
rarely  falls,  even  on  the  coldest  days,  below  the  freezing  point,  though  the  sudden  change  on  the 
occurrence  of  a  "norther"  makes  us  feel  the  cold  much  more  than  what  would  be  supposed  from 
the  actual  temperature.  The  mean  temperature  from  November  till  the  end  of  April  was  about 
04°;  the  greatest  cold  on  the  10th  of  December,  18G9, 30°;  the  greatest  heat,  87°  F.  Snow  or  ice  of 
any  considerable  thickness  is  such  a  rarity  that  the  oldest  inhabitant  has  hardly  any  recollection 
of  either.  Since  last  January  we  have  had  hardly  any  rain ;  1§  inch  was  recorded  as  having  fallen 
during  the  montli.  Two  or  three  slight  showers  have  since  occurred,  none  ot  any  consequence 
until  the  12th  of  June,  when  half  an  inch  of  rain  fell.  During  the  summer  mouths,  however,  rain 
is  more  frequent,  and  in  large  quantity.  In  August,  1TJ7  inch;  September,  10£  inches;  October,  1£; 
and  in  November  1  inch.  During  the  summer  months  the  prevailing  winds  are  the  southeast 
trades,  mentioned  above,  which  blow  almost  constantly  during  the  twenty-four  hours  from  the 
southeast  or  south.  In  the  winter  months  the  winds  vary  more  from  the  south  and  east,  with  fre- 
quent "northers."  The  "northers"  are  to  me  more  pleasant  than  otherwise,  as  the  system,  debili- 
tated by  the  long-continued  heat  of  summer,  feels  the  refreshing  influence  of  a  good,  strong,  cold 
wind  from  the  north.  They  are  said  by  the  citizens  here  to  bring  an  increase  of  sickness  on  ac- 
count of  passing  over  the  salt  marshes  between  this  place  and  Corpus  Christi,  but  I  did  not  find 
such  to  be  the  case  last  winter;  on  the  contrary,  there  was  very  little  sickness  in  the  garrison,  and 
that  of  a  very  mild  type. 

Inside  the  reservation  is  the  lagoon,  evidently  an  old  channel  of  the  Kio  Grande.  It  is  of  an 
elliptical  form,  about  150  yards  in  width,  and  in  some  places  from  10  to  14  feet  in  depth.  It  in- 
closes a  small  island,  containing  25 \  acres,  which  was  formerly  (prior  to  1846)  heavily  covered  with 
timber,  but  this  timber  was  at  that  time  cut  down  by  United  States  troops  to  prevent  the  Mexicans 
from  massing  and  stealing  up  to  attack  Fort  Brown.  The  national  cemetery,  containing  space  for 
2,000  graves,  is  there  located.  In  the  center  of  the  island  is  a  flag-staff,  and  circularly  arranged 
around  it  are  the  graves  of  Major  Brown  and  various  other  officers  of  the  regular  and  volunteer 
army.  Extending  south  from  the  flag-staff,  and  laid  out  in  plats  75  by  15  feet,  separated  by  walks, 
is  the  space  reserved  for  the  graves  of  enlisted  men.  PJach  plat  is  intended  for  50  graves. 

The  post  of  Fort  Brown  has  accommodation  for  one  battery  of  artillery,  one  company  of  cav- 
alry, and  four  companies  of  infantry.  These  different  quarters  are  separated  from  each  other 
by  a  very  considerable  distance.  The  four  sets  of  infantry  quarters  are  situated  on  the  northern 
boundary  of  the  reservation,  merely  separated  by  a  wall  from  the  city  of  Brownsville.  The  artil 
lery  quarters  are  almost  at  the  extreme  southern  end,  while  the  cavalry  are  stationed  about  mid 
way  between.  In  close  proximity  to  each  of  these  barracks  are  the  officers'  quarters. 

The  infantry  officers'  quarters  consist  of  seven  houses,  situated  along  the  northern  border  of 
the  lagoon,  opposite  to  and  distant  from  the  infantry  barracks  about  175  yards.  The  commanding 
officer's  house  is  a  one  and  a  half  story  frame  building,  39  by  33  feet,  elevated  on  brick  piers 
about  two  feet  above  the  ground.  It  contains  on  the  ground  floor  four  rooms,  each  16  by  16  by  12 
feet,  with  a  hall,  6  feet  wide.  There  are  four  attic  rooms  on  the  second  story,  each  similar  in  size 
to  those  below,  but  only  about  8  feet  in  height.  A  covered  porch,  7  feet  wide,  is  jn  front  of  the 
house.  The  porch  at  the  rear  of  the  house  is  12  feet  wide,  and  by  means  of  a  lattice-work  at  the 


208  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

sides  is  converted  into  a  dining-room.  In  the  rear  of  tins  is  a  kitchen,  16  by  12  feet.  Extending 
backward  for  about  GO  feet,  and  inclosed  by  a  lattice-work,  is  a  yard,  and  at  the  lower  end  of  this 
is  a  small  water-closet,  11  by  11  feet,  situated  over  a  brick  vault  about  8  feet  in  depth.  Underneath 
the  stairs  leading  to  the  second  story  is  a  small  closet  or  pantry.  The  three  houses  for  captains 
are  almost  similar  in  size  to  this,  but  each  house  contains  two  sets  of  quarters,  i.  c.,  two  rooms,  15 
by  16  feet  on  the  ground  floor,  attics  above,  a  small  dining-room  and  kitchen,  and  yard  in  the  rear. 

The  lieutenants'  quarters  are  similar  in  plan,  but  the  rooms  are  only  14  by  15  feet,  on  ac- 
count of  the  staircase  running  up  between  the  rooms.  These  quarters  are  all  very  comfortable  and 
in  good  repair.  A  brick  walk,  4  feet  wide,  runs  along  the  front  of  the  officers'  quarters,  and  up 
to  each  house.  The  intervening  ground  is  nicely  sodded  with  Bermuda  grass,  as  is  also  the  re- 
mainder of  the  ground  between  these  quarters  and  the  main  barracks. 

The  cavalry  officers'  quarters  are  situated  adjacent  to  the  cavalry  barracks,  and  distant  about 
150  feet;  they  are  built  of  brick,  on  the  same  plan  as  described  for  the  infantry  officers'  quarters, 
and  consist  of  two  houses,  each  having  a  covered  veranda,  7  feet  wide,  in  front.  One  double 
house,  containing  four  rooms,  15  by  16  by  14  feet,  with  attic  of  the  same  size  on  the  second  story, 
a  kitchen  and  dining-room  in  the  rear.  This  is  occupied  by  the  captain  of  the  cavalry  company 
stationed  here.  The  other  house  is  divided  into  two  sets  of  quarters,  each  containing  two  rooms, 
kitchen  and  dining-room,  with  attic  rooms  above;  these  are  occupied  by  the  cavalry  lieutenants. 

The  artillery  officers'  quarters  are  situated  almost  on  the  extreme  southern  end  of  the  reserva- 
tion, and  about  half  a  mile  distant  from  the  infantry  quarters  and  hospital.  They  consist  of  three 
brick  buildings,  built  on  exactly  the  same  plan  as  the  cavalry  officers'  quarters — one,  the  middle 
house,  containing  four  rooms,  with  attics,  kitchen,  and  dining-room,  intended  for  the  captain ;  the 
other  two  houses  are  situated  one  on  each  side  of  this,  and  eacli  contains  two  rooms,  with  attics, 
kitchen,  and  dining-room — one  set  of  quarters  for  each  lieutenant.  These  quarters  are  at  present 
occupied  by  some  of  the  non-commissioned  staff  and  their  wives,  who  act  as  laundresses  for  the 
command. 

The  infantry  barracks  consist  of  four  two-story  frame  buildings,  each  34  by  103  feet,  elevated 
on  brick  piers  some  3  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ground,  and  with  a  covered  porch,  7  feet  wide,  on 
either  side  on  each  story.  The  lower  story,  9  feet  high,  is  divided  into  an  office,  lij  by  55  feet; 
first  sergeant's  room,  11J  by  22|;  reading-room,  11£  by  19£;  lavatory,  11£  by  22;  day-room,  11  £ 
by  55;  mess-room,  23  by  49|;  kitchen,  13£  by  29 ;  cook's  room,  9  by  10J;  and  commissary  store- 
room, 9  by  18  feet.  The  upper  story,  8|  feet  in  height,  is  reached  by  a  staircase,  and  is  used  as  a 
dormitory  for  the  men,  and  is  fitted  up  with  a  sufficient  number  of  single,  two-tier  wooden  bunks, 
ranged  down  both  sides  of  the  room.  The  building  is  ventilated  by  twenty-eight  windows  in  each 
story,  and  also  by  ridge  ventilators  through  lattice  work  in  the  ceiling  of  the  dormitory.  Situated 
as  these  quarters  are,  almost  north  and  south,  they  are  freely  exposed  to  the  prevailing  winds,  and 
thorough  ventilation  as  a  consequence  ensues.  In  each  of  these  dormitories  there  is  an  air  space 
per  man,  for  an  average  strength  of  50  men,  of  about  650  cubic  feet. 

The  cavalry  barrack  is  a  long,  one-story  brick  building,  26  by  20  feet,  elevated  some  3  feet 
above  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  surrounded  by  a  covered  veranda,  9  feet  in  width.  This 
building  is  divided  by  an  archway,  12  feet  in  width,  into  two  large  rooms,  each  24  by  92  by  14  feet, 
used  as  day-rooms  for  the  men,  and  also  as  dormitories.  Though  an  extremely  comfortable  barrack 
in  every  respect,  still  I  believe  a  barrack  built  on  this  plan,  where  a  common  room  is  used  by  the 
men  both  as  day-room  and  dormitory,  is  objectionable,  as  the  men,  during  the  day,  are  accustomed 
to  lounge  in  their  beds,  which  would  not  be  so  much  the  case  were  the  dormitory  in  a  different 
story.  In  this  climate,  where  diseases  of  a  malarious  type  prevail,  the  dormitory  should,  in  my 
opinion,  be  in  the  second  story.  As  in  infantry  quarters,  the  men  sleep  in  single,  two-tier  bunks, 
on  bedsacks  filled  with  hay,  and  covered  by  the  ordinary  government  blanket.  Each  room  of  the 
barrack  is  sufficiently  ventilated  by  doors  at  each  end,  and  by  twelve  windows,  six  on  each  side, 
and  also  by  ridge  ventilator,  through  lattice-work  in  the  ceiling.  Projecting  backward  from  the 
center  of  the  building  is  a  large  mess-room,  40  by  40  feet,  divided  into  two  rooms  by  four  open 
arches.  It  is  fitted  up  with  a  sufficient  number  of  tables  and  wooden  benches.  There  are  two  small 
store-rooms,  one  14J  by  10  feet,  the  other  19  feet  eight  inches  by  10  feet,  at  one  end  of  the  mess- 
rooin,  in  which  commissary  stores  are  kept.  One  of  these  was,  I  believe,  intended  for  a  kitchen, 


FORT  BROWN,  TEXAS. 


209 


but  it  was  utterly  inadequate  for  the  purpose,  and  a  small,  temporary  wooden  building  was  erected 
in  rear  of  all,  in  which  tbe  cooking  is  done,  and  answers  the  purpose.  This  barrack,  for  an  average 
strength  of  80  men,  gives  an  air  space  of  775  cubic  feet  per  man. 

The  artillery  barrack  is  a  long,  one-story  building,  26  by  300  feet,  elevated  some  3  feet  above 
the  ground,  and  entirely  surrounded  by  a  covered  veranda,  9  feet  in  width.  By  a  covered  arch- 
way, 12  feet  wide,  it  is  divided  into  two  rooms,  each  24  by  142  by  14  feet,  which  are  used  both  as 
day-rooms  and  dormitories  by  the  men.  Projecting  backward  from  the  center  of  the  building  is  the 
dining  saloon,  50  by  GO  feet,  at  one  end  of  which  is  a  kitchen,  23  feet  9  inches  by  14  feet  3  inches, 
store-room,  12  feet  9  inches  by  14  feet  3  inches,  and  sergeant  major's  room,  8  by  14  feet  3  inches, 
The  dining-room  proper  is,  by  four  open  arches  and  a  passage,  5  feet  wide,  divided  into  two  rooms, 
21  by  48  feet.  This  barrack  is  occupied  at  present  (the  battery  of  artillery  having  left  here  April, 
1869)  by  the  band  of  the  Tenth  Infantry. 

To  all  these  barracks  water-closets  are  provided,  situated  some  little  distance  in  the  rear,  and 
all  built  on  the  same  general  plan,  being  small,  frame  buildings,  elevated  some  3  feet  above  the 
ground,  with  a  trough  which  slides  underneath,  and  can  be  drawn  out  as  often  as  necessary, 
emptied,  and  washed  out  in  the  Rio  Grande  below  the  reservation,  and  disinfected.  The  water- 
closets  attached  to  the  cavalry  and  artillery  barracks  are,  like  the  quarters,  built  of  brick. 

The  ordnance  building,  about  150  yards  distant  from  the  artillery  officers'  quarters,  is  a  large, 
fire  proof,  brick  building,  60  by  40  feet,  used  as  an  ordnance  store-house ;  it  is  roofed  with  slate,  and 
furnished  with  six  windows,  7£  by  3  feet,  in  each  side,  secured  by  iron  window-shutters,  inside 
of  which  the  windows,  or  rather  the  window  frames,  are  covered  with  iron  gauze.  The  floor  is  of 
Roman  cement. 

Close  to  the  gate  of  the  principal  entrance  to  the  reservation  is  the  guard-house — a  quadrangu- 
lar building,  44  by  35  feet — constructed  of  hewn  logs,  with  a  veranda,  9  feet  wide,  all  around.  The 
arrangement  of  the  building  is  shown  by  Figure  23.  , 

0,  cells,  4  by  8  feet ;  Gr,  guard-room,  18  by  j 
21  feet ;  H,  hall,  3  feet  wide ;  P,  prison-room,  18  } 
by  21  feet;  V,  veranda. 

The  cells  and  the  room  used  by  the  guard 
are  floored  with  lumber.  The  prisoners  con- 
fined in  the  large  room  sleep  on  the  ground, 
or  upon  some  pieces  of  loose  lumber  in  the  room. 
There  is  a  wooden  bed  made  for  the  guard,  and 
in  most  of  the  cells  there  is  a  small  wooden  bunk 
erected,  upon  which  the  prisoners  sleep.  In  the 
doors  of  each  of  these  rooms  and  cells,  and  in 
the  ceilings,  a  small  hole,  secured  by  iron  bars, 
is  cut  for  ventilation.  Those  in  the  ceilings  com- 
municate with  a  small,  dome-shaped  ventilator 
at  the  top,  and  also  with  lattice- work  around  the 
side  underneath  the  eaves.  The  number  of  pris- 
oners confined  in  the  guard-house  would  average  Figure  a;i. 
at  least  30.  The  guard-room  is  wanned  in  the.winter  by  a  wood  stove,  but  there  are  no  means  of  warm- 
ing any  other  portion  of  the  building.  At  night  it  is  lighted  by  candles  secured  in  lanterns  and 
kept  in  possession  of  the  guard.  This  building  is  entirely  inadequate  for  such  a  garrison  as  this, 
for  besides  being  an  unsightly  structure  situated  at  the  main  entrance  to  the  garrison,  it  is  much 
too  small,  the  ventilation  is  very  insufficient,  and  I  am  only  surprised  that  there  has  not  been  much 
more  sickness  among  the  prisoners  confined  there.  The  building  should  be  condemned  and  a  new 
one  of  proper  size,  capable  of  free  ventilation,  erected.  Owing  to  its  insufficient  size,  the  com- 
manding officer  has  been  obliged  to  place  the  prisoners  in  the  room  intended  for  the  guard,  and 
have  the  guard  sleep  on  the  porch  around  the  building.  I  understand  that  plans  and  specifications 
have  been  prepared  and  approved  for  the  erection  of  another  guard  house,  but  nothing  further  has 
been  done  in  the  matter. 

The  post  hospital  is  a  handsome  brick  building,  recently  erected,  and  only  fitted  for  occupation 
L>7 


210  DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 

about  May  1,  18G9.  It  was  built  in  accordance  with  the  plans  of  Circular  No.  4,  Surgeon  General's 
Office,  for  the  year  1867.  A  covered  veranda,  9  feet  wide,  surrounds  the  entire  building.  Extending 
laterally  from  the  executive  building,  and  separated  from  it  by  a  covered  archway,  10  feet  3  inches 
in  width,  are  the  wards,  each  of  which  is  24  by  66  by  14  feet,  intended  for  twenty-four. beds.  These 
wards  afford  sufficient  accommodation  for  the  sick  of  the  command,  and  seem  admirably  adapted  for 
hospital  purposes.  A  constant  breeze  (sometimes  almost  too  strong)  blows  through  each  ward,  thus 
securing  perfectly  free  ventilation.  Each  ward  is  intended  for  twenty-four  beds,  though,  at  present, 
I  have  only  fourteen  in  each,  and  the  amount  of  sickness  in  the  garrison,  for  several  months  past, 
has  been  so  small  that  one  ward  is  quite  sufficient  to  accommodate  them.  Each  ward  is  ventilated 
by  thirteen  windows  and  one  door  on  the  side,  and  a  door  on  each  end;  there  is  also  ventilation 
through  the  ridge  by  lattice-work  in  the  ceilings.  The  windows  are  11£  feet  high  by  5  feet  wide, 
and  are  furnished  with  Venetian  blinds,  opening  down  to  the  floor.  In  the  winter  months  a  large 
wood  stove  is  used  in  each  ward,  which  gives  sufficient  heat.  The  fuel  used  is  the  "  mesquite,"  the 
same  as  supplied  to  the  post,  an  excellent  fuel,  making  almost  too  hot  a  fire.  The  hospital  is  lighted 
by  candles  and  lard-oil  lamps  in  each  ward.  A  post  order,  issued  long  before  the  order  from  the 
War  Department,  prohibited  the  use  of  volatile  oil  in  any  of  the  public  buildings  in  the  post,  except 
the  officers'  quarters.  • 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained,  on  the  usual  quarterly  requisitions,  from  the  medical  storekeeper 
at  New  Orleans,  and  usually  reach  here  by  the  middle  or  latter  part  of  the  first  month  of  the 
quarter  for  which  the  supplies  are  drawn.  They  are  of  good  quality  and  in  excellent  condition. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  during  the  past  year  was  excellent,  the  principal 
diseases  being  diarrhrea,  intermittent  and  remittent  fever,  venereal  diseases,  a  few  cases  of  rheu- 
matism and  pulmonary  complaints,  and,  after  pay-day,  some  cases  of  delirium  tremens.  I  believe 
that  most  of  the  cases  of  diarrhoaa  are  produced  by  some  excess  in  either  eating  or  drinking,  and 
also  by  the  water.  The  rise  in  the  Rio  Grande  generally  takes  place  about  the  end  of  June.  For 
the  few  months  previous  to  this,  the  water  being  very  low,  is  much  saturated  with  salts,  principally 
sulphate  of  lime,  when  it  is  by  no  means  palatable.  The  water  in  the  lagoon,  by  evaporation  and 
soakage  through  the  bank  between  it  and  the  river,  (the  bed  of  the  river  being  much  lower  than 
that  of  the  lagoon,)  also  becomes  very  low,  so  that  a  by  no  means  pleasant  odor  arises  from  those 
portions  of  it  covered  over  with  water  in  the  winter  and  now  dry.  These  two  causes,  I  believe, 
give  rise  to  intermittent  and  diarrhcea.  General  Clitz,  fully  alive  to  this  source  of  danger  from  the 
lagoon,  causes  about  40,000  gallons  of  water  to  be  pumped  into  it  every  day  from  the  river,  which 
makes  up  for  the  loss  by  evaporation.  There  is  a  much  less  number  of  intermittent  cases  treated 
this  spring  than  were  treated  for  the  corresponding  portion  of  last  year.  The  occurrence  of  a  sud- 
den "norther"  brings  a  few  cases  of  pulmonary  complaints,  mostly  catarrh  and  slight  bronchitis; 
but  I  think  this  climate  is  very  favorable  for  some  cases  of  pulmonary  disease.  Cases  of  phthisis, 
where  there  is  little  expectoration,  would  be  benefited,  while  to  some  other  cases  of  the  same  disease 
it  would  be  a  constant  source  of  torment,  and  certain  death.  It  is  also  very  unfavorable 
for  rheumatic  diseases,  there  being  so  much  moisture  constantly  present  in  the  atmosphere. 
The  excessive  heat  is  also  very  debilitating  to  weak  constitutions,  and  few  persons  of  this  kind 
remain  perfectly  well  during  the  summer  months. 

About  100  yards  distant  from  the  guard-house  is  the  office  building,  a  large  quadrangular  brick 
building,  50  by  112  feet,  elevated  some  three  feet  above  the  ground,  and  surrounded  with  a  covered 
veranda,  9  feet  wide.  This  building,  by  means  of  two  halls,  9  feet  wide,  intersecting  one  another 
at  right  angles,  is  divided  into  adjutant's  office,  quartermaster's  office,  library,  also  used  as  reading 
and  court-martial  room,  with  a  small  room  at  one  end,  formerly  used  as  the  commissary's  office. 
On  the  opposite  side  of  the  hall  are  two  corresponding  rooms,  one,  the  larger  one,  used  since  the 
1st  of  May  last  as  a  billiard-room  and  officers'  club;  the  other,  and  smaller  one,  is  not  in  use  at 
present. 

On  the  edge  of  the  river,  about  75  yards  from  the  office  building,  is  a  small  frame  house,  26  by 
58  feet,  used  as  a  post  bakery.  It  contains  two  ovens,  though  one  is  out  of  order  at  present,  and 
is  provided  with  the  necessary  bake-pans,  troughs,  &c.  It  is  capable  of  supplying  bread  for  a 
command  of  1,000  men,  and  the  bread  is  generally  of  good  quality.  The  baking  is  done  by  en- 
listed men,  detailed  for  that  purpose,  who  receive  some  extra  compensation  out  of  the  post  fund. 


FORT  BROWN,  TEXAS.  211 

Along  the  western  side  of  the  lagoon,  and  on  the  spit  of  laud  between  it  and  the  river,  are  the 
quartermaster  and  commissary  store-houses,  stables,  &c.  The  store-houses,  of  which  there  are 
seven  quartermaster's  and  one  commissary's,  are  frame  buildings  of  sufficient  capacity  for  both 
depot  and  post.  There  are  also  one  blacksmith  shop  with  seven  forges,  one  carpenter's  shop  with 
four  work-benches,  one  paint  and  saddlery  shop,  one  small  steam  engine  (about  five-horse  power) 
for  pumping  water,  and  one  fire-engine  house,  containing  one  hand-engine.  There  is  one  large 
stable  for  depot  and  post  mules — capacity  120  mules ;  one  large  shed  stable  (east  and  a  little  north 
of  the  cavalry  barracks)  for  cavalry  horses — capacity  100  horses ;  and  also  one  stable  for  the  horses 
of  mounted  officers — capacity  10  horses. 

The  water  is  an  important  item  about  this  post,  which  I  think  is  capable  of  improvement.  The 
water  supplied  to  the  officers'  and  men's  quarters,  the  hospital,  and  the  entire  post,  is  taken  from 
the  Rio  Grande,  pumped  up  by  the  engine  mentioned  above,  received  into  large  tanks,  of  which 
there  are  eight,  drawn  off  into  other  tanks  where  the  mud  separates,  and  finally,  by  means  of  a 
water-cart,  is  distributed  to  the  different  parts  of  the  garrison.  Each  officer's  quarters  and  the 
lauudresses  have  a  couple  of  barrels,  the  different  sets  of  men's  quarters  a  large  wooden  tank, 
which  is  filled  every  morning.  This  water  is  used  for  drinking,  washing,  and  culinary  purposes. 
In  the  spring  and  early  part  of  the  summer,  before  the  summer  rise  takes  place  in  the  Rio  Grande, 
the  water  gets  pretty  bad,  charged  with  salts,  principally  sulphate  of  lime.  A  large  dripping  stone 
is  used  in  the  hospital,  through  which  every  day  passes  a  quantity  of  water  sufficient  for  drinking, 
and  though  it  is  not  by  this  process  purified  from  the  salts,  still,  the  taste  is  very  much  improved, 
and  it  is  rendered  much  more  agreeable  and  palatable.  It  would  be  extremely  easy  for  large  tanks 
or  cisterns  to  be  erected  in  which  the  rain  water  could  be  secured  and  used  for  drinking  and  culi- 
nary purposes.  There  is  an  enormous  surface  from  which  the  rain  water  could  be  collected,  and 
though  the  rain-fall  is  by  no  means  equally  distributed  over  the  different  months,  still  the  average 
fall  would  be  quite  sufficient  for  all  the  wants  of  the  garrison.  When  persons  first  arrive  at  this 
post  they  are  generally  attacked  by  diarrhoea,  which  I  attribute  in  a  great  measure  to  the  quality 
of  the  water  necessarily  used  by  them.  Ice  is  such  a  rarity  that  of  course  none  can  be  procured  or 
saved  during  the  winter,  so  that  we  are  entirely  dependent  upon  artificial  ice.  There  is  a  manu- 
factory on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  at  which  12£  cents  per  pound,  specie,  was  last  year  charged. 
This  year,  thanks  to  a  manufactory  started  in  Matamoras,  a  block  of  ice  weighing  at  least  10 
pounds  is  procured  for  50  cents,  specie,  so  that  we  are  now  able  to  indulge  to  a  limited  extent  in 
this  luxury.  The  ice  machine,  however,  frequently  gets  out  of  order,  and  we  are  sometimes  for 
two  or  three  days  without  it. 

In  the  same  room  of  the  office  building  used  as  the  court-martial  room  is  kept  the  post  and 
regimental  library;  the  post  library,  lately  purchased,  consists  of  295  volumes,  and  the  regimental 
library,  formerly  belonging  to  the  Twenty-sixth  Infantry,  of  about  400  volumes.  These  are  mostly 
works  of  a  scientific,  historical,  and  biographical  character,  with  works  on  naval  and  military 
science,  travels,  novels,  &c.  Several  of  the  weekly  papers  are  also  taken,  and  reading  desks  have 
been  erected  for  the  convenience  of  the  readers.  Books  are  lent  to  the  officers  and  enlisted  men 
of  the  command.  t 

About  midway  between  the  hospital  and  cavalry  quarters  are  the  quarters  for  the  married 
soldiers,  whose  wives  act  as  lauudresses  for  the  command;  these  consist  of  twelve  wooden  "shan- 
ties," placed  six  in  each  row;  two  of  these  are,  I  believe,  unserviceable.  As  mentioned  before, 
some  of  the  non-commissioned  staff,  with  their  wives  and  families,  are  temporarily  occupying  the 
artillery  officers'  quarters.  It  is  intended  to  build  twelve  more  frame  houses  for  their  accommo- 
dation, which  will  be  amply  sufficient.  There  are,  in  all,  twenty  laundresses  with  twenty-two 
children,  and  two  soldiers'  wives  not  laundresses,  who  have  three  children. 

The  ground  occupied  being  so  level,  there  is  very  little  natural  drainage;  but  two  or  three 
large  drains  have  been  made — one  about  half-way  between  the  infantry  officers'  quarters  and  the 
hospital,  and  one  midway  between  the  hospital  and  cavalry  barracks.  Both  these  drains  empty 
into  the  lagoon  by  means  of  square  wooden  pipes;  this  prevents  any  water  from  accumulating  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  hospital.  All  the  slops,  offal,  and  excreta  of  the  officers'  quarters 
hospital,  and  barracks,  are  received  into  barrels,  which  are  emptied  each  morning  into  a  slop-cart 
and  thrown  into  the  river. 


212  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

On  the  east  bank  of  the  lagoon  is  a  small  wooden  building,  about  18  by  20  feet,  intended  as  a 
bath-house;  there  is  a  small  wooden  platform  running  from  this  house  down  into  the  lagoon. 
Every  evening,  after  retreat,  the  men  are  at  liberty  to  bathe  in  the  lagoon ;  and,  on  every  Saturday 
evening,  the  prisoners  are  inarched  from  the  guard-house,  under  a  sufficient  guard,  and  permitted 
to  bathe  and  wash  themselves. 

Cows  being  of  small  value  in  Texas,  the  butcher  who  has  the  contract  for  supplying  the  post 
with  meat  usually  loans,  without  charge,  a  cow  to  the  hospital  and  to  the  different  officers  of  the 
post;  these  cows,  however,  give  but  little  milk;  they  are  usually  worth  about  $10  to  $18,  specie, 
and  can  at  any  time  be  readily  procured  at  that  price. 

A  most  excellent  commissary  supply  is  kept  at  this  post,  where  nearly  every  article  of  food 
required  by  families  can  be  procured  at  much  more  reasonable  rates  than  are  charged  by  the 
citizen  traders  in  Brownsville.  The  enlisted  men  purchase  small  articles  from  the  post  trader 
principally,  because  he  sells  to  them  on  credit,  and  they  pay  him  on  the  arrival  of  the  paymaster. 
But  few  articles  are  obtained  from  the  vicinity.  There  is  usually  a  supply  of  vegetables  in  the 
market  all  the  year  round ;  and.  for  12J  or  25  cents,  specie,  a  quantity  sufficient  for  a  family's  con- 
sumption  can  be  procured.  Irish  potatoes  are  very  scarce  and  dear— about  $9  a  barrel,  specie. 
The  climate  seems  to  be  very  unfavorable  for  their  preservation,  as  they  sweat  on  their  way  hither 
on  board  the  steamer,  and  soon  decay  and  spoil  after  their  arrival. 

Servants  can  hardly  be  procured  here  at  any  price ;  and  even  for  the  very  poor  class  we  are 
compelled  to  take  we  pay  from  $12  to  $20,  specie,  per  month. 

Last  spring  the  captains  of  the  three  infantry  companies  then  stationed  here  attempted  to 
start  a  company  garden,  and  for  that  purpose  each  of  them  fenced  in  about  three-quarters  of  an 
acre  of  ground  some  little  distance  from  the  hospital  building ;  various  vegetables — Irish  potatoes, 
string  beans,  tomatoes,  onions,  radishes,  turnips,  &c. — were  planted ;  but  the  season  was  very 
unfavorable,  being  very  dry,  and  notwithstanding  constant  irrigation,  a  very  small  crop  was  raised. 
There  is  no  hospital  garden. 

The  population  of  Brownsville  is  said  to  be  about  5,000 — one-third  Americans,  or  foreigners  of 
the  Anglo-Saxon  race;  the  remainder  are  Mexicans,  with  some  few  Spaniards  and  negroes.  The 
white  men  are  generally  employed  in  trade,  the  Mexicans  and  negroes  as  laborers.  The  country 
.around  Brownsville  is  very  sparsely  settled,  and  mostly  by  Mexicans  employed  in  "ranching"  and 
raising  cattle.  There  is,  also,  very  little  respect  for  human  life  or  property  outside  the  town — a 
very  small  amount  of  property  offering  an  irresistible  temptation  to  the  Mexicans  to  plunder  or 
kill.  There  is  very  considerable  smuggling  of  everything — dry-goods,  wines,  brandies,  cigars, 
&c. — going  on  from  Mexico,  notwithstanding  the  constant  vigilance  of  the  custom-house  authori- 
ties. 

The  Morgan  steamers,  carrying  the  United  States  mail,  are  supposed  to  arrive  at  Brazos  every 
alternate  Tuesday;  but  it  is  generally  every  alternate  Thursday,  or  perhaps  later;  should  the 
weather  be  unfavorable,  the  mail  is  then  brought  by  land  direct  to  Brownsville.  The  river  steamers 
pass  up  and  down  the  river  frequently,  carrying  freight  and  passengers.  One  of  these  steamers, 
also,  goes  up  twice  a  month  to  King-gold  Barracks.  A  private  telegraphic  wire  runs  to  Brazos  and 
Clarksville,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande.  There  is  no  telegraphic  communication  between 
Brazos  and  Corpus  Christi,  or  Indianola,  the  nearest  points  from  which  communications  can  be 
made  with  the  North.  We  cannot  have  a  letter  go  from  this  place  to  department  headquarters,  or 
to  Washington,  and  an  answer  received,  in  less  time  than  a  month.  A  mail  rider  leaves  here  every 
Monday,  carrying  the  mail  by  land  to  Corpus  Christi;  and  the  mail  from  that  place  reaches 
Brownsville  every  Thursday  evening.  Letters  leave  here  for  Ringgold  Barracks,  by  land,  every 
Monday,  and  arrive  every  Friday. 


KLMiGOU)  liAKRACKS,  TEXAS. 


213 


Statement  showing  matn  strength,  number  of  nick,  and  principal  dixcases  at  Fort  Brown,  Texas,  white 

troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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640 

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*  luvludf  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pufumouiu,  anil  i>lrtiruy. 


RINGGOLD  BARRACKS,  TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  H.  M.  CRONKHITE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Kinggokl  Barracks  is  situated  in  Starr  County,  Texas,  latitude  26°  23'  north,  longitude  08°  47' 
west  from  Greenwich,  with  an  elevation  of  121.9  feet  above  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  location  is  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  Kio  Grande,  which  at  this  point,  flowing  in  a  southeast  direction,  is  about 
200  yards  wide,  shallow,  and  impeded  by  sand-bars ;  navigable  for  20  miles  further  up,  and  of  an 
exceedingly  tortuous  course.  Kio  Grande  City,  a  town  containing  300  inhabitants,  is  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  river,  three-fourths  of  a  mile  northwest^from  the  post.  Brownsville,  Texas,  also  situ- 
ated on  the  left  bank  of  the  Kio  Grande,  is  125  miles  to  the  southeast.  Fort  Mclntosh  is  120  miles 
to  the  northwest,  at  the  town  of  Laredo,  Texas. 

For  the  protection  of  the  frontier,  a  temporary  camp  was,  in  1819,  established  near  the  present 
site  of  Itinggold  Barracks.  In  the  year  1850  the  location  now  occupied  was  selected  for  a  per- 
manent post,  and  the  erection  of  quarters  was  commenced.  From  1850  till  1859,  the  place  was 
garrisoned  by  United  States  troops.  After  its  abandonment,  in  1859,  Costina,  with  a  company  of 
Mexican  maurauders,  pillaged  the  adjoining  country  and  murdered  many  of  the  inhabitants.  For 
that  reason  a  detachment  of  United  States  soldiers  regarrisoned  Einggold  Barracks  in  the  same 
year,  and  the  occupation  was  continued  from  that  time  until  the  commencement  of  the  rebellion  in 
1SG1,  when  the  troops  were  again  withdrawn.  Since  the  termination  of  the  war  in  1865,  the  post 
has  been  garrisoned  by  the  military  forces  of  the  United  States.  The  reservation  here  is  in  the 
form  of  a  square,  extending  1,000  yards  along  the  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  the  same  distance 
at  right  angles  back  from  the  river.  It  is  above  the  extreme  limit  of  high  water;  generally  it  is 
level,  but  there  is  an  elevation  of  ground  near  the  southwest  corner,  upon  which  stands  the  building 
now  occupied  as  quarters  by  the  commanding  officer. 

Geologically  this  region  is  of  aqueous  formation.  Univalve  inollusea  are  found  in  the  recent 
tertiary  strata,  identical  with  those  which  now  inhabit  the  country,  feeding  upon  cactus  and 
mesquite ;  and  beds  of  oyster  shells  to  be  found  in  the  older  tertiary  strata  give  proof  of  marine 
action  during  a  more  remote  period.  In  its  general  configuration  the  surface  of  the  country  is  flat, 
but  there  are  hills  of  moderate  altitude  at  various  places  in  the  vicinity  of  the  river  covered  by,  and 
containing  in  their  interior,  pumice  and  siliceous  boulders,  which  have  evidently  been  transported 
by  water  from  distant  mountain  ranges.  Beautiful  specimens  of  agate  and  jasper  have  been  col- 
lected in  the  vicinity  of  Itinggold  Barracks.  The  soil  is  very  fertile,  but  the  long  droughts  to  which 
southern  Texas  is  liable  are  prejudicial  to  many  kinds  of  vegetables.  Maize  is  the  cereal  most 
cultivated,  and  it  constitutes  the  principal  food  'of  the  inhabitants  upon  this  border.  One  charac- 
teristic of  the  indigenous  vegetation  in  this  locality  is  the  abundance  of  many  species  of  the  cactus 
family.  The  acacias  are  represented  by  mesquite,  of  which  the  forests  here  are  principally  com- 
posed. Of  animals  the  most  conspicuous  are  the  antelope,  deer,  Mexican  lion,  wolf,  prairie  wolf, 
wild  cat,  peccary,  badger,  raccoon,  rabbit,  and  several  species  of  the  bat  tribe.  Of  birds  the  prin- 


214  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

cipal  are  the  eagle,  vulture,  turkey,  goose,  duck,  snipe,  quail,  crow,  blackbird,  turtle  dove,  mocking 
bird,  and  swallow.  The  rattlesnake  is  the  only  venomous  reptile.  There  are  many  innocuous 
species.  Catfish  are  caught  in  the  Rio  Grande ;  their  flesh  is  inferior  in  flavor.  There  are  no  fresh- 
water wells,  springs,  or  ponds. 

From  the  first  of  June  to  the  end  of  October  the  heat  is  extreme,  Fahrenheit's  thermometer  at 
midday  usually  indicating  100°  in  the  shade.  Occasionally  the  mercury  attains  a  height,  in  the 
shade,  of  110°  or  more.  The  prevailing  wind  during  the  summer  is  from  the  southeast.  In  winter 
there  are  occasional  frosts,  but  snow  is  rare.  From  November  to  May  northwest  winds,  popularly 
termed  "  northers,*'  prevail  at  irregular  periods.  The  usual  duration  of  a  norther  is  from  three  to 
five  days.  If  the  norther  is  accompanied  by  rain  the  weather  is  cold  and  disagreeable.  When  the 
northwest  wind  does  not  blow  the  climate  in  midwinter  is  warm  and  pleasant.  The  mean  annual 
temperature  is  about  73° ;  the  extremes  are  about  102°  and  29°  F. 

The  buildings  now  occupied  by  the  garrison  are  constructed  of  wood,  ill  adapted  to  the  pur- 
pose, and  liable  to  be  blown  over  by  the  first  heavy  gale.  There  is,  however,  in  process  of  con- 
struction, an  entire  new  set  of  quarters  for  officers  and  enlisted  men,  with  hospitals,  store-houses, 
and  all  other  buildings  necessary  for  the  use  of  the  garrison,  and  if  the  plan  now  pursued  in  the 
building  of  the  post  is  followed  to  completion,  there  will  be  little  room  for  improvement.  The 
buildings  are  to  be  of  brick.  The  guard-house  and  one  company  barrack  are  completed,  and  the 
hospital,  commanding  officer's  quarters,  four  other  buildings  for  officers'  quarters,  and  second  com- 
pany barrack,  are  far  advanced  toward  completion.  This  post  is  intended  to  accommodate  a  com- 
mand of  four  companies. 

Each  company  barrack  is  two  stories  high,  130  feet  long,  and  43  feet  wide,  inclusive  of  a  porch, 
9  feet  wide,  upon  Moorish  arches,  in  front  and  rear.  It  contains  on  the  first  floor  a  reading-room, 
wash-room,  dining-room,  squad  drill-room,  store-room,  and  a  room  for  the  first  sergeant.  The 
second  story  is  to  be  occupied  as  a  dormitory.  The  bunks  are  of  wood,  double,  and  in  two  tiers. 
The  company  kitchen  is  in  rear  of  the  main  building,  with  which  it  is  connected.  It  is  24  feet  long, 
and  18  feet  wide.  A  large  building,  divided  into  nine  compartments,  with  wash-shed  in  rear  of 
each,  will  be  erected  for  laundresses'  quarters. 

Officers'  quarters,  six  in  number,  are  each  54  feet  long,  40  feet  wide,  and  one  story  and  a  half 
in  height.  A  building  contains  quarters  for  three  officers,  a  captain  and  two  lieutenants.  It  has 
two  halls,  each  7  feet  wide,  running  through  the  center  from  front  to  rear.  By  the  halls  the  build- 
ings are  divided  into  halves.  Each  half  contains  two  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  and  two  on  the 
second.  Each  room  is  18  feet  square.  The  lower  rooms  are  12  feet  high,  and  the  upper  are  9  feet 
high.  In  the  rear  of  every  building  is  a  smaller  one,  the  roof  of  which  projects  and  connects  with 
the  main  structure.  It  contains  two  kitchens,  each  14  feet  long  by  10  feet  wide.  The  command- 
ing officer's  quarters  is  50  feet  long  by  40  feet  wide,  and  has  a  hall,  10  feet  wide,  running  through 
the  center  from  front  to  rear.  In  all  other  respects  it  resembles  a  building  for  officers'  quarters  as 
above  described.  It  will  be  ready  for  occupation  in  fifteen  days. 

The  guard-house  is  43  by  34  feet  and  one  story  high,  with  a  porch  in  front,  12  feet  wide,  resting 
upon  Moorish  arches.  It  has  a  guard-room,  20  by  1C  feet :  and  a  prisoners'  room  of  the  same  dimen- 
sions. It  contains  also  three  cells,  each  8  feet  long  and  4  feet  wide. 

The  hospital  is  190  feet  in  length,  and  has  a  porch,  12  feet  wide  and  !."»  feet  high,  upon  Moorish 
arches,  extending  around  the  building.  It  is  composed  of  a  central  administration  building  two 
stories  high,  and  of  two  wings,  each  one  story  high.  The  central  portion  has  a  capacity  of  .'>7.', 
by  36  feet,  exclusive  of  the  porch.  It  has  a  hall,  4  feet  wide,  running  length  wise  through  the  center. 
Each  wing  contains  a  ward,  40  feet  long,  25  feet  wide,  and  15  feet  high.  In  addition  to  this  it  con- 
tains a  matron's  room  and  a  store-room,  each  13i  feet  long  by  8  feet  wide.  The  hospital  kitchen 
is  20  feet  long,  14  feet  wide,  and  15  feet  high,  and  is  connected  with  the  porch  in  the  rear  of  the 
central  building.  The  post  bakery  is  43  by  33  feet,  and  contains  a  bake-room,  store  room,  and  a 
sleeping-room.  The  dimensions  of  the  other  buildings  to  be  erected  cannot  be  ascertained  at  pres- 
ent. There  is  ample  ventilation  in  those  which  have  been  described.  The  post  is  to  be  supplied 
with  earth-closets. 

For  drinking  and  cooking,  rain-water  will  be  supplied  from  brick  cisterns;  for  washing  and 
bathing,  water  will  be  obtained  from  the  Rio  Grande. 


FORT  McTNTOSH,  LAREDO,  TEXAS. 


215 


There  are  no  gardens  at  the  post,  and  it  is  almost  impossible  to  procure  fresh  vegetables. 

"Weekly  mails  are  received  from  Laredo,  Brownsville,  and  Corpus  Christi.  Mail  commiiniea 
tions  with  the  North  are  through  Brownsville  and  Corpus  Christi.  From  Brownsville  there  is  a  bi- 
monthly mail  to  New  Orleans,  Louisiana.  There  is  a  bi-weekly  mail  to  New  Orleans  from  Corpus 
Christi.  Mail  communications  with  Brownsville  are  sometimes  interrupted  by  the  overflowing  of 
the  Kio  Grande.  With  Corpus  Christi  they  are  always  regular.  The  average  time  occupied  by 
Idlers  in  transit  from  Washington  to  Ringgold  Barracks  is  fifteen  or  twenty  days. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country  are  mostly  Mexican. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  during  the  last  year  has  been  good.     The  diseases  are  priii 
cipally  of  malarial  origin,  and  most  prevalent  in  midsummer,  when  the  water  is  high  in  the  Rio 
Grande.    The  erection  of  suitable  privies  and  brick  cisterns  of  ample  capacity  will  very  much 
lessen  the  frequency  and  severity  of  the  typhoid  and  malarial  fevers,  diarrhoea,  and  dysentery, 
which  were  so  prevalent  among  the  troops  during  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1SG8. 

Statement  shoiclng  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  irhite  troops  al  Ringgold 

Barracks,  Texas,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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1869 

169.66 

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8 

214 

14 

1 

9 

6 

2 

6 

1 

Statement  allowing  mean  strength,  numler  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at 

Barracks,  Texas,  for  the  year  1868. 


1868,  (3  months). 


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173.  66 

162 

1 

59 

45 

2 

23 

10 

7 

I 

Include  larynjntif*.  bronchi  tin.  pneumonia,  and  jtlr- 


FORT  McINTOSH,  LAREDO,  TEXAS. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ACTIXO  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  HENRY  SI'OHN  AND  J.  E.  TALI.oN,  UNITED 

STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Mclutosh  is  located  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande,  latitude  27°  45'  north,  lon- 
gitude 99°  50'  west,  altitude  806  feet,  and  situated  near  the  town  of  Laredo,  Texas.  Ringgold  Bar- 
racks is  distant  118  miles,  Fort  Duncan  125  miles,  and  San  Antonio  180  miles.  The  nearest 
approach  by  railroad  is  to  Brenham,  350  miles  east  of  the  post. 

Laredo  is  the  oldest  settlement  on  this  frontier.  It  was  founded  in  1757  by  a  company  of 
Spaniards,  who  received  a  large  grant  of  land  from  the  Spanish  crown.  They  were  armed  occu- 
pants of  the  soil.  The  first  United  States  garrison  entered  the  town  in  1849,  at  the  clow  of  the 
Mexican  war,  and  Fort  Mclntosh  was  built  during  the  following  year.  In  185.S  the  post  was  aban- 
doned and  all  stores  were  removed  to  Fort  Brown.  Subsequently  the  fort  was  reoccupied  by  two 


216  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

companies  of  the  First  United  States  Infantry,  who  garrisoned  the  post  until  the  outbreak  of  the 
war.  In  1865,  a  company  of  the  Second  Texas  cavalry  held  the  post,  which  has  been  continuously 
occupied  until  the  present  time. 

"  The  plain  upon  which  the  post  is  placed,"  says  Assistant  Surgeon  Periu,  "  has  about  50  feet 
elevation  above  low  water  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  extends  from  the  river  at  this  point  about  two 
miles,  where  it  is  interrupted  by  a  low  range  of  hills  running  parallel  with  the  same.  The  soil  is 
of  a  loose,  sandy  character,  containing  a  small  portion  of  clay;  it  has  a  depth  of  from  15  to  30  feet, 
resting  upon  a  basis  of  cretaceous  limestone.  Coal  of  a  very  bituminous  character  is  found  in 
small  quantities  in  the  bank  of  the  river,  a  few  miles  above  the  post.  The  principal,  and  almost 
the  only  tree  to  be  seen,  is  the  mesquite.  Along  the  river  banks  may  occasionally  be  observed  the 
willow,  ash,  and  mulberry.  A  great  variety  of  the  family  of  the  cacti  grows  here ;  the  most  com- 
mon is  the  prickly-pear.  The  climate  is  mild.  The  seasons  may  be  considered  as  but  two — sum- 
mer and  winter.  The  summer  usually  commences  in  March  and  ends  in  November ;  a  high  tem- 
perature usually  prevails  during  this  period,  the  thermometer  ranging  between  75°  and  107°F.  in  the 
shade.  The  winters  are  very  mild,  except  during  the  prevalence  of  northers,  which  continue  from 
three  to  six  or  eight  days,  accompanied  usually  by  rain.  The  mean  annual  quantity  of  rain,  on  an 
average  of  three  years,  is  16.63  inches." 

Troops  stationed  at  this  post  have  been  quartered  either  in  Fort  Mclntosh,  about  one  mile  out- 
side of  the  town,  or  in  buildings  in  the  town  hired  for  the  purpose.  Buildings  for  anew  post  are 
in  course  of  erection,  though  the  plan  of  the  post  is  not  definitely  fixed  upon.  The  only  buildings 
completed  are  the  hospital,  post  bakery,  and  quartermaster's  store-house,  which,  together  with 
tents,  afford  shelter  for  the  command.  The  store-house,  built  of  sandstone,  is  used  as  quarters  for 
one  company.  A  new  frame  building  is  occupied  by  the  cavalry  troops. 

Officers  are  quartered  in  the  new  hospital  building,  which  is  substantially  built  of  sandstone, 
with  roofing  of  wood. 

The  building  is  136  by  40  feet,  one  story  high,  with  a  porch  extending  its  entire  length  both 
front  and  rear.  Halls  extending  through  the  building  divide  it  into  three  sections,  the  first  of 
which  contains  five  rooms,  varying  in  size  from  10  by  15  feet  to  15  feet  square;  the  second  or  middle 
section  contains  four  rooms,  divided  by  a  hall,  each  10  by  15  feet.  The  remaining  portion  of  the 
building  contains  the  ward,  40  by  25  fee*t — the  dispensary  and  bath-room  adjoining.  Each  room 
contains  an  open  fireplace  and  a  sufficient  number  of  windows  to  insure  perfect  ventilation.  At 
present  the  officers  occupy  the  smaller  rooms  of  the  building,  while  the  ward  is  converted  into  a 
headquarters.  There  are  no  water-closets  in  the  hospital,  in  lieu  of  which  pits  are  dug  at  conve- 
nient distances  from  the  building.  The  kitchen  is  a  detached  building  of  similar  material,  measuring 
15  by  20  feet,  placed  to  the  rear  of  the  hospital,  and  reached  by  a  hall  extending  from  the  porch  of 
the  latter. 

The  guard  and  prisoners  occupy  tents.  The  sick,  with  hospital  attendants,  are  accommodated 
in  an  old  stone  building  in  the  town.  Though  in  poor  repair  the  building  is  well  adapted  for  hos- 
pital purposes.  It  is  warmed  by  fireplaces,  and  well  lighted  and  ventilated.  The  ward  contains 
twelve  beds,  giving  250  cubic  feet  to  each.  Its  average  occupancy  is  one  patient. 

As  there  are  as  yet  no  stables  at  the  post,  horses  are  fastened  to  picket  lines  in  a  large  yard. 

The  post  is  supplied  with  water  from  the  Rio  Grande,  hauled  by  the  water-wagon  and  distrib- 
iited  to  the  entire  garrison.  The  population  of  the  town,  as  well  as  of  the  whole  Rio  Grande  frontier, 
obtain  water  for  all  purposes  from  this  source.  The  water,  no  doubt  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
river  in  its  upper  course  runs  through  a  large  bed  of  stratified  clay  and  other  cretaceous  matter,  is, 
even  in  its  purest  state,  contaminated  with  alkaline  salts,  such  as  chloride  of  sodium,  and  sulphate  and 
carbonate  of  lime,  which  give  it  a  slightly  brackish  taste.  In  the  fall  and  spring  of  the  year  the 
river  water  becomes  so  muddy  as  to  form  nearly  a  paste,  and  only  after  continued  filtration  is  it 
comparatively  fit  for  domestic  use.  This  change  is  effected  by  the  steady  and  heavy  rains  which 
commence  to  fall  in  August  and  the  subsequent  fall  months  of  the  year.  'During  that  season  the 
river  rises  immensely.  Tributaries,  which  for  the  most  part  of  the  year  have  been  without  water, 
become  powerful  rivers,  filling  the  bed  of  the  Rio  Grande  with  muddy  water. 

But  little  drainage  or  sewerage  is  required  on  account  of  the  dryness  of  the  climate. 

There  are  no  means  of  communication  except  by  government  trains  and  horseback.    The  mails 


FORT  DUNCAN,  TEXAS. 


217 


are  irregular  and  liable  to  interruption  from  floods  and  Indians.  Tlie  mail  contract  is  for  once  a 
week,  but  it  is  often  delayed  two  or  three  weeks.  The  length  of  time  required  for  a  letter  to  go  to 
department  headquarters  is  from  ten  days  to  three  weeks.  The  inhabitants  are  chiefly  Mexicans 
and  mixed  breeds. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  command  has  been  excellent.    The  prevailing  diseases  during  the 
past  year  were  acute  diarrhosa  and  dysentery,  probably  caused  by  defective  diet  and  dissipation. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  siclc,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Hclntosh,  Texas,  for 

the  year  18C9. 


• 

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9 

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£ 

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Year. 

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1 

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1869,  (10  months)  

127.4 

350 

97 

69 

17 

16 

17 

*  Include  laryngitis,  broncliitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  DUNCAN,  TEXAS. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  G.  C.  DOUGLASS,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Duncan  is  situated  in  Maverick  County,  Texas,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Kio  Grande,  and 
about  650  miles  from  its  mouth ;  latitude  28°  50'  north,  longitude  100°  30'  west.  It  is  south  of, 
and  adjoining,  the  town  of  Eagle  Pass,  directly  opposite  the  town  of  Piedras  Negras,  Mexico,  40 
miles  south  of  Fort  Clark,  and  150  miles  southwest  of  San  Antonio.  A  range  of  low  hills,  with 
abrupt  bluffs  or  spurs  projecting  toward  the  river,  lie  about  a  mile  to  the  eastward.  These  hills 
rise  to  a  height  of  80  feet,  and  abound  in  detached  masses  of  sandstone,  which  are  suitable  for 
building  purposes,  and  from  which  most  of  the  buildings  at  the  post  have  been  constructed. 

There  is  no  reservation,  the  government  having  a  lease  of  about  GOO  acres  of  land  upon  which 
the  post  is  situated,  and  of  another  tract  of  about  2,000  acres,  lying  along  the  river  north  of  Eagle 
Pass.  This  last  tract  is  leased  with  the  privilege  of  cutting  timber,  quarrying  rock,  and  mining 
coal.  Coal  is  not  known  to  exist  on  this  tract,  but  its  presence  is  inferred  from  the  fact  that  sur- 
face coal  of  tolerable  quality  has  been  found  on  neighboring  land.  The  soil  is  sandy,  and  not 
fertile. 

This  post  was  first  occupied  in  1849,  was  abandoned  in  1SG1,  and  reoccupied  by  the  United 
States  in  1868.  It  was  occupied  by  the  -rebel  forces  during  the  war,  and  the  buildings  were  all 
more  or  less  injured  or  destroyed.  It  was  originally  intended  for  a  two-company  post,  and  the 
buildings  are  now  much  crowded,  four  companies  being  present.  A  part  of  the  men  are  in  tents. 

The  buildings  are  of  stone  and  adobe.  The  dormitories  for  enlisted  men  measure  76  by  30  by  18 
feet,  each  being  intended  for  one  company.  They  are  warmed  by  fireplaces  and  ventilated  by 
openings  at  the  eaves.  The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  two  stone  and  one  adobe  buildings. 

The  guard-house  is  of  stone,  47J  by  22£  feet,  and  10  feet  high  to  the  eaves.  It  is  divided  into 
three  rooms,  which  are  not  ceiled.  The  average  number  of  prisoners  is  19.  The  building  is  too 
small,  and  not  properly  lighted  or  ventilated. 

The  hospital  is  a  one-story  stone  building,  84  by  25  feet,  and  14  feet  high,  surrounded  by  a 
porch,  14  feet  wide.  It  is  warmed  by  fireplaces,  and  has  no  provision  for  ventilation.  The  ward 
measures  40  by  25  by  12  feet,  and  contains  12  beds,  the  average  occupancy  being  4.  One  end  of 
the  building  is  occupied  as  quarters  by  the  post  surgeon.  There  is  no  bath  or  wash-room.  Water 
is  kept  in  barrels,  supplied  by  water-wagons. 

The  post  library  contains  about  200  volumes  of  a  miscellaneous  character. 
28 


218 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Water  for  the  use  of  the  garrison  is  obtained  almost  entirely  from  the  river.  The  natural 
drainage  is  good. 

San  Antonio  is  the  nearest  city  of  any  size.  Communication  with  it  is  effected  semi-weekly 
by  stage.  The  town  of  Eagle  Pass  contains  about  1,500  inhabitants.  There  is  a  camp  of  80  Seui- 
inoles  attached  to  the  post. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sic!;,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Duncan,  Texas,  col- 
ored troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


b 

A 

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=    * 

£ 
» 
P 

S    . 
b 

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A 

Years. 

Mean  stren 

£•       X 

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Diarrhoea 

dvsente 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  di 

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6 
£ 

1868,  (9  mouths) 

197.44 

259 

47 

100 

3 

17 

5 

22 

2         16 

1869  

126.5 

249 

23 

58 

3 

15 

26 

(j         23 

1 

1 

*  luclude  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  CLARK,  TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  DONALD  JACKSON,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  JULY  20,  1870. 

Fort  Clark,  Texas,  is  situated  in  Kinney  County,  in  latitude  29°  17'  north,  longitude  100°  25', 
west,  at  an  approximate  elevation  of  1,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  It  is  125  miles  west  of 
San  Antonio,  and  about  45  miles  north  of  Fort  Duncan,  at  Eagle  Pass,  on  the  Rio  Grande. 

The  site  of  the  post  is  a  rocky  ridge  of  limestone,  embraced  in  a  curve  of  Las  Moras  Greek 
at  its  head,  the  post  being  about  400  yards  south  of  the  Las  Moras  Spring,  from  which  the  creek 
takes  its  rise.  There  is,  west  of  the  post,  at  the  San  Felipe  Creek  and  Bio  Grande,  30  miles 
distant  on  the  El  Paso  and  San  Antonio  road,  a  small  settlement  containing  about  a  dozen  families. 
There  are  but  few  settlers  in  the  county;  they  are  scattered  along  the  Rio  Grande  and  Nueces  River. 
From  the  spring  the  Las  Moras  takes  an  easterly  direction,  curving  south,  then  west,  and  keeping 
this  general  direction  until  it  reaches  the  Rio  Grande,  distant  about  18  miles.  The  government 
reservation  extends  from  the  spring  down  the  creek  about  8  miles,  for  which  distance  the  creek  is 
skirted  with  a  belt  of  heavy  timbered  land,  varying  in  width  from  a  few  yards  to  70  or  80  rods. 

This  bottom  land  is  very  fertile,  and  about  500  acres  are  susceptible  of  irrigation;  but  a  great 
part  of  this  is  liable  to  overflow  during  the  summer  freshets,  greatly  diminishing  the  value  of  the 
land  in  an  agricultural  point  of  view.  Brackettsville,  (or  Bracketts  City,)  a  small  village  contain- 
ing about  thirty  families,  is  situated  between  the  reservation  and  the  El  Paso  road. 

This  post  was  established  in  1852,  with  a  view  of  protecting  the  southwest  frontier  against 
depredations  by  Mexicans  and  Indians,  as  well  as  for  the  protection  of  the  road.  Since  the  reoccu- 
patiou  of  the  post  in  1866,  (it  having  been  abandoned  in  1861,)  the  Indians  operating  in  this  region 
have  been  the  Lipan  and  Kickapoo  tribes,  whose  homes  are  in  Mexico.  The  military  operations 
have  been,  therefore,  comparatively  futile,  as  but  little  injury  can  be  done  to  Indians  unless  their 
homes  are  reached ;  however,  on  several  occasions  they  have  been  known  to  reside  on  the  Pecos 
Eiver,  in  this  State.  While  there,  in  1867,  Captain  Wilcox,  Fourth  Cavalry,  succeeded  in  driving 
them  from  their  encampment,  whence  they  had  been  operating  successfully  against  mail  parties 
and  others.  In  1869,  Major  J.  M.  Brown,  Ninth  Cavalry,  succeeded  in  completely  routing  the  Lipans 
from  the  Lower  Pecos. 

The  land  included  in  what  is  called  the  reservation  belongs  to  a  citizen  of  San  Antonio,  who 
owns  nearly  all  the  land  on  the  Las  Moras.  The  first  survey  of  the  reservation  included  the  spring, 
and  is  one  mile  square;  the  other  surveys  vary  in  size  and  shape,  so  as  to  include  the  creek  with  all 
the  arable  and  timbered  land  on  it  for  a  distance  of  eight  miles  from  its  source.  I  believe  the 


FORT  CLARK,  TEXAS.  219 

lease  on  which  the  government  holds  this  property  expires  in  1872.  The  land  on  the  reservation 
is  gently  rolling  or  level,  and  generally  well  timbered  with  mesquite  or  post  oak.  Along  the  river 
bottom  the  timber  is  pecan,  live  oak,  and  elm. 

The  land  lying  from  southeast  to  southwest  of  the  post  for  the  most  part  is  low  and  gently 
undulating,  and  the  flats  well  covered  with  mesquite,  while  that  from  northwest  to  northeast  is  high 
and  rocky,  with  but  little  timber,  except  on  the  banks  of  streams.  On  the  north  the  highlands 
dividing  this  scope  of  country  from  the  Xueces  bound  the  view,"  while  on  the  east  and  southeast 
is  seen,  some  20  miles  distant,  what  is  called  the  Turkey  Creek  range  of  mountains,  ridges  of  from 
100  to  200  feet  iu  height.  The  Las  Moras,  Piedro  Pinto,  Elm  Creek,  and  Turkey  Creek  ranges  of 
mountains  are  all  elevations  of  from  100  to  200  feet  in  height,  and  from  one-half  to  one  mile  in 
circumference,  all  visible  and  within  20  miles  of  the  post;  they  are  all  on  this  side  of  the  Nueces 
"Divide,"  and  are  near  the  sources  of  the  streams  from  which  they  receive  their  names.  A  range 
of  mountains  in  Mexico  is  seen,  iu  clear  weather,  west  of  this  place;  they  are  upwards  of  100  miles 
distant,  and  extend  parallel  to  the  Rio  Grande  and  to  a  point  opposite  to  the  mouth  of  the  San 
Felipe  Creek. 

In  the  greater  portion  of  this  section  of  country  limestone  forms  the  surface.   In  the  flats  and 
valleys  the  soil,  which  is  calcareous  mixed  with  vegetable  mold,  is  exceedingly  productive  in  grass 
and  timber,  and  in  wet  seasons,  or  when  susceptible  of  irrigation,  produces  excellent  sweet  potatoes 
beans,  onions,  com,  cotton,  and  sugar.    The  latter  are  cultivated  at  the  San  Felipe  settlement,  30 
miles  west  of  this. 

Beds  of  bitumen  are  found  on  the  Nueces.  probably  of  little  or  no  value.  Grass  is  abundant, 
and  the  country  is  adapted  to  stock-raising  only.  Along  some  of  the  streams,  such  as  the  Rio  Frio, 
Nueces,  &c.,  are  to  be  found,  though  not  very  plentifully,  cypress,  walnut,  oak,  elm,  sycamore, 
mulberry,  willow,  and  pecan.  Iu  the  region  of  the  Nueces  and  the  mountain  regions  cedar  grows 
abundantly.  Prairie  flats  are  usually  covered  with  mesquite,  or  post  oak.  Large  quantities  of  mul. 
berry  timber  is  to  be  found  below  the  reservation  along  the  Las  Moras.  The  cactus  is  in  great 
variety,  and  abundant  throughout  the  barrens  and  higher  regions. 

The  principal  wild  animals  are  the  wolf,  black  bear,  panther,  wild  cat,  lynx,  leopard,  lion,  gopher, 
red  squirrel,  raccoon,  polecat,  civet  cat,  red  deer,  and  antelope.  Buffalo  rarely  come  down  this  far. 
Wild  turkey,  duck,  grouse,  plover,  &c.,  are  found,  and  all  the  streams  have  abundance  of  fish — 
trout,  sunflsh,  bass,  catfish,  and  buffalo. 

All  the  rivers  and  creeks  iu  this  vicinity  contain  good  water,  originating  from  mountain  springs ; 
the  most  famous  in  this  section,  and,  I  believe,  the  largest  in  Texas,  being  the  San  Felipe  Spring,  30 
miles  west  of  this.  The  Las  Moras  Spring,  about  400  yards  north  of  the  post,  is  a  sort  of  pon  d 
about  one-eighth  of  an  acre  in  area,  from  which  issues  the  Las  Moras  Creek,  a  rather  sluggish 
stream,  having  an  average  breadth  for  the  first  mile  of  about  20  yards;  for  the  rest  of  its  course  its 
breadth  is  6  yards;  depth  from  3  to  4  feet,  with  marshy  banks. 

When  this  section  of  country  was  first  occupied  by  United  States  troops  the  rivers  were  much 
higher  than  at  present;  the  period  of  time  from  1858  to  1868  was  considered  exceedingly  dry.  In 
18C6,  when  I  came  to  this  post,  there  was  but  one  (medium)  running  stream  crossing  the  road  from 
San  Antonio  to  this  place;  (Las  Moras  does  not  cross  the  road.)  The  San  Felipe  alone  continued 
to  run  an  abundant  stream  to  the  Rio  Grande  from  its  source.  In  1865  the  Las  Moras  was  dry 
eight  miles  below  here,  and  it  was  generally  believed  the  whole  country  would  become  uninhabit- 
able. In  1868  rain  was  more  abundant.  In  1869  all  the  streams,  from  the  Devil's  River,  40  miles 
west  of  this,  to  San  Antonio,  again  commenced  to  flow  from  long  dried  up  springs,  and  nearly  all 
have  since  continued  to  run.  Last  season  rain,  during  summer  and  spring,  was  so  constant  and 
abundant  that  corn  was  raised  in  abundance ;  this  year  only  that  irrigated,  or  in  very  low  bottoms, 
will  be  of  any  use.  The  mean  temperature  of  the  Las  Moras  Spring  is  73.50°  F. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  at  this  post  during  the  year  ending  June  30,  1870,  was  07°;  wet 
bulb,  63.45°  F.  Lowest  mean  monthly  temperature,  December,  48.64°  F. ;  highest,  August,  82.87°  F- 
The  lowest  extreme  was  26°,  at  7  a.  m.,  December  20;  the  highest  97°,  on  August  9,  at  2  p.  m.  The 
rain-fall  during  the  year  ending  June  30,  1870,  was  2:5.87  inches.  It  usually  snows  on  three  days 
of  each  year. 

The  prevailing  winds  at  this  post  are  east-southeast.     Excepting  just  preceding  a  "norther," 


220  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

the  wind  does  not  vary.  When  it  varies  in  force  and  direction,  it  is  always  the  premonition  of  a 
"norther,"  which  occurs  about  once  every  ten  days  during  the  winter  season,  i.  c.,  from  the  begin- 
ning- of  November  to  the  end  of  March.  During  these  northers  the  wind  usually  blows  with  great 
violence  from  the  northwest,  north,  or  northeast,  but  most  severely  from  the  northwest,  during 
which  it  is  impossible  to  travel  over  the  plains ;  in  summer  they  are  less  frequent  and  not  so  vio- 
lent. 

The  seasons  are  usually  divided  into  "  wet"  and  "  dry,"  or  summer  and  winter,  the  former  com. 
ineucing  in  April  and  ending  in  October,  and  consequently'  the  dry  or  winter  months  being  Novem- 
ber, December,  January,  February,  and  March. 

There  is  no  fort  proper.  The  post  is  built  in  a  quadrangle,  one  of  whose  sides,  the  northeast, 
runs  nearly  parallel  to  the  Las  Moras  Creek,  from  which  it  is  distant  from  75  to  100  yards,  and  on 
an  elevated  ridge  of  nearly  bare  limestone  rock,  40  or  50  feet  above  the  level  of  the  creek. 

Two  buildings  were  erected  last  year  for  barracks,  but  are  not  yet  quite  completed;  each 
measures  120  by  20  by  15  feet  clear;  they  are  of  limestone  rock,  and  have  square  gable  roofs,  which 
are  shingled.  In  the  front  of  each'  are  three  doors  and  two  windows ;  on  one  end  of  each  is  one 
window,  and  in  the  rear  three  windows  and  one  double  door.  From  one  end  of  each  is  set  off  a 
space  of  20  feet,  which  is  again  divided  into  two  rooms — the  front,  the  first  sergeant's;  the  rear,  the 
commissary  and  quartermaster  sergeants'  store-room.  The  first  sergeant's  room  has  a  door  in  front, 
a  window  in  the  end,  and  a  door  leading  iute  the  men's  quarters.  In  the  rear  room  there  is  a  win- 
dow in  the  rear  and  a  door  leading  into  the  general  quarters ;  there  is  also  a  neat  fireplace  in  each 
of  these  rooms. 

In  the  general  barrack-room,  which  is  100  by  20  feet,  there  are  two  doors  and  two  windows  in 
front,  and  one  double  door  and  two  windows  in  the  rear,  with  a  large  fireplace  at  each  end.  Ven- 
tilation is  secured  through  the  gable  and  ridge.  To  a  company  of  80  men  this  would  give  450  cubic 
feet  air  space  per  man.  There  are  no  wash  or  bath-rooms.  Bedsteads  are  arranged  in  tiers,  each 
GTS  ky  2y§  feet.  There  is  a  gun-rack  at  one  end  and  two  shelves  at  the  other,  near  the  wall. 
These  beds  are  placed  at  right  angles  to  the  wall,  or  across  the  barrack,  in  two  rows.  15edsacks 
are  filled  with  hay.  Ordinarily  each  man  has  two  blankets,  of  tolerably  good  quality. 

The  water-closets  are  of  a  temporary  nature,  built  of  wood,  situated  about  150  yards  from  the 
barracks. 

A  kitchen  and  mess-room  of  stockade,  and  shingled,  has  been  erected  for  one  of  the  barracks  ; 
it  is  in  the  rear  of  and  parallel  to  the  latter;  has  one  double  door  and  three  windows  in  front,  and 
one  door  in  the  rear,  with  fireplace  in  one  end ;  it  has  no  fixtures  as  yet.  There  is  also  used  as  a 
kitchen  and  mess-room  for  one  company,  a  stockade  grass-covered  building,  formerly  used  as 
traders'  store ;  it  is  situated  some  150  yards  from  the  barracks.  The  barracks  are  on  the  southeast 
side  of  the  post.  Married  soldiers  and  laundresses  are  provided  with  small  tents. 

There  are  five  buildings  at  present  used  as  officers'  quarters ;  three  on  the  northwest  side, 
framed,  grass-covered,  square  or  gabled-roofed  buildings.  The  space  between  the  posts  of  the 
frame  are  filled  with  light  logs,  lying  horizontally,  and  fitting  into  grooves  in  the  post ;  they  were 
put  up  in  1854-'55,  and  are  18  by  50  by  10  feet.  In  each  end  is  a  room,  18  by  20  feet,  with  fireplace, 
two  windows,  and  a  door  opening  into  a  hall  between  these  rooms,  which  is  open,  except  in  one  of 
these  buildings ;  there  are  also  dilapidated  portions  of  porches  in  front,  and  old  stockade  kitchens 
in  the  rear.  All  the  kitchens  are  shingled.  These  buildings  are  all  leaky  and  generally  in  very  bad 
condition.  On  the  southwest  side  of  the  rectangle  are  two  stone  buildings,  with  shingled  roofs; 
one  built  in  1857,  the  other  just  completed ;  the  latter,  now  occupied  as  headquarters,  is  intended 
for  two  sets  of  quarters — dimensions  50  by  37£  by  12  feet.  It  has  two  halls,  C  feet  wide,  through 
the  center.  The  front  room  in  each  set  is  18  by  18  feet ;  each  has  one  fireplace,  two  windows  in 
front,  and  one  in  the  end,  and  each  communicates  both  with  the  hall  and  the  room  in  the  rear.  The 
latter  are  not  quite  so  large.  In  each  there  is  also  a  fireplace  and  two  windows,  with  door  opening 
into  the  hall.  From  one  side,  or  set  of  quarters  in  this  building,  there  extends  a  stone  building, 
shed  roof,  shingled,  30  by  12  feet,  divided  into  three  equal  apartments,  the  one  adjoining  the  main 
building  communicating  with  it  by  a  door  and  window  ;  one  used  as  dining-room,  another  as  kitchen, 
and  the  third  as  servants'  room. 

The  building  formerly  used  as  headquarters  is  40  by  50  feet,  12  feet  high,  with  shingled  roof,  a 


FORT  CLARK,  TEXAS. 


221 


porch  both  in  front  and  rear,  12  feet  deep ;  a  hall,  8  feet  wide,  through  the  center,  and  two  capacious 
rooms  on  either  side  opening  into  it.  Each  room  is  about  -0  by  20  feet.  The  front  rooms  have  two 
windows  in  front  and  one  in  the  end,  with  fireplace  in  cadi;  the  rear  rooms  have  fireplaces,  one 
window  in  end  and  one  in  rear.  Extending  fromoue  side  or  one  set  of  these  rooms,  is  a  stone  building, 
shingled  and  shed-roofed,  30  by  12  feet,  divided  into  three  equal  apartments  for  dining-room, 
kitchen,  and  servants'  room.  In  the  rear  of  the  other  set  of  rooms,  but  not  connected,  is  a  stockade 
shingled  building,  used  as  kitchen  and  servants'  quarters.  The  new  building  was  designed  for  two 
sets  of  officers'  quarters.  The  set  with  the  dining-room,  kitchen,  and  servants'  room  is  at  present 
occupied  by  the  commanding  officer.  The  old  stone  building  was  designed,  I  believe,  for  one  set  of 
quarters  only,  but  is  now  intended  for  two  sets,  though  not  very  well  adapted  for  this,  as  there  is 
but  one  hall.  The  double  hall  style  of  building,  like  the  new  quarters,  is  not  well  adapted  for  this 
climate,  as  the  wind  in  the  warm  season  invariably  blows  from  the  same  direction,  southeast  or 
east ;  unless  the  building  fronts  toward  the  east  or  southeast,  one  set  of  quarters  must  be  effectually 
shut  off  from  the  direct  breeze. 

Except  the  commanding  officer,  who  has  two  rooms,  no  officer  has  at  present  more  than  one, 
exclusive  of  kitchen.  The  officers  and  men  not  provided  with  quarters  occupy  tents. 

The  privies  are  placed  in  the  rear  of  the  officers'  quarters,  at  a  distance  of  fifty  yards,  and  are  pro- 
vided with  portable  boxes.  There  are  no  bath-rooms.  Water  is  supplied  from  the  spring  by  a  wagon. 

The  adjutant's  office  at  present  is  a  hospital  tent;  the  offices  of  the  acting  commissary  of  sub- 
sistence and  acting  assistant  quartermaster  are  in  the  second  story  of  the  commissary  and  quarter- 
master store-house. 

The  principal  building  used  as  store-house  is  on  the  northeast  side  of  the  quadrangle ;  it  was 
built  in  1855,  of  stone,  with  shingled  roof,  two  stories,  56  by  30  by  19  feet.  The  lower  story  has  two 
windows  and  one  door  in  front,  and  one  door  in  each  end ;  it  is  used  exclusively  as  the  commissary 
store-house.  An  addition  is  built  of  stone,  with  shingled  shed  roof  to  the  rear,  and  extending 
around  each  end  to  near  the  end  doors,  16  feet  wide  ;  this  is  used  as  corn-room  and  carpenter  shop. 
The  upper  story  of  this  building  is  used  as  quartermaster's  store-house,  and  one  room  set  off  in  front 
for  the  offices  of  the  acting  commissary  of  subsistence  and  acting  assistant  quartermaster.  Next 
the  store-house,  on  the  same  line,  is  an  old  stockade,  shingled-roofed  building,  16  by  30  feet,  used 
also  as  quartermaster's  store-house  and  harness  shop. 

The  guard-house  is  a  substantial  stone  building,  placed  on  the  northeast  side  of  the  quadran- 
gle, outside  the  line,  and  near  the  eastern  extremity.  It  measures  19  by  51  by  14  feet,  and  contains 
two  rooms  and  four  cells,  for  the  arrangement  of  which  see  Figure  24. 

C,  cells,  3 by  8  feet;  G,  guard-room,  18  by  18  feet;  H,  corridor,  9 
by  18  feet;  P,  prison-room,  15  by  18  feet. 

The  cells  open  by  grated  doors  into  the  corridor,  which  opens  on 
the  front  of  the  building.  There  is  also  a  grated  door  between  the 
guard-room  and  prison.  The  cells  and  prison-room  are  ventilated  and 
lighted  through  grated  holes  high  up  in  the  wall,  which  are  entirely  too 
small,  admitting  an  inadequate  supply  of  air  and  light, 
these  cells  or  the  general  prisoners'  room. 

The  hospital  is  built  at  the  north  angle  of  the  post,  on  the  northwest  side;  it  is  a  substantial 
stone  building,  with  shingled  roof;  outside  dimensions,  81  by  28  feet,  with  walls  13  feet  high,  and 
porches,  12  feet  deep,  all  around;  it  was 
built  in  1850,  and  is  now  very  much  out  of 
repair.  In  each  end  is  set  off  a  ward,  with 
fireplaces,  doors  in  front  and  rear,  two  win- 
dows on  the  end,  and  two  on  each  side. 
The  arrangement  of  the  hospital  may  be 
seen  by  reference  to  Figure  25. 

A,  ward,  25  by  25  feet;  U,  dispensary; 
E,  steward's  quarters,  9  by  12  feet ;  K,  kit- 
chen and  dining-room ;  S,  store-room,  9  by 
12  feet ;  P,  porch.  Fi.,m,.  ..,.-,. 


J  . 

j-f 

!..£_. 

• 

Figure  al 
There  are  no  direct  means  o!  heating 


' 

A 

—  4  ° 

K 

s   1 

1.         1 

P 

222  DESCBIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  dispensary  is  the  only  ceiled  room  in  the  building,  and  contains  the  usual  shelving,  the 
drawers  having  been  taken  out  during  the  rebellion  and  never  replaced.  To  the  rear  of  the  hospi- 
tal, at  a  distance  of  a  few  feet,  is  a  stone  building,  18  by  24  feet,  now  used  as  a  store-room,  but  for- 
merly designed  for  a  kitchen.  Only  one  ward  is  used  as  such,  the  other  being  in  use  as  kitchen 
and  dining-room.  The  ward  occupied  contains  twelve  beds,  and  gives  1,200  cubic  feet  air  space  to 
each  man.  There  is  a  temporary  bath-room  arranged  on  the  porch,  but  no  wash-room.  A  privy  is 
situated  50  yards  in  the  rear  of  the  hospital ;  it  is  provided  with  portable  boxes.  A  dead-house,  G 
by  9  feet,  in  bail  repair,  is  also  located  in  the  rear  of  the  hospital. 

The  hospital  requires  a  new  roof,  new  joists  under  the  porch,  a  few  doors,  and  other  general 
repairs.  The  baggage  of  patients  is  stored  in  the  general  store-room.  There  is  abundance  of  room 
in  the  hospital  for  all  legitimate  purposes  if  properly  divided.  There  is  also  a  good  cellar  under- 
neath. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  substantial  stone  building  on  the  northeast  side,  25  by  19  by  9  feet,  with 
shingled  roof.  In  its  rear  is  an  oven  capable  of  baking  at  one  time  300  rations.  There  is  neither 
chapel,  laundry,  nor  school-house  at  this  post. 

The  stable  was  formerly  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  creek  in  the  rear  of  the  commissary  and 
quartermaster's  store-house,  being  a  stockade  shingle-roofed  shed.  It  is  very  much  dilapidated,  and 
used  at  present  as  quartermaster's  corral.  A  new  stable,  200  by  30  feet,  of  boards,  with  shingle  roof, 
has  been  lately  finished,  situated  100  yards  in  the  rear  of  the  new  barracks.  It  is  divided  into  two 
rows  of  stalls,  10  feet  wide,  has  a  door  on  either  end,  12  feet  wide,  an  air  hole,  8  by  12  inches,  opposite 
each  horse,  and  a  corn-room,  8  by  20  feet,  in  one  corner. 

The  regimental  library  of  the  Twenty-fifth  Infantry  is  kept  at  present  by  the  regimental  adju- 
tant, boxed  in  his  office.  It  containes  900  volumes.  The  post  library  at  present  consists  of  184 
volumes,  kept  in  the  quarters  of  the  post  treasurer.  The  books  are  generally  in  good  condition. 

The  water  supply  of  the  post  is  obtained  from  the  spring  a  few  hundred  yards  distant,  and  dis- 
tributed by  means  of  a  water-tank  on  a  wagon.  At  the  commissary's  and  quartermaster's  store- 
houses and  hospital  water  is  stored  in  barrels;  those  of  the  hospital  sunk  in  the  ground.  The  water 
supplied  by  this  means  is  abundant  for  all  culinary  and  other  ordinary  purposes;  it  is  slightly  im- 
pregnated with  lime,  but  answers  very  well  for  washing  purposes. 

There  are  no  special  arrangements  for  extinguishing  fire  except  at  the  hospital,  quartermaster's 
and  commissary  store-house,  where  water  and  buckets  are  kept  in  readiness. 

The  post  being  on  a  limestone  ledge  with  not  more  than  an  inch  or  two  of  soil,  and  some  40  or 
50  feet  above  the  level  of  the  creek,  and  embraced  in  a  curve  of  the  same,  it  is  evident  that  the 
natural  drainage  itself  is  ample ;  offal,  slops,  and  excreta  are  carted  off  some  distance  to  leeward 
of  the  post  and  dumped  out  on  the  prairie.  There  are  no  special  arrangements  for  bathing;  shel- 
tered and  secluded  spots  along  the  creek  are  usually  selected,  both  in  summer  and  winter,  for  this 
purpose. 

The  cemetery  is  located  south  of  the  post  about  200  yards,  near  the  creek;  it  is  unfenced. 

The  garden  this  season  has  been  an  entire  failure,  as  the  frost  in  the  early  part  of  the  seasoii 
destroyed  the  early  vegetables.  Scarcity  of  labor,  as  the  men  were  busy  working  at  the  buildings, 
was  another  cause  of  failure.  Fresh  vegetables  sell  at  almost  fabulous  prices,  and,  except  onions, 
which  are  brought  from  Mexico,  are  very  scarce. 

Medical  supplies  are  at  present  obtained  from  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  semi-annually. 

Communication  may  be  made  with  San  Antonio,  Texas,  by  stage  twice  a  week,  liable  in  the 
wet  season  to  interruption  from  floods,  which  occur  about  half  a  dozen  times  a  year.  After  leav- 
ing the  post  a  letter  usually  reaches  department  headquarters  at  Austin  in  three  to  four  days,  and 
Washington  in  from  ten  to  twelve  days. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country  are  principally  Mexicans  of  the  most  worthless 
class.  They  subsist  by  performing  the  work  required  around  the  post,  such  as  cutting  wood  and 
hay,  and  many  of  them  have  no  visible  means  of  support.  There  are  a  few  industrious  and  ener- 
getic stock  raisers  in  the  country  who  thrive  well,  notwithstanding  Indians  and  others  are  con- 
stantly committing  depredations  on  their  herds. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  has  been  excellent  during  the  year,  the  prevailing  diseases 
being  malarial,  chiefly  in  the  form  of  intermittent  fevers  of  a  mild  type.  Pulmonary  diseases  or 


FOI1T  STOCKTON,  TEXAS. 


223 


rheumatism  are  rarely  met  with  unless  in  persons  predisposed  by  previous  condition.  The  climate 
is  favorable  to  both  of  these  diseases.  Bowel  diseases  are  not  uncommon,  and  are  chiefly  of 
malarial  origin.  During  the  late  dry  season  malarial  diseases  were  very  prevalent. 

Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  side,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Clark,  Texas,  colored 

tfoops,  for  the  years  1808  and  18C9. 


S 

•a 

i 

. 

A 

£ 

a 
a     . 

*g 

9D 

to 

b 

I 

5 

5 

Years. 

Mean  strei 

Whole  n 
taken  sic 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrhoea 
(lysentc 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  <li 

Q 

02 

Rlu'iunatis 

PhtliiM*. 

Calarrlml 

tioiis. 

1 

o 

1 

1868,  (9  months).... 

227.55 

238 

-39 

38 

6 

10 

12 

14 

6 

7 

5 

1869  

150 

148 

28 

40 

6 

12 

2 

9 

3 

7 

4 

•Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia, and  pleurisy. 


FORT  STOCKTON,  TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  P.  J.  A.  CLEARY,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Stockton,  Texas,  is  situated  on  Comanche  Creek,  on  the  line  of  the  great  Comanche  trail, 
latitude  30°  50'  north,  longitude  102°  35'  west  from  Greenwich,  with  an  elevation  of  4,950  feet  above 
sea  level.  It  is  on  a  line  of  travel  across  a  vast  dry  and  barren  prairie,  far  removed  from  any  city 
or  town,  and  is  35  miles  southwest  from  the  nearest  river,  the  Pecos,  and  50  uiiles  north  of  the 
nearest  mountains,  a  continuation  of  the  Guadalupe  chain,  which  runs  in  a  southeast  direction  to 
the  Rio  Grande.  The  nearest  post  is  Fort  Davis,  74  miles  southwest.  Fort  Concho  is  170  miles 
east-northeast,  Fort  Clark  lies  266  miles  southeast,  and  Fort  Quitman  202  miles  west-southwest. 
The  nearest  towu  is  Presidio  del  Norte,  in  Mexico,  147  miles  southwest.  The  nearest  American 
town  of  any  importance  is  Fredericksburg,  370  miles  west,  with  a  population  of  about  7,000.  San 
Antonio  is  392  miles  southeast.  The  nearest  railroad  is  at  Columbus,  575  miles  east-southeast. 
The  place  was  first  occupied  as  a  military  post  in  December,  1858,  by  a  detachment  of  twenty  men 
of  the  First  and  Eighth  United  States  Infantry,  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Clierbourne.  In 
May,  1861,  it  was  abandoned  by  the  United  States  troops,  and  soon  after  was  occupied  by  the  rebels, 
who  only  remained  here  a  short  time,  but  burned  all  government  property  before  they  left.  It  was 
reoccupied  by  United  States  troops  in  July,  1867,  and  has  been  garrisoned  ever  since  by  the  Ninth 
Cavalry  and  Twenty -fourth,  formerly  the  Forty  first,  Infantry. 

The  reason  for  establishing  a  military  post  here  was  to  guard  the  mail  route  from  San  Antonio 
to  El  Paso.  It  is  also  a  valuable  link  in  the  chain  of  forts  which  protect  emigrants,  merchandise 
&c.,  going  to  or  coining  from  California  and  Chihuahua,  against  the  attacks  and  depredations  of 
hostile  Indians.  Before  the  post  was  established,  and  also  prior  to  its  reoccupation  by  the  Ninth 
Cavalry,  the  Comanche  Indians  lived  here,  and,  being  far  from  any  settlement,  held  almost  undis- 
puted possession  oi'  the  road,  rendering  it  exceedingly  dangerous  to  all  who  attempted  to  travel 
on  it,  and  issuing  in  bands  to  the  settlements  drove  off  stock  and  found  here  a  safe  retreat  with 
plenty  of  water.  But  at  present,  though  they  yet  roam  about  in  thieving  bauds,  the  road  is  com- 
paratively safe,  as  they  very  rarely  attack  the  mail  or  a  passing  train. 

There  is  no  government  reservation,  the  post  being  located  on  land  belonging  to  a  citizen. 
The  land  gradually  rises  from  the  creek,  so  that  the  center  of  the  post  is  about  fifty  feet  above  it. 
The  land  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  creek  is  much  lower  and  almost  perfectly  level,  so  that 
•when  there  is  a  heavy  rain  the  creek  overflows  it  to  a  distance  of  half  a  mile  from  its  bank.  For 
the  most  part  the  land  in  the  neighborhood  is  flat,  though  in  some  places  it  is  gently  sloping 
for  miles,  terminating  abruptly  in  extensive  valleys.  Elevations,  called  "table-lands,"  are  in  all 


224  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

directions  from  the  post,  varying  from  seven  to  twenty  miles  distant.  They  are  from  100  to  oOO  feet 
high,  with  an  area  varying  from  three  to  twenty  miles.  Their  surface  is  flat,  and  covered  with 
coarse  grass  and  several  species  of  cactus.  Their  sides  are  abrupt  and  rocky.  But  few  mineral 
products  have  as  yet  been  found  in  the  vicinity.  Gypsum  has  been  found  in  several  places  in  and 
near  the  post,  about  three  feet  below  the  surface,  but  not  in  such  quantities  as  to  warrant  an  outlay 
in  procuring  it.  The  soil  for  the  most  part  is  sandy  and  strongly  alkaline,  containing  chloride  of 
sodium,  sulphate  of  potash,  &c.,  and  cannot  be  farmed  except  by  irrigation,  but  when  cultivated 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  creek  and  of  a  large  spring,  where  it  can  be  thoroughly  irrigated,  it  pro- 
duces corn,  melons,  and  garden  vegetables  generally.  Wheat  and  oats  have  not  been  success- 
fully cultivated  yet,  though  the  effort  this  year  promises  to  be  a  success;  neither  have  potatoes  nor 
cabbage. 

There  are  no  indigenous  trees  at  or  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post,  except  one  cotton  tree  in  the 
post  garden.  Mesquite  bush  covers  the  entire  surface.  There  is  a  water-cress  which  abounds  in 
the  creek,  and  which  is  an  excellent  antidote  for  scorbutus,  as  is  also  a  species  of  cactus  called 
the  "Turk's  head."  This  last  is  often  roasted  and  eaten  by  the  Mexicans,  and  frequently  fed  to 
their  horses  when  on  the  road,  in  absence  of  other  food. 

In  winter  there  is  an  abundance  of  ducks,  and  sometimes  of  wild  geese,  on  the  creek,  while 
the  marsh  is  frequented  by  crane's,  herons,  and  a  large  number  of  water-hens.  In  the  spring  im- 
mense flocks  of  curlew  visit  the  creek  and  remain  about  six  weeks,  and  recently  a  species  of  par- 
tridge, called  the  Mexican,  or  California  partridge,  has  made  its  appearance  in  the  vicinity,  and  is 
increasing  so  rapidly  that  it  will  soon  be  an  attraction  for  the  sportsman. 

There  are  but  two  kinds  of  fish  found  in  the  creek,  the  perch  and  catfish;  but  fishing  is  carried 
on  to  such  an  extent  by  the  soldiers  and  Mexicans  that  they  rarely  attain  over  a  pound  in  weight. 
Turtle  are  plenty,  and  are  often  caught,  weighing  from  12  to  15  pounds. 

The  only  water  at  the  post  is  from  the  creek,  which  rises  about  half  a  mile  south  of  the  post 
and  runs  nearly  due  north  for  about  four  miles,  when  it  sinks  into  the  ground,  forming  a  kind  of 
marsh  or  swainp.  In  the  first  half  mile  of  its  course  it  is  fed  by  six  fine,  clear  springs,  has  an 
average  width  of  about  40  feet,  and  a  depth  of  5  feet.  About  eight  miles  west  from  the  post  are 
what  are  called  the  "Leon  Holes,"  three  large  springs,  having  an  average  diameter  of  30  feet  and 
a  depth  of  20  feet.  From  them  issues  a  stream  which  irrigates  a  large  tract  of  land  cultivated 
chiefly  by  Mexicans.  Eighteen  miles  east  from  the  post,  on  the  mail  route  to  Fort  Concho,  is  the 
Escondido  Spring.  It  is  about  10  feet  square ;  its  stream  runs  a  short  distance  and  forms  a  minia- 
ture lake  about  50  by  8  feet;  its  water  is  strongly  impregnated  with  sulphur,  but  is  cool  and  pleas, 
ant.  About  12  miles  northeast  from  the  post,  on  the  "Horsehead"  crossing  road  to  Concho,  is  a 
large  spring  called  the  "  Antelope."  There  is  a  salt  lake  about  35  miles  to  the  northeast,  near  the 
Pecos  River,  whence  excellent  rock  salt  can  be  obtained.  The  supply  is  almost  inexhaustible. 
Frequently  large  quantities  of  it  are  taken  to  Mexico  by  trains  returning  from  San  Antonio. 

The  mean  temperature  is  70°  F.,  with  extremes  104°  F.  and  27°  F.  The  heat  is  not  so  oppress- 
ive as  the  same  temperature  in  the  Eastern  or  Middle  States,  but  the  cold  is  felt  more  acutely, 
owing,  probably,  to  the  suddenness  with  which  it  comes.  In  the  winter  and  early  spring  the  ther- 
mometer sometimes  falls  as  much  as  30°  in  two  hours.  The  climate  is  for  the  most  part  dry,  even 
in  winter,  the  wet  bulb  on  an  average  standing  15°  lower  than  the  dry.  When*  there  is  rain  it  gen- 
erally comes  in  a  violent  tornado.  The  heaviest  rain-fall  since  the  reoccnpation  of  the  post,  in 
1807,  occurred  September  17.  18G8,  to  the  depth  of  3  inches.  There  are  generally  one  or  two 
heavy  rain-falls  in  the  spring  and  early  part  of  summer,  and  then  again  toward  the  latter  part  of 
autumn.  The  only  time  snow  has  been  known  to  fall,  by  any  of  the  old  settlers  here,  was  in  Jan- 
uary, 18G8,  when  it  fell  to  the  depth  of  half  a  foot. 

The  winter  may  be  said  to  commence  about  the  1st  of  December,  and  lasts  until  about  the  mid- 
dle of  February,  when  the  spring  opens.  Though  we  frequently  have  "northers"  after  that 
time,  we  have  no  continued  cold  weather.  The  spring  continues  until  about  the  middle  of  June, 
and  from  then  until  December  the  summer  and  autumn  prevail.  What  is  somewhat  remarkable 
is  that,  although  the  spring  commences  so  much  earlier  than  in  the  Eastern  or  Middle  States,  the 
garden  and  farm  produce  is  absolutely  later. 

Although  the  place  is  called  a  u  fort,"  strictly  speaking  there  is  no  fortification  at  the  post. 


FORT  STOCKTON,  TEXAS.  225 

The  barracks  consist  of  three  adobe  buildings  with  stone  foundations.  E-.ich  building  is  80  by 
24  feet,  and  two  of  them  have  wings  for  kitchen  and  mess  room,  each-wing  being  40  by  24  feet. 
They  are  roofed  with  thatch,  except  the  wings,  which  are  partly  roofed  with  canvas  and  partly 
with  thatch.  The  barracks  have  a  capacity  of  462  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man.  Each  building 
is  warmed  by  one  lar^e  fireplace,  the  fuel  being  "  mesquite  root,"  and  is  lighted  and  ventilated  by 
eight  large  windows  and  two  doors.  Each  building  is  intended  to  accommodate  a  full  company, 
but  seldom  contains  over  50  men.  The  men  sleep  on  straw-ticks  and  wooden  bunks,  two  men  to 
each;  the  bunks  are  of  old  lumber,  and,  having  been  made  by  the  men,  are  of  rough  workman- 
ship. There  are  neither  wash-rooms,  bath-rooms,  nor  water-closets.  Two  of  the  quarters  have 
each  a  mess-room  and  kitchen,  formed  by  the  wing  of  each  building;  the  remaining  company  uses 
a  tent  for  a  kitchen  and  has  no  mess-room.  The  kitchens  have  no  special  furniture ;  the  cooking 
is  done  in  camp  kettles,*  &c.,  on  a  kind  of  a  rude  mud  construction  which  answers  the  purpose  of  a 
cooking  range  or  stove,  and,  as  the  mess-rooms  are  not  furnished  with  anything,  the  men  generally 
eat  their  meals  out  of  doors,  each  man  supplying  his  own  knife  and  fork  and  seat;  yet  they  have 
plenty  to  eat,  and  seem  to  be  well  contented. 

There  are  no  quarters  set  apart  for  laundresses  or  married  soldiers. 

The  officers'  quarters  comprise  five  buildings,  built  of  adobe,  with  stoiie  foundations  and 
shingle  roofs,  and  a  porch  front  and  rear,  boarded  floors,  plastered  and  whitewashed  inside,  and 
well  finished  :  they  are  each  one  story  high. 

The  buildings  altogether  contain  thirteen  rooms;  the  dimensions  of  the  rooms  are  18  by  15  by 
14  feet,  and  are  heated  by  a  fireplace  in  each  room,  and  supplied  with  water  every  morning  by  a 
water-wagon,  from  which  barrels  are  filled.  There  are  neither  water-closets  nor  bath-rooms. 

The  guard-house  is  built  of  rock,  with  shingled  roof,  and  is*  located  on  the  south  side  of  the 
parade  ground,  in  view  of  the  officers'  quarters.  It  is  56  by  16  feet,  and  is  divided  into  two  rooms, 
one  for  the  guard,  and  the  other  for  the  prisoners.  That  for  the  guard  is  ventilated  by  means  of 
one  door,  one  window,  and  a  fireplace.  The  cell  where  the  prisoners  are  confined  is  ventilated  by 
two  openings  in  the  wall,  each  18  by  4  inches  ;  it  is  not  lighted  except  by  these  apertures,  and  is 
not  heated  except  by  the  exhaled  air  of  its  occupants.  Its  means  of  ventilation  are  such  that  its 
capacity  ought  to  be  two,  though  it  is  generally  occupied  by  fifteen  prisoners.  As  to  its  fitness  for 
the  purpose,  it  is  very  well  fitted,  since  it  combines  security  with  punishment,  but  punishment 
which  deprives  a  man  of  light,  ventilation,  and  of  fire  in  winter. 

There  is  no  hospital  at  the  post,  though  an  old  building  which  was  formerly  used  for  an  officers' 
quarters  is  used  as  such,  but  it  does  not  deserve  the  name.  A  permanent  hospital  is  in  process  of 
completion. 

The  post  bakery  consists  of  one  apartment,  or  building,  of  adobe,  with  shingled  roof;  it' is  22 
by  18  feet,  and  well  adapted  for  the  purpose. 

There  is  neither  laundry,  chapel,  nor  school-house  at  the  post. 

The  stables  are  situated  100  yards  in  the  rear  of  the  men's  quarters,  between  them  and  the 
creek ;  it  was  intended  to  complete  three  large  buildings  for  the  purpose,  but  two  of  them  have  not 
been  finished  and  will  not  be;  the  remaining  one  is  an  excellent  building  for  the  purpose..  It  is 
250  by  30  feet,  has  stone  foundation  and  adobe  walls,  with  shingled  roof.  There  are  100  apertures, 
each  18  by  10  inches,  for  the  purpose  of  ventilation,  iu  addition  to  two  large  doors  at  the  ends  and 
one  large  door  on  each  side. 

There  is  no  post  library. 

The  post  is  supplied  with  water  from  the  creek  and  from  the  springs  which  flow  into  it,  but 
there  are  no  cisterns  nor  reservoirs.  The  water  is  hauled  every  morning  in  a  large  wagon,  and  dis- 
tributed into  barrels  kept  for  the  purpose.  The  quantity  of  water  is  abundant;  it  is  decidedly 
alkaline,  but  is  not  unhealthy;  one  likes  it  very  well  a  short  time  after  using  it,  though  at  first  it 
is  rather  unpleasant  to  the  taste.  It  has  not  been  analyzed,  but  it  contains  chloride  of  sodium  and 
probably  nitrate  of  soda  and  sulphur,  with  salts  of  lime  and  magnesia.  The  only  means  of  extin- 

"  Note  by  Surgeon  L.  A.  Edwards,  Uuitcd  States  Army,  Medical  Director  Department  of  Texas. — The  cookin  ;  :ippa- 
ratus  is  entirely  unsuited  to  the  needs  of  a  permanent  post — only  proper  for  the  march ;  this  method  of  servi;  g  fooil  is 
exceedingly  objectionable,  for  it   is  not  only  in  violation  of  sanitary  laws,  but  subversive  of  good  order  and  to  the 
prejudice  of  military  discipline. 
29 


226  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

gnishing  fire  are  the  barrels  of  water  kept  outside  the  quarters  of  the  officers  and  men  for  drinking 
purposes. 

The  drainage  of  the  post  is  effected  by  the  gradual  slope  of  the  ground  toward  the  creek.  It 
has  a  fall  of  about  50  feet  in  1,000  yards,  so  that  no  water  whatever  remains  on  the  surface  at  the 
post.  The  only  artificial  drainage  consists  of  a  ditch  on  the  west  side,  in  rear  of  the  officers'  quar- 
ters, and  emptying  into  a  ravine,  which  carries  its  water  to  the  creek.  This  ditch  prevents  the  rains 
from  running  over  the  parade  ground,  or  into  the  officers'  quarters,  barracks,  and  stables.  The 
excreta  of  the  men  accumulate  in  neighboring  ravines,  which  are  thoroughly  washed  by  heavy  rains. 
The  offal  or  rubbish  of  the  post  is  carried  off  on  carts  by  police  parties,  and  conveyed  to  a  distance 
beyond  the  post. 

There  are  no  special  arrangements  for  bathing,  but  the  men,  and  all  who  desire,  bathe  in  the 
creek,  parts  of  which  are  well  adapted  for  the  purpose. 

The  cemetery  is  located  one  mile  north  from  the  post. 

There  is  a  post  garden  which  has  an  area  of  20  acres,  and  is  cultivated  by  men  detailed  for  the 
purpose.  This  is  the  third  season  it  has  been  under  cultivation.  It  is  located  about  four  miles 
north  from  the  post,  and  is  rendered  productive  by  an  excellent  system  of  irrigation,  the  water 
being  obtained  from  the  creek.  It  furnishes  abundance  for  the  entire  command;  in  fact,  last  year 
the  supply  of  some  articles  was  more  than  could  be  consumed,  as  of  okra,  onions,  melons,  cucum- 
bers, &c.  The  value  of  the  garden  is  almost  inestimable,  from  the  frfct  that  vegetables  cannot  be 
obtained  from  the  citizens  in  the  vicinity  except  in  small  quantity,  small  variety,  and  at  enormous 
prices.  The  amount  of  articles  of  food  procurable  from  the  post  commissary  is  abundant,  and,  for 
the  most  part,  they  are  of  good  quality.  Although  the  supply  of  milk  is  abundant,  it  is  high, 
chiefly,  I  presume,  because  it  is  sold  only  by  two  persons  at  the  post.  -Jt  is  20  cents  per  quart ; 
butter  is  $1  per  pound;  eggs,  75  cents  to  $1  per  dozen;  chickens,  from  $1  to  $1  50  each. 

The  medical  supplies  are  obtained  from  the  depot  at  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  semi  annually. 
The  amount  on  hand  of  every  article  required  is  ample.  The  supplies  called  for  on  a  requisition 
rarely  arrive  sooner  than  six  months  after  the  requisition  is  forwarded ;  more  frequently  nine 
months  after.  The  supplies  are  at  present  stored  in  the  ordnance  store-house,  which  is  badly  adapted 
for  the  purpose,  being  an  old  and  leaky  building;  yet  it  is  the  ouly  available  place  at  present.'  When 
the  new  hospital  is  completed  there  will  be  an  excellent  store-room. 

The  only  means  of  communication  with  the  nearest  large  city  is  by  the  stage  coach,  which  is 
generally  regular,  though  liable,  to  interruption  from  Indians  and  floods;  last  year  during  the  sum- 
mer it  was  frequently  interrupted  by  floods  for  two  weeks  at  a  time.  The  mail  arrives  and  departs 
twice  weekly.  This  year  it  has  not  been  interrupted  by  floods  and  only  once,  for  about  an  hour, 
by  Indians,  who,  to  the  number  of  25,  made  an  attack  upon  it  at  the  head  of  the  Concho ;  they 
were  driven  off  by  the  driver,  an  escort,  a  passenger,  and  the  road  agent,  four  in  all ;  six  Indians 
were  killed  in  the  encounter.  This  occurred  the  1st  of  May. 

It  requires  seven  days  for  a  letter  to  reach  department  headquarters  at  Austin,  Texas,  and 
fifteen  days  to  reach  Washington,  although  letters  have  been  received  here  from  Washington  in 
twelve  d,ays ;  but  so  short  a  time  is  the  exception. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  are  chiefly  Mexicans,  a  cross  between  the  Spaniard  and  Indian, 
which  seems  to  have  deteriorated  both  races;  their  occupation  is  farming  and  laboring  work,  such 
as  making  adobes  a!  the  post.  They  are  quiet  and  inoffensive,  and,  with  few  exceptions,  are  thrift- 
less and  immoral,  and,  in  consequence,  most  of  them  are  poor  and  afflicted  with  syphilis  in  all  its 
stages. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  and  has  been  excellent.  In  the  winter  and  spring^ 
in  consequence  of  the  "  northers,"  catarrh  is  the  prevalent  affection ;  during  the  summer  and  autumn 
there  are  many  cases  of  mild  diarrhrea,  and  a  few  of  intermittent  fever.  The  only  apparent  cause 
of  the  diarrhcea  is  indiscretion  in  eating  fresh  vegetables,  especially  watermelons  and  cucumbers. 
The  cases,  however,  are  mild,  and  yield  readily  to  treatment.  The  ouly  malarial  diseases  were 
a  few  cases  of  intermittent  fever,  which  also  yielded  readily  to  treatment;  it  is  supposed  to  be 
due  to  the  men  bathing  in  the  creek  at  evening,  often  after  sunset;  also  to  the  men  fishing  at 
that  part  of  the  creek  where  it  forms  a  marsh.  In  other  respects,  the  place  is  entirely  free  from 
the  affection,  and  there  are  several  parties  now  at  the  post  who  have  been,  before  their  arrival,  liv- 


FORT  DAVIS,  TEXAS. 


227 


ing  iu  a  malarial  atmosphere,  and  for  months  suffering  with  ague,  who  have  never  suffered  since 
their  arrival  here  nor  taken  medicine.  The  only  cases  of  rheumatism  during  the  past  year  were  ia 
patients  who  were  suffering  with  the  disease  before  corning  to  this  post.  There  has  been  but  a 
single  case  in  that  period  of  acute  rheumatism  originating' at  the  post.  There  has  not  been  a  single 
case  of  pulmonary  disease,  which  originated  at  the  post,  during  the  past  year.  The  beneficial 
effects  of  the  atmosphere  and  climate  of  this  place  on  pulmonary  affections,  and  particularly  on 
phthisis  pulmonalis,  cannot  be  too  highly  extolled.  The  atmosphere  is  warm,  dry,  and  pure.  There 
were  two  cases  at  the  post  recently  which  forcibly  illustrated  the  effect  of  the  climate  on  the  dis- 
ease ;  they  arrived  here  last  autumn  with  the  disease  well  developed,  and  left  this  spring  strong 
and  well  enough  to  herd  cattle  going  to  California.  Many  people  come  to  the  State  to  have  their 
"consumption"  cured,  but  generally  arrive  when  the  disease  is  too  far  advanced,  and,  moreover, 
do  not  come  far  enough  west. 

Notwithstanding  poisonous  reptiles  abound  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post,  there  has  not  been 
an  instance  of  a  soldier  or  civilian  having  been  poisoned  from  such  during  the  past  two  years, 
liattlesnakes,  tarantulas,  and  centipedes  are  very  numerous. 

There  are  no  special  amusements  for  the  soldiers,  though  they  indulge  considerably  in  card- 
playing  and  going  to  dances  or  parties  of  their  own  getting  up.  It  is  but  justice  to  them  to  state 
that  there  is  less  drunkenness  among  them  than  is  generally  found  among  an  equal  number  of 
white  troops.  During  the  past  eighteen  months  there  has  not  been  a  case  of  delirium  tremens, 
and  even  on  pay-day  it  is  rare  to  see  a  soldier  drunk. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Stockton,  Texas, 

colored  troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


(H 

•d 

i 

§ 

^3 

«^            . 

•j 

S 

cl 

00 

e 

1 

2  "v 

s; 

I 

£" 

i 

3 

s 

4 

Years. 

Mean  stren 

a 
1  * 

•<s 

i 

c. 
o> 
H 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrhoea 
dysentt 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  di 

'1 

Rheumatis 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal 
tions.* 

1 

•s 

1 

1868  (11  mouths)     

398.09 

648 

1 

27 

90 

71 

22 

140 

92 

1 

41 

10 

1869  

279.66 

537 

33 

107 

75 

10 

35 

55 

2 

74 

3 

1  Include  laryngitiB,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  plenriny. 


FORT  DAVIS,  TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  D.  WEISEL,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Davis  is  located  near  Lirnpia  Creek,  Presidio  County,  Texas,  in  latitude  30°  36'  23"  north, 
longitude  103°  36'  45"  west,  about  475  miles  northwest  of  San  Antonio,  and  220  miles  southeast  of 
El  Paso.  Altitude  above  the  sea,  4,700  feet. 

The  post  was  created  by  virtue  of  the  following  order : 

[Order  No.  not  given.] 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OK  TEXAS,  PAINTED  CAMP,  ON  THE  LIMPIA, 

October  23,  1854. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Washington  Seawell,  with  his  command  of  six  companies  of  the  Eighth  Infantry,  will  occupy 
the  camp  where  he  is  at  present  in  position,  which  will  be  called  Fort  Davis,  where  he  will  proceed  to  make  his  com- 
mand as  comfortable  as  circumstances  will  admit  of  for  the  winter.  He  will  immediately  make  requisition  for  the 
necessary  stores,  provisions,  and  forage  for  the  half  year  commencing  November  1st  next,  drawing  as  little  as  possible 
upon  the  forage  already  and  about  to  be  delivered.  Preparations  will  be  made  for  an  additional  quantity  of  provisions, 
supplies,  and  forage  for  detachments  which  may  shortly  be  expected  for  service  in  the  field. 
By  order  of  Brevet  Major  General  Smith : 

A.  GIBBS, 

Brevet  Captain,  A.  D.  C.  and  A.  A.  A.  G. 


228  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

Fort  Davis  was  named  after  Jefferson  Davis,  then  Secretary  of  War,  and  the  location  was 
selected  because  of  its  communication  with  San  Antonio  and  El  Paso  by  a  fine  natural  road,  its 
fine  climate,  its  defensibility,  and  its  vicinity  to  the  favorite  haunts  of  many  of  the  wild  Indian 
tribes,  as  the  Mescalero  Apaches,  the  marauding-  bands  of  the  Gila  Apaches  and  Comanches, 
(southern,)  who  could  be  easily  intercepted  from  this  post  at  the  different  crossings  or  fords  of  the 
Rio  Grande  to  or  from  Mexico.  It  was  partly  designed,  also,  it  is  said,  as  protection  to  Presidio 
del  Norte,  110  miles  distant,  and  at  one  time  it  was  seriously  debated  whether  or  not  to  move  the  gar- 
rison to  that  place. 

Fort  Davis  was  continuously  occupied  by  the  Eighth  United  States  Infantry  until  April,  38<jl, 
when  General  Twiggs,  commanding  the  department,  forwarded  orders  to  the  post  commander  to 
prepare  to  turn  over  the  fort  and  property  to  commissioners  belonging  to  the  State  of  Texas,  move 
down  the  country,  concentrate  his  command  at  Eagle  or  Beaver  Lake,  and  there  await  the  settle- 
ment of  the  differences  between  the  State  of  Texas  and  the  United  States.  He  also  ordered  that 
no  property  be  destroyed,  and  care  be  taken  not  to  offend  or  exasperate  citizens.  About  the  1st  of 
April,  1861,  the  garrison  evacuated  and  marched  for  San  Antonio,  but  when  within  nine  miles  of 
San  Antonio,  at- Adam's  Hill,  was  captured  by  General  Van  Dorn,  C.  S.  A.,  and  taken  to  San 
Antonio.  Immediately  upon  the  evacuation  of  the  post  by  the  United  States  troops  it  was  occu- 
pied by  Colonel  Baylor's  Texas  troops,  who  remained  until  the  large  amount  of  stores  left  by  the 
Eighth  Infantry  was  consumed.  Upon  their  leaving  it  was  occupied  by  roving  Mexicans  and  Indian 
bands,  and  by  the  latter  almost  entirely  destroyed.  The  post  was  reoccupied  by  United  States 
troops  July  1, 1867. 

Fort  Davis  is  located  at  the  month  of  a  canon  about  three  fourths  of  a  mile  long,  about  400 
yards  wide  at  its  mouth,  and  gradually  narrowing  to  its  termination  in  a  recess  in  the  mountain 
The  mountains  on  either  side  are  formed  of  metamorphic  rocks,  are  about  250  feet  high,  very  rough 
and  precipitous,  and  covered  with  grass  and  small  oak  trees.  The  surrounding  country  is  wild  and 
barren,  with  no  trees  excepting -a  few  live  oaks  in  the  canon  in  rear  of  the  post,  and  a  few  cotton- 
woods  on  the  Limpia. 

The  climate  is  delightful  and  very  healthy,  ami  sudden  changes  of  temperature  are  not  so  com- 
mon as  in  other  parts  of  Texas.  There  is  but  a  small  amount  of  rain-fall  during  the  year,  and  that 
occurs  chiefly  in  June  and  July,  and  scarcely  any  snow.  January  is  the  coldest  mouth,  the  mean 
temperature  of  which  last  year  was  42°  mean,  maximum  62°,  minimum  15°,  and  August  the  warm- 
est, the  mean  temperature  last  year  being  74°,  maximum  87°,  minimum  02°. 

There  are  no  local  causes  of  disease  at  this  post.  During  the  summers  of  1867  and  1868  dysen- 
tery and  scurvy  prevailed  very  extensively  and  fatally.  The  causes  of  the  prevalence  of  these  dis- 
eases, however,  at  that  time,  were  pi-obably,  of  the  first,  the  use  of  water  rendered  impure  by  long 
neglect,  and  a  system  of  acclimation  the  troops  were  undergoing;  of  the  second,  an  irregular  sup- 
ply of  provisions.  But  during  the  entire  year  of  1869,  and  thus  far,  June  20th  of  this  year,  scarcely 
any  sickness  has  occurred  at  this  post.  West  winds  prevail,  and  in  spring  are  very  strong. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  located  in  a  line  running  north  and  south  across  the  mouth  of  the 
canon.  These  are  nineteen  in  number,  one  story,  a  covered  porch  in  front  and  rear  along  the  entire 
building,  a  separate  house  for  each  officer,  and  distant  from  each  other  24  feet,  the  commanding 
officer's  in  the  center,  each  third  building  a  captain's  set,  and  on  either  side  a  lieutenant's  set;  each 
of  these  consists  of  a  main  building,  48  by  21  feet,  containing  two  rooms,  each  15  by  18  feet  and  14 
feet  high,  with  a  hall  between,  12  by  18  feet ;  in  addition,  the  commanding  officer's  has  a  wing,  41  by 
21  feet,  containing  two  rooms,  each  15  by  15  feet;  in  all  four  rooms.  The  captain's  set  have  each  a 
wing,  21  by  18  feet,  containing  one  room,  15  by  15  feet;  in  thetmain  line  are  thirteen  of  these  build- 
ings, and  on  each  flank  adjoining  are  three  additional.  Four  are  built  of  native  limestone  from  a 
quarry  one  mile  from  the  post,  the  rest  of  adobe;  all  have  shingle  roofs,  and  are  warmed  by  open 
fireplaces.  Bat  nine  of  these  buildings  are  completed,  all  that  at  present  it  is  contemplated  to 
complete.  East  of,  and  in  a  line  parallel  with  the  officers'  quarters,  with  a  parade  of  500  feet  in 
width  intervening,  are  located  the  barracks,  four  separate  buildings,  distant  from  each  other  30 
feet,  built  of  adobe,  plastered  inside  and  out  and  ceiled,  a  wide  covered  porch  extending  entirely 
around.  Each  barrack  is  186  feet  long  and  27  feet  wide,  and  contains  two  dormitories,  separated 
by  a  passage-way,  27  by  12  feet,  which  leads  to  a  building,  86  by  27  feet,  containing  the  mess-room, 
50  by  24  feet,  the  kitchen,  20  by  24  feet,  and  store-room,  10  by  24  feet.  Each  dormitory  is  24  by  82 


FORT  DAVIS,  TEXAS.  229 

feet  and  12  feet  high,  containing  23,760  cubic  feet  of  air  space.  They  are  warmed  by  open  fire- 
places, and  ventilated  by  large  windows,  four  in  the  opposite  sides  of  each  room,  and  by  a  large 
ventilator  in  the  ceiling,  20  by  4  feet.  But  two  of  these  barracks  are  completed.  Large,  and  com- 
modious sinks  are  placed  200  feet  in  the  rear.  There  are  no  permanent  quarters  for  laundresses 
and  married  men.  On  the  north  side  of  the  parade,  midway  between  the  barracks  and  officers' 
quarters,  are  the  executive  offices,  three  rooms,  each  15  by  18  feet.  On  the  south  side  of  the  parade, 
and  opposite  the  executive  offices,  is  the  guard-house,  built  of  limestone,  54  by  22  feet,  and  con- 
taining the  guard-room,  13  by  15  feet  and  11  feet  high,  three  cells,  each  4.J  by  9  feet,  and  the  prison- 
ers' room,  15  by  1C  feet.  The  cells  are  between  the  prisoners'  room  and  the  guard-room,  and  a  passage, 
6  feet  wide,  by  the  cells  communicates  with  these  two  rooms.  It  is  warmed  by  an  open  fireplace, 
and  ventilated  by  holes,  12  by  3  inches,  in  the  upper  part  of  the  walls,  and  a  large  ventilator  in  the 
ceiling.  Average  number  confined  monthly,  15.  In  the  rear  of  the  barracks,  at  a  distance  of  about 
700  feet,  are  the  quartermaster's  and  company  stables  and  corrals.  The  former  occupies  a  space  367 
by  300  feet,  inclosed  by  walls  built  of  adobe,  10  feet  high.  Along  two  of  these  walls  are  the  stables, 
well  roofed,  but  otherwise  open,  the  climate  being  such  that  additional  shelter  for  the  stock  is  not 
required.  Separated  from  this  70  feet,  are  the  company  stables,  inclosing  a  space  350  by  450  feet, 
constructed  like  those  just  described,  with  stalls  on  all  sides,  capable  of  accommodating  400  horses. 

The  quartermaster's  and  commissary  store-houses  are  located  respectively  north  and  south  of 
the  corrals,  100  feet  distant.  They  are  each  110  feet  long  by  27  feet  wide,  constructed  of  adobe  and 
not  ceiled. 

The  post  bakery  recently  completed  is  situated  south  of  the  commissary's  store-house,  and  con- 
sists of  one  room,  40  by  16  feet,  and  one  oven  with  a  capacity  of  600  loaves. 

The  permanent  hospital,  after  the  plan  published  in  Circular  No.  4,  Surgeon  General's  Office, 
Washington,  April  27,  1867,  was  begun  in  February,  1869.  It  is  located  north  of  the  executive 
offices,  about  400  feet  therefrom,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  fronting  east  of  south.  It  was  being 
constructed  of  native  limestone,  and  the  walls  of  the  entire  building  had  reached  a  height  of  8  feet 
when  work  upon  it,  together  with  that  upon  a  large  part  of  the  post,  was  suspended,  and  so  it  still 
remains,  June  20,  1870.  There  is  a  prospect,  however,  that  work  upon  it  will  be  either  soon 
resumed  or  another  building  upon  a  different  plan,  which  has  been  submitted  by  the  post  quarter- 
master for  approval,  will  be  erected.  The  hospital  now  in  use  is  a  temporary  adobe  building,  50  by 
19  feet,  and  contains  one  ward,  35  by  17  feet,  with  a  capacity  of  fourteen  beds,  and  the  dispensary, 
13  by  15  feet.  It  is  plastered  inside  and  whitewashed,  well  lighted  and  ventilated  by  numerous 
small  holes  in  the  lower  and  upper  part  of  the  walls.  There  is  an  L  addition  containing  the  dining- 
room,  8  by  10  feet,  and  the  kitchen,  12  by  16  feet.  The  entire  building  was  hastily  and  tern  porarily 
constructed,  but,  with  some  repairs  lately  put  upon  it,  answers  all  the  requirements  of  the  post.  It 
is  situated  about  500  feet  in  the  rear  of  the  officers'  quarters,  midway  up  the  canon.  A  full  supply 
of  medical  stores  is  now  on  hand,  and  for  eighteen  months  there  has  been  no  difficulty  in  obtaining 
supplies  regularly  and  without  delay  by  requisitions  upon  the  medical  purveyor  at  New  Orleans. 

The  post  is  supplied  with  water  distributed  by  means  of  a  water-wagon  from  the  Limpia  Creek, 
a  small  stream  running  through  Limpia  canon  and  the  northern  part  of  the  reservation.  It  is 
always  clear,  pure,  and  cool,  not  very  hard,  containing  carbonate  of  lime  and  a  small  amount  of 
organic  matter,  during  the  season  of  heavy  rains,  which  is  probably  washed  from  the  mountain  at 
the  foot  of  which  it  runs.  Observation  and  experience  show  that  it  does  not  affect  those  using  it 
in  any  manner,  and  no  means  of  purification  have  been  resorted  to.  There  is  also  a  large  spring 
within  the  limits  of  the  post,  the  water  from  which  is  harder  than  that  from  Ihe  Limpia.  This 
water,  it  appears,  was  once,  for  some  reasons  unknown,  condemned  as  unfit  for  potable  purposes. 
It  does  not  contain  either  organic  or  alkaline  matter  sufficient  to  render  it  unhealthy,  and  if  it  did, 
the  cause  was  probably  neglect  during  the  long  time  the  post  was  unoccupied.  For  extinguishing 
fire  a  sufficient  number  of  barrels  and  buckets  are  kept  constantly  filled  with  water  and  placed  at 
proper  and  convenient  places. 

The  general  conformation  of  the  ground,  gradually  sloping  from  the  post,  is  such  that  but  little 
artificial  drainage  is  necessary.  Slops  and  refuse  are  collected  in  barrels,  and  emptied  some  dis- 
tance from  the  post. 

The  post  garden,  heretofore  situated  on  the  creek,  has  been  very  successful,  but  the  post  com- 


230 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


mamler,  thinking  it  not  sufficiently  large,  established  it  this  season  at  Mosque's  ranche,  about  8 
miles  from  the  post.  It  is  rich  prairie  soil,  and  when  well  established  will  probably  yield  an  abund- 
ant supply  of  all  vegetables.  So  far,  however,  owing  to- the  labor  of  preparing  the  new  soil  and 
the  continued  dry  weather,  it  has  not  succeeded. 

Domestic  animals  are  scarce  and  inferior.  Poultry  of  all  kinds,  butter,  milk,  eggs,  &c.,  are 
scarce,  and  command  high  prices. 

The  El  Paso  and  San  Autonio  mail  line,  driving  four-mule  coaches  thus  far,  and  running  twice 
a  week,  communicates  with  San  Autonio,  the  nearest  and  largest  city.  The  communication  is  liable 
to  frequent  interruptions  by  floods  and  Indians.  The  time  required  for  a  communication  to  reach 
department  headquarters  is  about  ten  days,  and  Washington  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  days. 

The  duties  of  the  troops  have  been  the  usual  garrison  and  guard  duty,  and  much  scouting  also. 
Owing  to  the  large  amount  of  work  going  on  at  the  post,  and  the  very  limited  number  of  employe's, 
much  irregular  work  has  been  necessarily  imposed  npou  the  troops  and  greatly  interfered  with  their 
legitimate  duties  as  soldiers.  As  yet  there  are  no  permanent  facilities  for  bathing,  but  it  is  con- 
templated soon  to  erect  bathing  houses  on  the  Limpia,  where  the  troops  now  bathe. 

Fort  Davis,  by  reason  of  its  delightful  climate,  its  healthfulness  and  comfortable  quarters,  is 
one  of  the  most  desirable  posts  on  the  Texas  frontier,  and  the  surrounding  country  may  be  called 
grand  and  picturesque.  In  front  of  the  post  the  country  is  undulating  for  a  distance  of  15  or  20 
miles,  then  start  up  abruptly  high  mountains.  On  either  side  are  mountains  ascending  abruptly 
some  distance,  and  capped  by  immense  masses  of  uustratified  basalt  or  trap  rocks.  At  the  base 
are  numerous  stones  of  various  sizes,  from  small  pebbles  to  immense  boulders.  One  range  of  hills 
adjoining  the  post  is  formed  almost  entirely  of  limestone,  from  which  was  quarried  the  stone  used 
in  constructing  the  post. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  side,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Davis,  Texas,  colored 

troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


h 

tl 

<s> 

,- 

a 

£ 

§ 

c 

i 

|| 

1 

>> 

^ 

X 

j 

Years. 

Mean  stret 

a  -3 
a 

C      £ 

o  *^2 

Malarial  f( 

Diarrhoea 
dysentei 

Tonsillitis 

Venereal  t 

i 

Rheumatie 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal 
tions.* 

1 

IM 

O 

^d 

1868 

267.  75 

472 

48 

231 

4 

2 

47 

31 

1 

22 

17 

1869 

241  91 

274 

32 

105 

9 

8 

21 

24 

2 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  an 


FORT   QUITMAN,  TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  JOHN  J.  CULVER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  post  of  Fort  Quitman  is  situated  between  the  104th  and  105th  degrees  of  west  longitude  and 
between  the  30th  and  31st  degrees  of  latitude.  The  post  was  abandoned  by  the  United  States  troops 
during  the  war,  and  not  occupied  again  until  the  spring  of  1868,  when  it  was  garrisoned  by  three 
companies  of  cavalry  and  one  of  infantry. 

The  country  in  every  direction  is  a  rolling  sand  prairie,  covered  with  small  stunted  chaparral 
and  mesquite  bushes,  and  wild  cactus  which  grow  very  high  ;  beyond  the  prairie  and  within  ten 
mijes  of  the  post  at  one  point  are  steep  rocky  mountains,  destitute  of  all  vegetation.  At  the  foot 
and  on  the  sides  of  these  mountains  are  found  beautiful  specimens  of  quartz  containing  small  quan- 
tities of  silver,  iron,  copper,  &c.  West  of  the  post,  about  400  yards,  runs  the  Eio  Grande  from 
which  the  post  receives  its  supply  of  water. 

The  climate  is  warm  during  the  summer,  and  liable  to  sudden  changes  from  warm  to  cold  and 
from  wet  to  dry  during  the  winter. 


FORT  QUITMAN,  TEXAS. 

The  site  has  u  gradual  slope  toward  the  river,  thereby  allowing  excellent  drainage.  The  build- 
ings are  all  adobe  houses,  and  when  new  were  doubless  comfortable  quarters,  but  are  now  in  a 
deplorable  condition,  entirely  unfit  for  the  accommodation  of  troops.  Whenever  it  rains,  which 
it  does  frequently  during  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  officers,  but  more  especially  men  in  quarters 
and  patients  in  hospital,  are  invariably  subjected  to  a  disagreeable  and  unhealthy  wet  and  muddy 
bed.  Nor  can  this  be  avoided  until  the  present  roofs  are  replaced  by  new  ones,  put  ou  by  mechanics 
who  understand  building  adobe  houses. 

Fort  Quitmau  is,  as  a  whole,  entirely  unworthy  of  the  name  of  fort,  post,  or  station  for  United 
States  troops.  The  buildings,  from  the  commanding  officer's  quarters  to  the  smallest  corral  are 
nothing  but  patch  work.  The  post  was  established  previous  to  the  war,  and  during  the  period  from 
1863  until  1868,  was  abandoned  by  the  United  States,  and  the  rebels,  Indians,  and  all  travelers 
passing  back  and  forth  over  the  road,  made  it  their  stopping  place,  and  while  resting  here  appar- 
ently used  every  endeavor  to  dismantle  the  houses,  tearing  away  and  burning  doors,  windows,  and 
all  available  wood  in  their  reach ;  the  consequence  was  that  when  the  troops  were  sent  here  in  1868, 
they  found  the  adobe  walls  yet  standing,  but  minus  all  other  appurtenances  which  would  tend  to 
make  them  habitable ;  in  some  of  the  quarters  even  the  roofs  were  gone.  There  are  barracks  for 
two  companies,  but  so  insecure  are  they  that  every  rain  we  have  floods  the  rooms,  and  all  bedding 
becomes  wet  and  muddy.  The  doors  and  windows  are  only  so  many  holes  in  the  wall.  One  com- 
pany has  built  quarters  for  themselves  by  placing  sticks  perpendicular  in  the  ground  and  closing 
the  crevices  with  mud;  they  are  probably  a  little  superior  to  the  original  barracks,  but,  neverthe- 
less, unfit  to  be  designated  as  quarters  for  soldiers. 

The  hospital  has  been,  until  lately,  in  the  same  condition,  and  it  has  been  necessary,  upon 
mere  than  one  occasion,  to  take  the  patients  out  of  the  wards  during  a  rain  and  place  them  in  tents. 
The  building  is  very  inconvenient  as  a  hospital.  It  was  found  necessary  to  convert  one  of  the 
wards  into  a  dispensary  and  steward's  room.  The  kitchen  and  store-room  are  entirely  too  small  for 
the  requirements,  and  the  dining  room  is  so  situated,  that  it  is  impossible  to  get  at  it  from  the  ward 
or  dispensary  without  walking  on  the  outside  half  the  length  of  the  building.  The  rains  have 
washed  away  parts  of  the  walls  and  left  it  in  a  deplorable  condition.  Heating  is  effected  by  open 
fires ;  lighting  and  ventilation  abundant.  The  ward  contains  eleven  beds ;  air  space  per  bed,  about 
900  cubic  feet, 

The  dormitories  of -the  barracks,  haviug  neither  doors  or  windows,  have  an  abundant  ventila- 
tion ;  they  are  warmed  by  open  fires.  Air  space  per  man,  620  cubic  feet.  Temporary  bunks  are 
used.  The  sinks  are  ordinary  pits.  Kooms  built  of  logs  and  mud  are  used  as  kitchens  and  mess- 
rooms  combined. 

The  married  soldiers'  quarters  are  adobe  houses,  built  by  the  soldiers.  The  laundresses,  who 
wash  for  the  soldiers,  either  occupy  a  small  "  jacal"  or  tent  immediately  in  the  rear  of  the  barracks, 
or  else  live,  in  "jacals"  of  their  own  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  post. 

The  guard-house  is  in  the  same  condition  as  the  barracks,  with  the  exception  of  light  and  venti- 
lation, it  being  impossible  in  the  present  building  to  allow  sufficient  of  either. 

Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  cultivate  a  post  garden,  but  have  all  proven  failures, 
owing  to  the  warmth,  dryness,  and  sterility  of  the  soil. 

In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  post  we  are  able  to  purchase  milk,  and  sometimes  butter, 
eggs,  and  chickens.  Fresh  vegetables,  grapes,  peaches,  pears,  melons,  &c.,  can  usually  be  pro- 
cured during  the  summer  months,  but  they  are  hauled  over  a  dusty  road  50  or  75  miles  before  they 
reach  us,  being  raised  in  the  Mexican  towns  of  San  Ignatius  Guadalupe,  San  Elizario,  and  El 
Paso.  Milk  can  be  purchased  for  5  cents  per  gallon  ;  butter,  from  70  cents  to  $1  per  pound  ;  eggs, 
50  cents  per  dozen ;  chickens,  $1  per  pair ;  and  vegetables,  such  as  cabbage,  onions,  turnips,  beets, 
&c.,  range  from  8  to  12  cents  per  pound. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  from  New  Orleans  every  six  months,  unless  muddy  roads  impede 
transportation. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country  are  Mexicans  and  Pueblo  and  Apache  Indians. 


232 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  shoicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Qtiit»H»i,  Texas, 

colored  troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


,3 

o> 
f 

g 

1 

s 

o 

1 

£  M 

0 

& 

1 

63  ^ 

3 

Years. 

a 

a 

a  "a 

Cj       ^ 

.5 

"3 

X 

*?. 

j 

^^ 

a  . 

V 

1 

1  I 

1 

I* 

1 

1 

p 

> 

<s 

1 

45 

i 

a 

f 

s 

s 

1 

O 
02 

A 

S 

c3 

1 

1868,  (sis  months)  

195.  16 

156 

15 

61 

1 

2 

4 

Q 

i 

1869  .  . 

189  16 

203 

7 

C6 

1 

16 

r. 

10 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  plonvixy. 


FORT    BLISS,    TEXAS. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  E.  H.  BOWMAN,  UNITED  STATES  AllMY,  JULY  19,  1870. 

Fort  Bliss  is  located  oti  Concordia  ranclie,  three  miles  northeast  from  the  town  of  El  Pasoi 
Texas,  in  latitude  31°  46'  5"  north,  longitude  106°  21'  west,  at  an  altitude  of  3,600  feet.  It  is  situ- 
ated on  the  immediate  edge  of  the  drift  formation  where  the  alluvium  of  the  Rio  Grande  and  the  drift 
meet.  It  is  near  the  northern  apex  of  the  detour  formerly  made  by  the  river  after  emerging  from 
the  Paso  del  Norte  and  sweeping  around  the  town  of  Franklin,  now  called  El  Paso,  in  a  northeast 
direction,  gradually  turning  almost  due  north,  then  abruptly  turning  east  and  southeast.  The  post 
is  so  located  that  it  is  exposed  to  malaria  from  the  bottom  lands  of  the  Rio  (Jrande  whenever  the 
winds  prevail  from  the  west,  southwest,  south,  or  southeast. 

The  depression  of  the  ancient  river  bed  is  in  close  proximity  to  the  post  on  the  west.  It  is 
usually  kept  full  of  water  from  the  acequia,  but  the  supply  failed  this  year  in  April,  May,  and 
June,  so  that  there  was  an  insufficient  supply  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of  irrigation.  The  mud  of 
the  pond  dried  out  to  a  great  depth,  opening  into  large  seams,  so  that  it  was  dangerous  for  stock 
to  travel  over  it.  Large  quantities  of  malaria  were  thus  evolved.  The  region  around  was  under 
the  same  condition  of  drought ;  the  earth  everywhere  was  parched  and  cracked  to  a  great  depth. 
In  consequence  of  this  malarious  influences  have  prevailed  to  an  uusual  extent. 

The  post  is  located  on  a  bed  of  sand  and  gravel  destitute  of  loam.  Small  sand-knolls  abound 
in  the  immediate  vicinity,  north  of  the  post.  Two  and  a  half  miles  north  are  found  the  broken 
hills  of  sand  and  gravel,  the  southern  terminus  of  the  Mesa,  or  great  plain  between  the  El  Paso 
and  the  Huaco  Mountains.  The  total  elevation  of  the  post  above  the  waters  of  the  river  is  esti- 
mated at  10  feet. 

The  post  is  distant  from  the  southern  terminus  of  the  El  Paso  Mountains  2J  miles;  from  the 
center  of  Paso  del  Norte  3£  miles;  from  Fort  Quitman,  Texas,  90  miles;  from  Fort  Stanton,  Few 
Mexico,  200  miles,  and  from  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico,  350  miles. 

Fort  Bliss  was  formerly  located  half  a  mile  south  of  the  present  site,  close  to  the  river.  The 
encroachments  of  the  river  washing  away  the  corral  and  part  of  the  buildings,  the  location  was 
abandoned  March  1,  1868,  and  the  present  place  occupied. 

The  post  is  rented  property,  a  rauche,  the  extent  of  which  is  100.  acres,  only  a  small  part  of 
which  is  occupied  or  controlled  by  government,  say  10  acres  for  garden,  vineyard,  and  the  post 
buildings.  These  latter  consist  of  three  large  adobe  structures  and  several  small  ones,  some  of 
which  are  outside  of  the  limits  of  the  rauche,  on  adjoining  property.  The  buildings  are  all  one 
story  high,  with  earthen  roofs  and  floors. 

Two  of  the  main  buildings  are  situated  in  line  on  the  north  of  the  parade  ground,  with  a  street 
between  them  of  60  feet  width.  Each  has  a  front  of  about  125  feet,  one  has  eleven,  the  other 
twelve  rooms.  Each  has  a  court  in  the  center;  they  are  occupied  as  quarters  by  the  quartermas- 
ter and  commissary,  as  adjutant's  office,  as  store-rooms  of  quartermaster's  and  commissary's  stores, 
quarters  for  the  troops,  kitchens,  guard-house,  &c.  The  rooms  are  large,  the  ceiling  14  to  16  feet 


FOET  BLISS,  TEXAS.  233 

high,  with  a  sufficient  number  of  doors  and  windows  for  light  and  ventilation.  On  the  north 
side  of  the  west  building,  and  adjoining  by  an  adobe  wall,  10  feet  high,  are  the  post  bakery, 
carpenter  shop,  and  blacksmith  shop,  the  three,  with  the  side  walls,  inclosing  a  second  court, 
which  is  used  for  storing  lumber,  charcoal,  &c.  On  the  north  side  of  the  east  building,  and 
adjoining,  is  the  corral,  inclosed  by  an  adobe  wall,  10  feet  high.  On  the  south  side  of  the  parade 
ground  and  near  the  southwest  corner,  is  the  other  large  building,  coutainingeighteeii  rooms.  Two 
officers  occupy  part  of  it  as  quarters.  One  large  room  is  occupied  as  a  store  room  by  the  assistant 
quartermaster.  Three  rooms  are  now  vacant.  Seventy-five  feet  east  of  this  main  building  is  a 
small  building,  18  by  28  feet,  of  one  room,  occupied  as  surgeon's  quarters. 

The  present  location  presents  no  advantages  of  a  military  character  that  is  not  afforded  in  as 
great,  or  greater  degree,  by  almost  any  forty-acre  lot  that  borders  011  the  Itio  Grande. 

There  is  no  water  nearer  than  the  river,  and  it  requires  to  be  hauled  three-fourths  to  one 
mile  in  a  wagon-tank,  at  the  daily  expense  of  three  men  and  eight  mules.  No  trees  grow  in 
the  vicinity.  It  will  be  readily  seen  that  the  only  inducement  to  retain  this  as  a  post  would  be  its 
importance  as  a  military  position ;  but  a  single  glance  at  the  topography  will  show  that  it  has  no 
such  importance.  The  Paso  del  Norte,  three  and  one  half  miles  distant,  has  an  important  mili- 
tary significance.  It  is  not  commanded  in  any  respect  nor  secured  from  possession  of  any  hostile 
force  by  this  post. 

The  best  soil,  when  the  supply  of  water  for  irrigation  is  abundant,  will  produce  two  crops  in 
one  season.  The  drift  is  composed  of  sand,  gravel,  and  boulders,  is  destitute  of  loam  or  any  ap- 
pearance of  fertile  soil,  and  is  two  or  three  miles  in  width.  In  some  places  near  the  mountains  it 
is  formed  into  an  imperfect  conglomerate,  the  cementing  medium  of  which  looks  like  carbonate  of 
lime.  It  is  a  barren  region,  with  nothing  but  stunted,  scattering  tufts  of  chaparral  and  cactus,  with 
an  occasional  dwarf  mesquite,  sparsely  sprinkled  over  it.  The  scanty  rains  of  July  and  August 
gave  rise  to  a  few  weeds  and  small  and  widely-scattered  tufts  of  a  short,  thorny-pointed  grass. 

The  Mesa  is  a  vast  elevated  plain  which  terminates  two  to  three  miles  north  of  the  post,  in 
sandy,  gravelly  hills.  It  embraces  the  region  between  the  El  Paso  Mountains  011  the  west  and  the 
Huaco  Mountains  on  the  east.  This  plain  is,  at  the  lower  end,  if  possible,  more  barren  than  the 
drift,  but  further  north  the  influence  of  the  mountains,  causing  great  precipitation  of  moisture,  has 
developed  more  fertility,  and  a  short  grass  is  produced  which,  carefully  gathered  by  hand,  consti- 
tutes the  principal  supply  of  hay  for  this  post. 

The  mountains  are  distant  from  the  post  at  the  nearest  point  about  li£  miles.  They  are  called 
by  different  names,  as  the  El  Paso  Mountains  at  the  southern  end,  where  they  terminate  or  are 
broken  by  the  pass.  At  the  northern  end  of  the  chain,  50  miles  from  here,  they  are  called  the 
Organ  Mountains,  probably  from  the  basaltic  columns  which  are  said  to  present  the  appearance 
of  gigantic  organ  pipes.  The  elevation  of  the  mountains,  in  the  absence  of  any  means  of  meas- 
urement, save  ascending  them  on  foot,  I  should  estimate  at  between  3,001)  and  4,000  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  plain.  These  mountains  are  tilted  over  to  the  west  at  an  angle  of  about  35°,  thus  exhib- 
iting on  the  eastern  face  the  different  strata.  The  lowest  visible  stratum  is  red  granite,  of  which 
feldspar  appears  to  be  the  principal  component.  Narrow  seams  of  quartz  traverse  this  region  of 
granite,  but  again  other  seams  of  later  date,  probably  made  at  the  time  of  upheaval,  are  filled  with 
beautiful  specimens  of  carbonate  of  lime,  in  some  observed  instances  so  beautifully  colored  as  to 
justify  the  name  of  "  landscape  marble."  On  a  seam  of  this  description  in  the  south  end  of  the 
mountain  a  shaft  was  sunk  in  former  times,  at  a  great  expense  of  time  and  labor,  in  fruitless  search 
for  the  precious  metals.  Old  red  metamorphic  sandstone,  in  heavy  strata  of  over  100  feet  thick- 
ness, appears  next  above  the  granite,  easily  accessible  and  capable  of  furnishing  inexhaustible  sup- 
plies of  the  most  durable  building  material.  Above  this  appears  a  six-feet  vein  of  a  mottled  brown 
and  gray  stone,  in  appearance  not  unlike  the  samples  of  ore  from  the  recently  discovered  mines  in 
New  Mexico,  which  are  said  to  be  rich  in  chloride  of  silver.  Some  distance  above  this,  with  vari- 
ous kinds  of  secondary  rock  intervening,  is  a  stratum  of  very  light  gray  stone,  very  hard,  of  crys 
taline  fracture.  It  is  not  acted  upon  by  acids,  and  would  make  indestructible  material  for  monu- 
ments, &c.  Heavy  ledges  of  brown  ferruginous  sandstone  appear  above,  next  in  order,  giving 
dark  lines  of  shading  to  the  landscape  view.  The  ancient  limestone  formations  commence  above 
and  comprise  many  hundreds  effect  in  thickness.  In  one  place  the  appearance  of  outcrop  of  dolo- 
30 


234 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


mite  or  magnesian  limestone  shows  itself  near  the  surface  rocks.  We  have  not  had  opportunity  to 
develop  this  so  as  to  test  it.  It  it  should  prove  to  be  the  true  water-lime,  its  value  for  roofing  and 
flooring  would  be  immense  in  this  treeless  region,  particularly  in  view  of  the  prospect  of  influx  of 
population  expected  to  flow  in  with  the  advent  of  the  Southern  Transcontinental  railway  or  thirty- 
second  parallel  railroad. 

The  crests  of  the  mountains  are  surmounted  by  immense  ledges  of  limestone,  in  which  the  fos- 
sil remains  of  gasterpods,  crinoidea,  chain  coral,  column  aria,  and  other  varieties  of  coral  and  radi- 
ata  abound.  I  observed  a  section  about  two  feet  long  of  what  appeared  to  be  the  remains  of  a 
gigantic  orthoceras,  at  least  six  feet  long  when  perfect.  Fragments  of  baculites  and  ammonites  of 
large  size  are  to  be  seen  in  abundance.  The  western  slope  of  the  mountain  was  evidently  once  the 
ocean  bed;  the  limestone  ledges  over  the  mountains  show  everywhere  the  action  of  eroding  agen- 
cies of  an  active  and  powerful  character,  as  if,  for  instance,  of  water  impregnated  with  acid  or  cor- 
roding agents;  the  rock  is  of  almost  flinty  hardness,  and  very  compact,  yet  is  so  corroded  as  to 
have  an  exceedingly  rough  surface.  In  many  places  they  are  covered  by  a  ferruginous  coating  that 
presents  to  the  eye  the  appearance  of  extensive  deposits,  but  the  hammer  shows  only  a  thin  in- 
crustation over  the  blue  limestone. 

"No  evidences  have  been  found  of  the  existence  of  coal  in  this  vicinity.  If  found  at  all,  owing  to 
the  great  displacement  of  strata,  it  will  probably  be  in  small  basins  at  great  depths.  The  mountains 
terminate  within  two  miles  of  the  town  of  El  Paso.  The  Paso  delNorte  is  about  2£  miles  in  width, 
and  is  made  up  of  a  collection  of  small  hills  of  drift,  about  150  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river. 
The  strata  of  the  mountains  clip  to  the  south,  so  that  at  the  southern  terminus  the  limestone  is  at 
the  surface,  affording  inexhaustible  supplies  of  most  excellent  building  material  already  uncovered 
for  the  hand  of  the  workman  ;  yet  with  all  this  profusion  not  a  single  house  of  any  size  in  this 
country  is  built  of  stone.  To  the  northward  of  this  post  the  mountains  are  said  to  give  evidence 
of  mineral  wealth,  gold,  silver,  and  lead.  Near  the  north  end  of  the  chain,  50  miles  from  here,  sil- 
ver was  discovered  twenty  years  since,  but  the  interior  location  and  exposure  to  Indian  depreda- 
tions have  prevented  proper  exploration  and  development. 

There  are  no  springs,  wells,  or  ponds  at  the  post  except  the  pond  made  by  the  old  river  bed, 
which  is  a  muddy  nuisance.  The  drainage  into  the  river  is  slight,  and  the  water  found  a  few  feet 
below  the  surface  is  so  brackish  and  alkaline  as  to  be  unfit  for  use. 

This  is  an  almost  rainless  region.  The  little  that  falls  is  during  the  month  of  June,  July,  and 
August,  making  a  period  of  about  two  mouths  during  which  an  occasional  shower  may  fall,  but  no 
heavy  continued  rains  occur.  The  temperature  is  mild  and  agreeable  most  of  the  year.  The  win- 
ters are  mild,  no  snow  to  cover  the  ground.  The  springs  are  windy,  with  terrible  storms  of  sand 
and  dust.  So  densely  was  the  air  filled  with  sand  and  dust  during  one  of  the  storms  in  April,  that 
the  large  building  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  parade  ground  was  for  a  time  completely  invisible. 

The  extremes  and  mean  temperature,  with  amount  of  rain,  for  the  months  of  the  year  ending 
June  30,  1870,  are  as  follows : 


1 
Months. 

Maximum. 

Minimum. 

Mean. 

Rain. 

1869. 

Degrees. 

Degrees. 

Degrees. 

Inches. 

July 

103 

66 

98.48 

0.26 

August  - 

102 

64 

97.27 

5.14 

September.  .. 

99 

57 

75.15 

October  

90 

35 

60.51 

0.58 

November  

85 

32 

58 

.... 

•  December  — 

66 

15 

44.  03 



1870. 

January  

71 

13 

40.03 

0.10 

February  .  .  . 

77 

20 

42.  21 

March  

81 

26 

52.  15 

April  . 

89 

37 

59.08 

May... 

100 

60 

72.  01 

June 

105 

58 

77 

0.40 

6.48 

FORT  BLISS,  TEXAS.  235 

The  prevailing  winds  in  winter  are  west,  northwest,  north,  and  northeast ;  in  spring,  west  and 
southwest ;  in  summer,  southwest,  south,  and  southeast;  in  autumn,  west  and  northwest.  The  east  and 
northeast  winds  seem  here  to  be  caused  by  the  "  northers'1  sweeping  down  over  the  Llano  Estacado 
and  crowding  over  westward,  giving  rise  to  cold  and  uncomfortable  winds.  These  are  only  the 
western  overflow  of  the  mighty  aerial  current  that  sweeps  down  from  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and, 
descending  the  slopes  of  the  Staked  Plains,  expends  its  force  over  middle  Texas,  making  the  much 
dreaded  "  norther."  The  farming  season  lasts  most  of  the  year,  as  it  rarely  freezes  so  that  wheat 
cannot  be  sown. 

There'  is  no  fortification  whatever  here.  The  barracks  are  in  the  two  large  buildings  on  the 
north  side.  There  is  capacity  for  two  hundred  men.  The  buildings  are  warmed  by  fireplaces, 
and  ventilated  by  windows  and  doors,  the  air  space  per  man  being  500  cubic  feet. 

The  quarters  for  laundresses  are  two  small  buildings  outside,  one  of  adobe,  two  rooms,  the 
other,  of  " jacal"  style.  The  quarters  for  married  soldiers  are  in  rooms  in  the  barracks  and  in 
rooms  to  the  rear  of  the  officers'  quarters. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  in  the  large  buildings  at  the  southwest  quarter  of  the  parade  ground 
and  in  the  west  building  on  the  north  side.  They  are  supplied  with  water  by  the  water-wagon 
daily. 

The  post  hospital  is  located  outside  the  northwest  corner  of  the  parade  ground.  It  is  built  of 
adobe;  dimensions,  75  by  30  feet.  There  are  six  rooms  in  all,  being  a  store-room,  kitchen,  dining- 
room,  dispensary,  steward's  room,  and  a  ward.  They  are  warmed  by  fireplaces,  ventilated  by 
doors  and  windows.  The  ward  contains  six  beds,  giving  800  cubic  feet  of  air  per  man.  There  is 
no  bath-house,  wash-room,  or  dead-house.  The  privy  is  in  the  rear,  and  consists  of  a  vault,  with 
wooden  superstructure. 

The  water  supply  is  obtained  from  the  Rio  Grande  by  means  of  a  wagon-tank,  and  deposited  in 
barrels  at  each  set  of  quarters.  As  it  comes  from  the  river  it  is  always  muddy  and  alkaline,  but 
by  settling  or  filtering  it  becomes  comparatively  pure  and  good. 

There  are,  practically,  no  means  of  extinguishing  fire,  the  only  supply  of  water  being  that 
contained  in  the  barrels.  In  case  of  fire  at  night  there  is  almost  no  water  on  hand,  as  the  use  dur- 
ing the  day  has  nearly  exhausted  the  barrels,  and  there  are  not  half  a  dozen  buckets  in  the  entire 
garrison  to  distribute  what  little  may  be  on  hand. 

The  surface  drainage  is  naturally  good,  water  easily- running  on'  or  soaking  in  the  ground;  but 
permanent  water  of  a  brackish  and  alkaline  character  may  always  be  found  within  10  to  12  feet 
from  the  surface. 

There  are  no  bathing  facilities  about  the  post. 

The  post  garden  contains  two  acres.  The  product  has  as  yet  been  small  and  unsatisfactory. 
It  is  cultivated  by  hired  labor  and  details  from  the  troops. 

Cows,  sheep,  &c.,  cannot  be  kept,  oil  account  of  the  scarcity  of  water  and  grass,  and  the  un- 
fenced  condition  of  the  cultivated  land.  The  expense  of  a  herder  when  animals  are  at  large,  and 
the  high  price  of  forage  when  kept  up,  make  the  cost  and  trouble  too  great.  There  are  few  cows 
or  sheep  in  the  country.  Goats  are  kept  for  milk  and  meat  for  the  reason  that  they  are  more  man- 
ageable in  flocks,  and  can  subsist  where  cattle  would  starve. 

Communication  may  be  made  with  St.  Louis  by  wagons  and  railroad,  500  miles  by  the  former 
and  GOO  by  the  latter;  also  with  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  900  miles  by  wagons,  400  by  railroad  and 
steamer.  Either  way  is  tedious  and  uncertain,  as  wagon  trains  only  start  when  a  full  load  of  freight 
is  obtained.  Mail  communication  with  the  southeast  semi- weekly ;  with  the  north,  via  Santa  Fe", 
six  times  a  week,  quite  regularly. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  of  the  post  are  Mexicans  and  Pueblo  Indians,  agricultural  and 
industrious ;  thieving  and  lewd,  as  a  general  thing,  among  the  lower  orders.  The  exceptions  are 
said  to  be  few,  and,  therefore,  more  honorable. 

Malarious  influences  were  rife  at  the  post  during  the  present  season,  commencing  and  "continu- 
ing through  the  months  of  May  and  June.  Nearly  every  person,  white  and  black,  was  more  or  less 
under  malarious  influence,  and  suffering  in  many  instances  quite  seriously,  although  not  reporting 
on  the  sick  list.  The  causes  were  low  water  in  the  river,  defects  in  the  dam,  making  scarcity  of 
water  in  the  acequia,  so  that  there  was  not  enough  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of  irrigation,  and 


236 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


the  pond  made  by  the  old  bed  of  the  river,  immediately  west  of  the  post,  was  completely  dried  out, 
the  mud  cracking  into  great  seams,  and  to  a  great  depth ;  the  rich  alluvial  grounds  around  the 
vicinity  were  also  parched  and  wonderfully  cracked,  thus  evolving  immense  quantities  of  malaria. 
Intermittent,  diarrhoea,  and  dysentery,  from  the  malarious  poisoning,  were  quite  prevalent.  One 
case  in  the  hospital  of  syphilitic  poisoning  pi-ogressed  favorably  until  he  came  under  malarious  in- 
fluence, then  diarrhoaa  set  in,  which  rapidly  ran  into  dysentery,  resisting  all  treatment,  and  finally 
terminating  in  death.  The  rise  in  the  river  filling  up  the  acequia  and  permitting  irrigation,  the 
tilling  up  of  the  pond,  and  the  occurrence  of  rain,  have  pretty  well  relieved  us  of  malarious  impres- 
sions. The  salubrity  of  this  location  has  been  greatly  overrated.  In  the  spring,  when  the  west 
and  northwest  winds  prevailed,  rendering  the  weather  raw  and  chilly,  several  pulmonary  and 
rheumatic  cases  were  observed,  but  none  of  a  very  grave  or  serious  character. 

The  population  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  is  estimated  at  between  400  and  500.    • 

Statement  shoicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  white  troops  at  Fort  Bliss, 

Texas,  for  the  year  1869. 


jq 

1     , 

s 

1     . 

.    | 

i 

i 

s  1 

> 

S 

s 

• 

| 

Tear. 

£ 

a   » 

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8    § 

13 

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1 

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£ 

s 

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1 

S    .11 

9 

~" 

a 

B 

a 

I 

O 

^ 

* 

M 

Q 

!*• 

M 

O 

1869  (6  mouths) 

106.5 

78 

3 

21 

10 

2 

5 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort  Bliss, 

Texas,  for  the  year  18C9. 


• 

• 

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1 

£ 

a 

i 

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Year. 

f 

£  .* 
5  .i 
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• 
33 

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11 

f  deaths. 

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a 

42 

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^ 

* 

5 

> 

« 

o 

fc 

1809  (4  months) 

91 

90 

36 

s 

4 

t 

'  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


?*,*;       .  ?*? 

as 

'•'.V  .-I1-'  i,  ^    ? 

Ji    r,-     aij  ~     .V)'   .   '•*  ^S 


PLATE  5 


DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  MISSOURI. 


POSTS  DESCRIBED. 


Fort  Seklcn,  New  Mexico. 

Fort  Cumuiings,  New  Mexico. 

FoVt  Bayard,  New  Mexico. 

Fort  McRae,  New  Mexico. 

Fort  Craig,  New  Mexico. 

Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico. 

Fort  Wingate,  New  Mexico. 

Fort  Bascom,  New  Mexico. 

Santa  Fe",  New  Mexico. 

Fort  Union,  New  Mexico. 

Camp  Supply,  Indian  Territory. 

Fort  Sill,  Indian  Territory. 

Fort  Gibson,  Cherokee  Nation,  Indiau  Territory. 


Fort  Smith,  Arkansas. 

Little  Rock,  Arkansas. 

Jefferson  Barracks,  Missouri. 

Fort  Leavenworth,  Leavenworth  City,  Kansas. 

Fort  Riley,  Kansas. 

Fort  Harker,  Kansas. 

Fort  Larned,  Kansas. 

Fort  Dodge,  Kansas. 

Fort  Hays,  Kansas. 

Fort  Wallace,  Kansas. 

Fort  Lyon,  Colorado  Territory. 

Fort  Reynolds,  Colorado  Territory. 

Fort  Garland,  Colorado  Territory. 


FORT  SELDEN,  NEW  MEXICO. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CHARLES  STYER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Selden  is  situated  in  a  sandy  basin  one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  Rio  Grande,  in  southern 
New  Mexico,  latitude  32°  25'  north,  longitude  107°  west,  height  above  the  sea  about  4,250  feet. 
At  this  point  the  river  incloses  an  irregular  crescent,  upon  which  the  fort  is  placed.  Twenty-five 
miles  east  are  the  Organ  Mountains,  the  Pechaco  Mountains  lying  four  miles  to  the  west.  The 
nearest  posts  are  Fort  McRae,  58  miles  north ;  Fort  Cummings,  55  miles  west,  and  Fort  Bliss, 
Texas,  67  miles  south.  The  nearest  towns  are  on  the  river  to  the  southeast,  being  Leesburg,  1J 
miles  distant;  Dona  Ana,  12  miles;  Las  Graces,  18  miles,  and  Franklin,  Texas,  65  miles.  A 
good  rope  ferry  across  the  Rio  Grande  is  one  and  a  half  miles  above  the  post. 

The  reservation  is  four  miles  square.  The  soil  is  sandy  and  sterile,  resting  on  volcanic  rocks. 
The  ground  rises  gradually  to  the  north  for  about  four  miles ;  on  the  south  it  slopes  to  the  river 
bottom.  The  cottonwood  on  the  river,  a  coarse  and  scanty  growth  of  grass  on  the  reservation, 
with  plenty  of  cacti  and  stunted  mesquite  comprise  the  botany  of  the  vicinity.  Deer,  antelope,  and 
bear  are  found  in  the  mountains.  Wolves  and  skunks  are  annoyingly  numerous  about  the  post. 
At  the  river,  beavers  are  plenty. 

The  climate  is  warm  and  dry,  mean  annual  temperature,  66°  F.;  extremes,  99°  F.,  and  13°  F. 
Amount  of  rain-fall,  7.3  inches.  No  snow. 

The  post  was  established  in  May,  1865,  for  protection  of  settlers  and  of  the  post  road.  It  is 
not  yet  completed.  The  buildings  are  of  adobe,  plastered  outside  and  in,  and  the  plan  of  arrange- 
ment is  shown  in  Plate  No.  5. 

The  dormitories  measure  90  by  24  feet,  and  allow  840  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man.  They  are 
warmed  by  stoves.  The  bunks  are  double  in  two  tiers.  No  special  arrangements  for  ventilation. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  all  one  story  buildings,  with  flat  earth  roofs.  They  are  heated  by 
fireplaces. 

The  hospital  is  also  one  story,  with  dirt  roof  and  floor,  warmed  by  fireplaces,  and  ventilated 
by  these  and  by  windows.  It  has  two  wards,  each  containing  five  beds,  giving  1,440  cubic  feet  of 
air  space  per  man. 

Sinks  to  all  the  buildings  are  ordinary  latrines  with  deep  vaults. 


238 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  water  supply  is  from  the  river,  by  a  water-wagon.  It  is  kept  in  barrels,  there  being  no 
cisterns  or  reservoirs.  The  quantity  supplied  is  ample  and  the  quality  tolerably  good.  The  natural 
drainage  is  good,  and  answers  every  purpose. 

There  is  a  mail  six  times  a  week,  irregular.  Time  to  department  headquarters,  from  12  to  20 
days. 

The  only  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  are  at  Leesburg,  which  consists  of  a  small  store  and  grog 
shop  with  about  twenty  miserable  huts.  The  residents  are  principally  Mexicans  of  the  lowest 
class,  having  no  occupation  except  prostitution  by  the  females. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good,  and  there  are  no  prevailing  diseases. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  ivhite  troops  at  Fort 

Selden,  New  Mexico,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


K 

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i 

, 

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g 

g      , 

I 

£ 

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2 

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a 

Years. 

a 

1 

E 

i 

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Malarial  fe' 

Diarrhoea 
dysenter 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  dis 

Rheumatisr 

Catarrhal 

tions.* 

1 

0) 
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0 

1 

1868  

63  58 

156 

3 

29 

26 

4 

24 

1869  

53.58 

144 

5 

31 

l 

18 

g 

24 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort 

Selden,  Neic  Mexico,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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1868  

94.91 

262 

4 

42 

3 

16 

21 

2 

47 

1 

1869,  (ten  mouths)  

74.8 

199 

58 

3 

3 

7 

41 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  CUMMINGS,  NEW  MEXICO. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  G.  M.  WARMOTH,  J.  LECARPENTIER,  AND 

SAMUEL  KITCHEN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Cummings  is  situated  on  the  northeast  side  of  Cook's  Mountain,  near  the  mouth  of  Cook's 
Canon,  in  Grant  County,  New  Mexico;  latitude  32°  20'  north,  longitude  107°  48'  west;  altitude, 
4,750  feet.  It  is  53  miles  west  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  20  miles  east  of  the  Rio  Miembres,  the  near- 
est water  after  leaving  the  post.  Camp  Bowie,  Arizona,  is  over  100  miles  to  the  west — by  road, 
130  miles.  Fort  Bayard  is  40  miles  northwest.  Fort  Craig  137  miles  north.  The  reservation  in- 
cludes four  square  miles,  a  part  of  which  is  on  the  side  of  the  mountain.  The  rocks  are  volcanic. 
The  soil  is  a  coarse  gravel,  not  arable.  There  is  no  timber.  Deer,  antelope,  bear,  quails,  centipedes, 
and  rattlesnakes  are  found  in  the  vicinity.  The  post  was  established  in  1864  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
tecting trains  passing  through  the  canon  from  the  Apaches,  who  have  committed  many  murders  at 
this  point. 

The  climate  is  mild— mean  temperature  for  1869,  56.5°  F;  extremes,  99°  F.  and  38°  F.  Total 
rain  fall,  15.4  inches.  No  snow. 

The  post  is  small,  compactly  built,  and  inclosed  by  a  wall,  10  feet  high,  composed  of  adobe. 


FOKT  CUMM1NGS,  NEW  MEXICO. 


Figure  26.— Scale  125  feet  to  1  inch. 

The  store-houses  belonging  to 


The  buildings  are  one  story  high,  built  of  adobe  and  covered  with  earth.     For  general  arrange- 
ment, see  Figure  20. 

A,  store-rooms:  B,  company  and  adjutant's  offices;  C,  quartermaster's  office;  D,  corral;  E, 
shops ;  F,  sally  port ;  G,  prison ;  H,  sheds ;  I,  guard-house ;  J,  officers'  quarters ;  K,  commanding 
officer's  quarters ;  L,  hospital ;  M,  unfinished 
room  ;  N,  company  quarters ;  P,  sinks. 

The  barracks  occupy  the  eastern  side  of  the 
garrison,  and  consist  of  two  sets  of  quarters  poorly 
built  and  badly  ventilated.  The  quarters  afford 
sufficient  room  for  one  company.  They  are 
warmed  by  open  fireplaces,  and  lighted  by  win- 
dows. Air  space,  per  man,  is  223  cubic  feet,  with 
the  actual  strength.  They  are  supplied  xvith 
double  bunks.  The  sinks  are  located  too  near  the 
post  by  100  yards.  They  are  used  by  the  whole 
command,  and  are  in  a  very  bad  condition.  The 
kitchen  and  mess-rooms  are  large  and  well  adapted 
to  the  purpose.  There  are  no  special  quarters  for 
married  soldiers  at  the  post. 

Three  sets  of  quarters  for  officers  are  com- 
pleted, and  two  sets  are  in  process  of  erection. 
They  contain  four  rooms  each,  plastered  within, 
well  lighted  and  ventilated,  and  sufficiently  large  and  convenient, 
the  post  are  sufficient  and  in  good  repair. 

The  guard  house  is  in  good  condition,  and  its  means  of  ventilation  and  warming  are  all  that 
can  be  desired.  The  hospital  building,  in  point  of  location,  is  badly  situated.  It  contains  one 
ward,  29  by  20  feet;  a  laundry,  23  by  20  feet;  kitchen,  23  by  20  feet;  store-room,  17  by  20  feet;  dis- 
pensary, 15  by  20  feet,  and  steward's  room,  12  by  20  feet.  The  hospital  is  sufficiently  large  for  a 
post  of  one  company.  It  is  warmed  by  open  fireplaces,  which,  by  the  aid  of  windows,  afford  good 
ventilation.  There  is  no  bath-room.  The  dispensary,  store-room,  and  kitchen  are  convenient  and 
well  adapted.  The  ward  is  furnished  with  seven  beds,  allowing  828.G7  cubic  feet  to  each.  The  hos- 
pital sinks  are  insufficient.  Those  formerly  used  have  been  taken  for  the  use  of  the  troops. 

A  never-failing  supply  of  water  is  obtained  from  a  large  spring  located  nearly  one-fourth  of  a 
mile  from  the  post.  Though  the  water  is  of  good  quality  by  itself,  owing  to  a  prolonged  state  of 
stagnation  it  becomes  impregnated  with  a  large  amount  of  organic  matter,  animal  and  vegetable, 
dead  and  alive,  so  as  sometimes  to  become  really  obnoxious  to  health. 

Inside,  and  also  outside  of  the  post,  the  drainage  is  not  sufficient,  as  may  be  noticed  after  any 
heavy  rains,  where  immense  pools  of  water  cover  the  ground,  particularly  in  front  of  all  the  build- 
ings. It  has  been  recommended  that  the  ground  be  leveled  and  covered  from  time  to  time  with  a 
new  bed  of  gravel,  making  it  more  consistent.  The  drains  are  greatly  out  of  repair,  retaining  a 
part  of  the  water  instead  of  carrying  it  off.  Behind  the  post-trader's  buildings,  and  over  a  great 
extent  of  ground,  may  be  seen  many  piles  of  refuse.  As  it  stands  at  present,  rain-storms  wash 
away  the  greater  part  of  this  refuse,  which,  mixing  with  the  water  contained  in  the  ponds,  is  a  cause 
of  disease  at  the  post. 

A  post  garden  is  cultivated  by  irrigation  and  the  use  of  fertilizers.  Corn,  cabbage,  onions, 
melons,  and  peas  are  raised. 

Mail  communication  is  by  weekly  stage  to  Santa  Fe.  Mail  is  received  three  times  a  week  from 
California,  via  Tucson.  Time  to  Santa  FC",  7  days. 

There  are  no  inhabitants  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  post. 

From  January  to  April,  18G9,  a  mild  epidemic  of  small-pox  existed  at  the  post.  Intermittent 
and  remittent  fever  also  existed  for  a  few  months,  and  a  few  cases  of  diarrhoea  and  dysentery.  To 
the  impurities  contained  in  the  water  used  at  the  post  must  be  attributed  several  cases  of  the  last- 
named  diseases.  Proper  measures  have  been  recommended,  as  mentioned  above,  for  purifying  the 
water,  and  also  that  the  water-tank  and  barrels  used  for  water  purposes  be  well  cleaned  and  washed  • 


240 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


as  frequently  as  practicable.  Large  pools  of  water,  or  ponds,  between  the  butcher's  house  and  the 
post-trader's  buildings,  make  of  that  ground  a  sort  of  marshy  place,  to  the  existence  of  which  may 
be  attributed  the  numerous  cases  of  intermittent  and  remittent  fever  referred  to. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,   number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Cummings,  Neic 

Mexico,  colored  troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  18G9. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Typhoid  fever. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Diphtheria. 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  afiec- 
tions.* 

2 

1 
•3 

•8 

£ 

1868  

79.5 

108 

14 

6 

g 

is 

1869,  (10  months)  

88.5 

55 

1 

12 

3 

1 

1 

g 

1 

"  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  BAYARD,  NEW  MEXICO. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  J.  LK  CARPEXT1ER  AND  A.  J.  GRAY, 

UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Bayard  is  situated  in  a  small  valley  between  the  Sierra  Madre  and  Santa  Rita  ranges  of 
mountains,  latitude  32°  40'  north,  longitude  108°  25'  west;  altitude  about  6,000  feet. 

On  the  summit  of  the  Sierra  Madre,  distant  ten  miles,  are  the  gold  mines  and  village  of  Pinos 
Altos;  and  at  the  base  of  the  Santa  Rita  range,  distant  eight  miles,  are  the  copper  mines  of  Santa 
Rita, 

The  valley  ends  abruptly  four  miles  north  of  the  post  in  a  series  of  precipitous  cliffs  connect- 
ing the  mountain  ranges.  Two  miles  to  the  south,  the  location  of  the  little  town  of  Central  City, 
or  Santa  Clara,  the  valley  opens  on  a  vast  and  nearly  level  plain,  across  which  are  visible  the 
mountains  in  Mexico;  and  to  the  southeast,  Cook's  Peak,  distant  forty  miles,  the  location  of  Fort 
Cummings,  the  nearest  post. 

It  is  on  no  direct  line  of  travel,  the  nearest  railroad  being  nine  hundred  miles  distant.  The 
only  stream  of  any  size  in  the  vicinity  is  the  Gila,  thirty-five  miles  west.  The  post  was  established 
in  3866,  its  object  being  to  protect  the  miners  against  the  Apache  Indians,  whose  trail  lies  through 
this  valley  from  southeastern  Arizona  to  the  settlements  in  ^New  Mexico,  the  objective  point  of 
many  of  their  thieving  expeditions. 

The  reservation  is  two  miles  square,  with  an  undulating  surface,  the  cliff's  and  sloping  hills 
crowned  with  cedars,  and  the  long  and  circuitous  arroyas  fringed  with  willow  and  cottonwood. 

The  soil,  where  it  can  be  irrigated,  is  rich  and  productive.  A  great  variety  of  minerals  is 
found  in  the  vicinity;  gold  and  copper  being  the  most  important;  silver,  .cinnabar,  iron,  lead,  zinc, 
and  antimony  are  also  present. 

The  agave,  or  American  aloe,  called  here  "mescal,"  grows  in  abundance,  and  its  root  forms 
one  of  the  staple  articles  of  food  of  the  Indians. 

There  are  few  wild  animals — deer,  bear,  wolves,  and  foxes  being  the  principal  ones.  Of  birds, 
the  wild  turkey,  duck,  snipe,  meadow  lark,  robin,  raven,  and  mocking  bird  have  been  observed. 

The  only  water  on  the  reserve  proceeds  from  a  series  of  small  springs  in  an  arroya  near  the 
fort,  the  united  capacity  of  which  is  about  fifteen  barrels  per  hour. 

The  climate  is  delightful,  and  changes  in  temperature  are  gradual.  Mean  annual  temperature, 
51.97°  F.;  extremes,  8°  F.  and  89°  F.  Rain  fell  on  twenty-eight  days;  total  fall,  11.2  inches. 
Total  snow-fall,  15.77  inches. 

Winds  are  chiefly  northwest  and  southeast;  seldom  severe.  Late  in  the  fall,  after  several 
days  of  continuous  wind  from  the  southeast,  a  few  cases  of  interinittents  are  said  to  appear.  This 
wind  passes  over  a  marsh  twenty-five  miles  distant. 


FORT  BAYARD,  NEW  MEXICO. 


241 


The  post  is  on  the  side  of  a  small  hill,  sloping -to  the  east,  near  the  center  of  the  reservation. 

The  officers  and  men  occupy  temporary  log  huts,  which  are  in  bad  condition.  When  the  post 
is  bnilt,  it  will  be  of  adobe;  the  hospital  and  store-houses  having  already  been  so  constructed. 

The  post  will  form  a  parallelogram,  C50  by  400  feet,  and  is  intended  for  three  companies. 

The  barracks  for  enlisted  men  are  log  structures,  roofed  with  earth,  warmed  by  open  fire- 
places, fitted  with  double  bunks  in  two  tiers,  and  allowing  at  present  368  cubic  feet  air  space 
per  man. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  log  huts  in  very  bad  condition. 

The  store-houses  are  new,  commodious,  and  convenient.  The  hospital  building  has  recently 
been  completed,  though  its  location,  from  insufficient  drainage  and  aeration,  is  not  desirable.  In 
the  construction  of  the  building,  the  plan  proposed  in  Circular  No.  4,  from  the  Surgeon  General's 
Office,  has  not  been  followed.  It  is  built  of  adobes,  and  very  badly  constructed;  the  windows  are 
too  small  and  not  sufficient  in  number;  there  is  no  steward's  room,  and  the  administration  building 
is  but  one  story  high.  The  roof  is  formed  by  sloping  rafters  meeting  at  the  apex;  the  inclination 
of  its  sides  is  contrary  to  all  architectural  principles,  being  twenty-five  degrees,  when,  in  this  lati- 
tude, fifteen  to  sixteen  degrees  only  would  be  indicated  for  greater  security.  There  is  but  one  ward 
in  the  building,  which  is  used  alike  by  white  and  colored  patients.  It  has  a  capacity  for  twelve 
beds,  and  its  superficial  area  is  910  square  feet,  allowing  1,060  cubic  feet  air  space  per  bed.  Pro- 
vision is  made  in  the  plan  of  the  building  for  a  bath-room  adjoining  the  ward,  though  as  yet  it  is 
not  prepared.  The  sinks  and  urinals  are  separate  from  the  building  and  in  good  condition ;  they 
are  situated  too  far  away  from  the  hospital  for  the  convenience  of  the  sick.  The  dead-house  is  also 
too  far  oft',  being  placed  outside  of  the  hospital  yard. 

The  water  supply  is  good  as  to  quality  and  quantity.    There  are  no  facilities  for  bathing. 

The  drainage  is  entirely  superficial,  and  is  imperfect.  .Post  gardens  are  cultivated,  and  furnish 
a  good  supply  of  vegetables.  There  is  good  grazing  on  the  reservation.  Cows,  pigs,  and  chickens 
are  kept.  Mail  is  received  twice  a  week.  It  is  rare  that  any  article  of  value  reaches  its  destina- 
tion by  mail,  to  or  from  this  point.  Communications  to  publishing  or  furnishing  houses  are  almost 
invariably  opened  en  route,  and  money  removed  if  present. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  very  good. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  white  troops  at  Fort  Bayard, 

New  Mexico,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


J 

gi 

1 

£ 

i 

I 

5* 

o 

i 

^ 

a 

S 

Years. 

| 

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=2 

5 

*    fi 

e  § 

.2 

"3 

135 

a 

. 

•3  *£ 

8 

O    J£ 

o 

S,    3 

Q 

5 

I 

3 

fc-    .— 

CM 

B 

« 

o 

S 

O 

3 

s 

I 

& 

"3 

i 

a 
o 
H 

§ 

a 
K 

£ 

o 

1 

1868  (nine  months) 

60  11 

26 

2 

4 

4 

1 

1 

4 

l 

1869,  (eleven  months). 

71.  63 

66 

5 

12 

4 

7 

3 

2 

3 

l 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort 

Bayard,  Neic  Mexico,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


h 

•3 

CO 

, 

_s 

ii 

a 

S 

H 

ft 

S  x 

P 

b 

s 

S 

5 

Years. 

Mean  stren 

Z    '£ 

jJ 

1 

Malarial  fc 

Diarrhoea 
dysento 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  di 

Rheumatis 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal 
tions.* 

1 

41 

s 

1868  '.  

168  5 

85 

10 

14 

3 

3 

13 

3 

22 

l 

1869,  (ten  months) 

135  9 

108 

11 

18 

5 

3 

11 

4 

13 

31 


*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


242  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT  McRAE,  NEW  MEXICO. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  W.  B.  LYON,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  McRae  is  situated  three  miles  from  the  Rio  Grande,  on  the  line  dividing  the  counties  of 
Socorro  and  Dona  Ana,  New  Mexico.  Latitude  33°  01'  north,  longitude  107°  08'  west;  height 
above  the  sea,  4,500  feet. 

It  is  in  a  wide  canon  extending  westward  from  the  plain  of  the  Jornada  del  Muerto  to  the  Rio 
Grande,  and  is  five  miles  from  the  head  of  the  canon.  The  Mierabres  range  of  mountains  is  25 
miles  distant  to  the  west,  and  30  miles  to  the  east  are  the  San  Andres  Mountains.  It  is  32  miles 
south  of  Fort  Craig,  and  CO  miles  north  of  Fort  Selden.  The  post  was  established  in  1863,  for  the 
protection  of  the  Jornada  del  Muerto  from  the  depredations  of  the  Miembres  branch  of  the  Apaches. 
The  crossing  at  the  mouth  of  the  canon  is  the  best  on  the  river,  and  this  was  the  principal 
pass  through  which  the  Indians  drove  their  stolen  stock.  The  fort  also  protects  the  Ojo  del 
Muerto,  (spring  of  the  dead,)  which,  except  at  certain  seasons,  is  the  only  water  to  be  found  near 
the  Jornada,  between  Fort  Selden  and  Paraja,  a  distance  of  90  miles.  The  reservation  is  2  miles 
square.  The  formation  is  quite  recent,  nearly  the  whole  of  the  reservation  having  been  simply 
washed  out  from  the  original  level  of  the  plain  to  the  present  broken  slope  to  the  river.  The 
whole  mesa  is  of  recent  water  formation.  A  well  sunk  at  Aleman,  midway  between  Paraja  and 
Fort  Selden,  passed  through  successive  layers  of  soft  sandstone,  in  which  hard,  flinty  water- 
washed  pebbles  were  imbedded. 

Thirty  feet  from  the  surface  well-preserved  bones  were  found.  At  a  depth  of  100  feet  a  petri- 
fied walnut  was  discovered.  Abundance  of  water  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  140  feet.  Thin  veins 
of  coal  crop  out  at  several  points  near  the  river.  A  ten-foot  layer  of  lava  covers  the  mesa  near  the 
fort,  extending  to  the  mountain  of  Fra  Christobal  above,  and  the  Sierra  de  Caballo  below.  The 
soil  is  covered  with  fine  grama  grass,  but  is  not  arable,  as  it  cannot  be  irrigated.  Cedar  and  ash 
grow  in  the  neighboring  ravines,  groves  of  cottonwood  on  the  river  bottoms,  and  there  is  a  good 
supply  of  mesquite  on  the  higher  slopes.  Many  species  of  cacti  abound.  The  principal  wild 
animals  are  the  antelope,  deer,  panther  or  Mexican  lion,  cinnamon  bear,  wolves,  foxes,  and  beaver. 
The  eagle,  crane,  wild  turkey,  ducks,  and  quail  are  found.  The  Rio  Grande  abounds  with  cat- 
fish. The  climate  is  delightful,  except  in  June  and  July,  when  the  heat  is  excessive.  Mean  tem- 
perature CO0  F.,  extremes  105°  F.  and  8°  F.  The  rainy  season  sets  in  about  the  middle  of  July, 
and  continues  one  or  two  months.  Average  amount  of  rain-fall  about  9  inches.  There  is  very 
little  snow. 

The  buildings  are  all  of  adobe,  and  of  but  one  story.  The  barracks,  officers'  quarters,  and 
hospital  buildings  are  plastered  on  the  inside  with  lime ;  they  have  mud  roofs,  and  jaspe  or 
gypsum  floors. 

The  commanding  officer's  quarters,  barracks,  guard  house,  and  hospital  were  built  in  1866 ; 
the  other  buildings  belonging  to  the  post  are  new. 

The  barracks,  for  one  company  of  soldiers,  measures  120  by  27  feet,  and  is  divided  into  two 
apartments,  with  a  hall.  The  rooms  are  sufficiently  Avarmed  by  one  heating  stove  in  each,  and 
lighted  by  three  windows  in  the  east  and  five  in  the  west  side;  there  are  no  means  of  ventilation 
except  by  the  windows  and  doors,  and  the  air  space  per  man  is  260  cubic  feet  when  the  barracks 
are  full.  They  are  furnished  with  double  bunks,  with  an  interval  of  2  feet  and  10  inches  between 
the  beds.  The  kitchen  and  mess-room  are  together  in  the  rear  of  the  center  of  the  main  building. 
Two  small  rooms  are  cut  off  from  the  east  end  of  the  barracks  for  the  use  of  married  soldiers. 

Excellent  quarters  for  officers  have  recently  been  completed,  the  outer  walls  of  which  are  of 
adobe,  and  27  inches  in  thickness.  These  quarters  are  lime  plastered,  with  jaspe  floors  and  good 
cellar,  and  are  heated  by  open  fireplaces.  Each  set  contains  four  rooms  and  a  hall ;  the  rooms 
measure  from  14  by  18  feet  to  18  feet  square.  The  commanding  officer's  quarters  contain  six  rooms, 
each  about  16  feet  square. 

The  store-honse  comprises  two  large  rooms,  20  by  30  feet,  with  an  office,  20  by  15  feet,  between. 


FORT  McKAE,  SEW  MEXICO. 


243 


This  building  is  used  by  the  commissary  and  quartermaster  department,  and  is  in  excellent  con- 
dition. 

The  guard-house  is  also  of  adobe,  with  jaspe  floors;  dimensions,  44  by  18  feet,  and  10  feet  high. 
The  walls  are  mud-plastered  and  whitewashed.  It  comprises  a  guard-room,  14  by  14  feet,  a 
prisoners'  room,  14  by  18  feet,  and  a  cell,  10  feet  square;  these  rooms  arc  10  feet  high,  and  are  all 
warmed  by  open  wood  fires.  The  ventilation  of  the  guard-house  is  insufficient,  consisting  only  of 
openings,  12  inches  by  24  inches,  in  the  north,  south,  and  west  walls,  7  feet  and  8  inches  from  the  floor. 
Prisoners  sleep  on  boards  without  ticks,  and  with  but 'one  blanket  per  man;  the  average  occu- 
pancy, 2  prisoners.  The  hospital  fronts  on  the  parade  ground,  facing  cast,  with  shade  trees  both 
in  front  and  rear.  The  building  is  95  feet  front  and  25  feet  deep,  and,  excepting  its  low  and  leaky 
roof,  is  in  good  condition,  and  well  adapted.  On  the  right  of  the  main  hall  entrance  is  the  dispen- 
sary, and  immediately  adjoining  is  the  steward's  room.  On  the  left  of  the  hall  is  a  ward,  30  by  14 
feet,  containing  five  beds,  and  giving,  when  full,  83  square  feet,. or  707  cubic  feet  of  air  per  man. 
The  hospital  is  warmed  by  large  wood  open  fires,  which,  with  the  windows,  furnish  good  ventila- 
tion. The  sink  is  located  40  yards  to  the  rear  of  the  hospital,  and  is  kept  in  good  condition. 
There  is  no  bath-room. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  separate  building,  in  good  condition,  and  well  adapted  to  the  purpose. 

A  large  corral  in  which  28  permanent  mules,  besides  transient  animals,  arc  kept,  is  placed 
40  yards  to  the  southwest  of  the  medical  officer's  quarters  and  hospital,  and  to  the  windward 
of  both. 

The  police  is  excellent ;  the  refuse  is  daily  carted  to  a  point  half  a  mile  down  the  canon. 

The  men's  sink  is  so  situated  that  in  the  rainy  season  the  excrement  is  washed  to  the  river  by 
each  successive  rain  ;  at  other  times  it  is  transported  to  the  same  place  and  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  refuse  of  the  corral. 

The  post  is  supplied  with  an  abundance  of  good  clear  water  from  the  Ojo  del  Muerto,  so  named 
from  historical  associations.  The  water  is  slightly  alkaline,  but  pleasant  to  the  taste  and  perfectly 
healthy.  A  post  garden  has  been  planted  near  Alamosa,  (six  miles  distant,)  cultivated  by  a  per- 
manent detail  from  the  garrison,  but  from  an  insufficient  supply  of  water  has  as  yet  been  but  par- 
tially successful.  The  hospital  garden,  for  the  same  reason,  has  been  a  failure.  Extra  vegetables 
have  been  obtained  from  the  surrounding  country,  but  at  high  prices. 

There  is  a  weekly  stage  line  to  Santa  Fe\  The  nearest  post  office  is  Aleman,  distant  20  miles. 
Mails  are  received  twice  a  week.  A  letter  should  go  to  Fort  Leavenworth  in  from  12  to  15  days. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country  are  Mexican  farmers,  who  are  a  very  healthy  class  of 
people.  About  300  Apache  Indians,  professing  to  be  friendly,  have  recently  been  living  within  30 
miles  of  the  post. 

Diarrhcea  has  prevailed  at  the  post  and  in  the  vicinity  ;  among  the  citizens,  rheumatism  and 
skin  diseases. 

Statement  shoiciny  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  (linemen  at  Fort  McRae,  Xew  Mexico, 

colored  troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


t, 

TJ. 

1 

, 

t 

J  . 
H 

£ 

V 

g 

=a 

1 

1 

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£       3D 

Years. 

| 

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. 

I 

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1 

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£  •** 

13 

a 

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a 

5 

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i 

0 

o 

1868 

89  16 

312 

58 

116 

4 

2 

5 

8 

31 

1869  (10  months) 

81  5 

125 

13 

43 

9 

2 

4 

6 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pU-misv. 


244  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT  CRAIG,  NEW  MEXICO. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  LIEUTENANT  COLONEL  CHARLES  SUTHERLAND,  ASSISTANT  MEDICAL 
PURVEYOR  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  AND  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  AV.  R.  BREWER  AND  H.  G. 
TIEDEMANN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Craig  is  situated  in  tbe  county  of  Socorro,  Territory  of  New  Mexico,  on  the  right  or  west 
bank  of  the  Rio  Grande  del  Norte;  latitude  33°  38'  north,  longitude  107°  west,  with  an  altitude  of 
4,57G  feet  above  the  sea.  Its  location  is  about  10  miles  above  a  well  known  landmark  in  that  vicinity, 
known  as  Fra  Christobal,  the  commencement  of  the  Jornada  del  Muerto.  This  Jornada  is  about 
80  miles  in  length  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  river,  "and  mostly  dry  during  the  year.  The  nearest 
military  post  is  Fort  McRae,  32  miles  distant  to  the  south,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande. 
Paraja,  8  miles  distant  south,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  San  Marcial,  3  miles  distant  north, 
on  the  west  bank,  are  the  only  neighboring  towns. 

The  post  was  established  on  the  abandonment  of  Fort  Conrad,  distant  9  miles  north,  April  1, 
1854,  the  buildings  having  been  in  process  of  erection  some  months  previous.  The  object  of  Fort 
Craig  was  to  afford  protection  against  the  inroads  of  the  numerous  bands  of  Apaches  that  roamed 
at  large  throughout  the  lower  portion  of  New  Mexico,  from  the  Pecos  to  the  Gila  Rivers.  Those 
supposed  to  be  most  immediately  under  its  influence  were  the  Gila  or  Miembres  Apaches,  and  the 
Mogyon  Apaches,  both  of  which  bauds  lived  on  the  western  side  of  the  river.  The  fort  served 
also  the  purpose  of  protecting  a  road  running  to  the  lower  portion  of  the  Territory  on  the  west 
side;* this  road,  not  much  traveled  ten  years  ago,  is  now  principally  used.  The  Apaches  have 
always  been  a  terror  to  the  inhabitants  and  travelers  of  New  Mexico,  and  at  the  time  of  the  loca- 
tion of  this  post  they  had  spread  desolation  far  and  wide.  The  location  of  Fort  Craig  was  pre- 
ferred to  that  of  Fort  Conrad  as  affording  better  grazing,  and,  being  at  the  entrance  of  the  Jor- 
nada del  Muerto,  as  affording  greater  protection  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity. 

The  reservation  embraces  an  area  of  a  little  over  38  square  males ;  the  fort  overlooks  the  river 
from  the  edge  of  a  plain  which  extends  for  miles  to  the  base  of  the  western  range  of  mountains. 
This  table  land  is  a  succession  of  rude  grades,  increasing  in  height  as  they  proceed,  until  the  for- 
mation is  lost  among  the  mountains.  To  the  south,  southwest,  west,  and  north  of  the  fort, 
the  mountains  are  mainly  basaltic,  and  partially  covered  with  timber  and  scrub  bushes.  There 
is  a  large  "  mesa  "  nearly  opposite  and  northeast  of  the  fort,  rising  very  abruptly  from  the  river 
bank,  which  is  of  volcanic  origin,  and  whose  summit  is  crowned  with  an  extinct  crater. 

The  mineral  products  are  gold,  silver,  mercury,  galena,  and  copper;  also  mines  of  bituminous 
coal.  A  small  portion  of  low  land  used  for  gardens  is  immediately  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  which 
is  here  narrow  and  rapid.  The  soil  of  the  bottom  lands  is  fertile,  producing  excellent  vegetables 
and  cereals,  while  that  of  the  uplands  affords  only  pasturage  for  stock.  The  cottonwood,  oak,  black 
walnut,  mesqnite,  cedar,  and  willow,  are  the  indigenous  trees,  and  are  sparsely  scattered ;  the  cot- 
touwood  and  willow  on  the  bottoms,  and  the  others  on  the  mountains. 

Of  wild  animals,  the  grizzly,  brown,  and  black  bear,  panther,  wild  cat,  weasel,  large  and  small 
wolves,  are  the  most  important.  The  rodentia  are  represented  by  the  large  hare,  (jack  rabbit,)  the 
ordinary  burrowing  rabbit,  gray  and  ground  squirrel,  the  ground  rat,  prairie  dog,  the  badger,  and 
mouse.  Black  and  white  tailed  deer,  as  well  as  antelope,  are  abundant  in  the  mountain  regions. 
Swans,  pelicans,  wild  geese,  brant,  and  almost  every  species  of  duck  abound  on  the  river,  as  well 
as  sand-hill  cranes,  blue  herons,  bitterns,  and  several  species  of  snipe.  At  sonic  distance  from  the 
post,  and  principally  in  the  mountains,  are  found  turkey,  quail,  blackbird,  meadow  lark,  robins, 
doves,  sparrows,  bluebird,  cardinal  bird,  snow  bird,  and  many  others.  Of  the  birds  of  prey,  are 
the  golden  eagle,  white  headed  eagle,  the  falcon,  chicken  and  sparrow  hawks,  turkey  buzzard,  car- 
rion crow,  and  raven ;  the  last  three  species  being  the  most  numerous,  and  answering  the  purpose 
of  scavengers.  The  river  abounds  in  catfish,  buffalo,  and  white  fish.  Beavers  and  muskrats  are 
found  in  great  numbers  within  a  mile  of  the  post. 

The  climate/ is  variable;  in  summer  the  heat  is  very  great;  in  winter  there  is  slight  frost,  and 


FORT  CEAIG,  NEW  MEXICO. 


245 


some  little  snow.  This  season  is  disturbed  by  the  great  storms  of  dust  which  blow,  from  the  west 
principally,  over  this  post  as  well  as  over  all  the  lower  posts  of  New  Mexico,  thereby  marring  what 
would  otherwise  be  a  very  delightful  climate  at  that  time  of  the  year.  The  dust  at  times'is  stifling. 
The  average  temperature  is  58.59°  F.;  the  greatest  degree  of  heat,  98°  F.;  that  of  cold,  4°  F.;  the 
greatest  diiference  observed  between  the  thermometer  and  hygrometer,  26°  F.  The  anunal  rain- 
fall for  1869,  was  11.23  inches.  The  prevailing  winds  in  summer  are  southwest ;  during  winter, 
from  the  north.  The  fort  is  placed  nearly  equidistant  from  the  northern  and  southern  boundaries 
of  the  reservation,  and  is  72  feet  above  the  Rio  Grande. 

The  buildings  are,  with  few  exceptions,  constructed  of  adobe,  and  are  arranged  around  a  rec- 
tangular area  1,050  feet  by  COO  feet.     For  the  general  arrangement  of  the  post,  see  Figure  27. 

A,  casemates ;  B,   commanding  officer's  quarters ;    C, 

guard-house ;  D,  initial  point ;  E,  adjutant's  office ;  F,  sol- 
diers' quarters;  H,  officers'  quarters;  I,  store-houses  and 
shops ;  K,  married  soldiers'  quarters ;  L,  old  hospital ;  M, 
new  hospital ;  N,  corral ;  P,  unfinished  part. 
The  post  was  designed  for  two  companies. 
The  barracks,  two  in  number,  built  of  adobe  in  the  form 
of  a  hollow  square,  each  inclosing  a  plazita,  are  occupied, 
the  one  by  white  troops,  the  other  by  colored  troops.  Each 
barrack  contains  two  dormitories,  51  by  20  by  12§  feet,  with 
a  wide  hall  extending  from  the  front  of  the  building  to  the 
inclosed  court  in  the  rear.  The  buildings  are  badly  designed ; 
the  ventilation  is  defective;  they  cannot  be  heated;  and 
should  they  happen  to  be  crowded  during  an  epidemic,  the 
consequences  would  be  serious.  The  dormitories  have  each 

two  windows  in  front  and  one  in  the  outer  end  ;  at  the  ad-  Figure  27.— Scale  500  feet  to  l  inch, 

joining  ends  a  door  opens  from  each  into  the  hall.  Air  space  per  man,  538  cubic  feet ;  single 
iron  bedsteads  are  used.  Movable  sinks  have  been  built  200  yards  distant.  The  kitchens  are 
comfortable  and  well  floored  rooms,  furnished  with  stoves  and  open  fireplaces  for  cooking  pur- 
poses. These,  with  the  mess-rooms,  non-commissioned  officers'  quarters,  laundresses'  quarters,  and 
wood  and  coal  rooms,  are  located  to  the  rear  of  the  dormitories,  and  complete  the  square  inclosing 
the  court. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  three  one-story  buildings,  built  of  adobe,  well  finished,  being  plastered 
within  and  without;  the  flooring  of  all  is  composed  of  impure  gypsum ;  the  roofs  are  flat  and  of 
the  same  material.  A  portico,  supported  by  wooden  columns,  extends  the  entire  length  of  the 
western  front  of  two,  and  eastern  front  of  one  of  them.  Each  set  of  quarters  has  a  hall,  20  by  15 
by  12£  feet,  extending  from  front  to  rear,  with  a  bed-room,  20  by  20  by  12£  feet,  on  either  side. 
Adjoining  one  of  these  rooms  is  the  dining-room,  20  by  20  by  12£  feet,  which  communicates  by  a 
hall  with  the  servants'  room,  12  by  15  by  12J  feet,  and  kitchen,  20  by  20  by  12J  feet.  All  the  quar- 
ters for  officers  are  heated  by  open  fireplaces,  and  well  lighted  by  windows.  There'  are  no  bath- 
rooms ;  the  privies  are  small  detached  buildings  in  rear  of  the  quarters ;  the  guard-house  is  located 
in  the  center  of  one  side  of  the  post ;  the  sally-port  passes  through  it.  On  one  side  of  the  sally- 
port is  the  guard-room,  20  by  17  feet,  and  in  rear  of  this  a  room,  20  by  21£  feet  and  10J  feet  high, 
which  is  used  for  colored  prisoners.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  sally-port  is  a  room  containing 
2,226  cubic  feet  of  air  space  used  for  the  confinement  of  white  prisoners. 

The  prison-rooms  are  poorly  j lighted  and  ventilated,  the  last  mentioned  having  only  a  few 
.small  holes  near  the  roof  and  chinks  around  the  door  for  the  admission  of  fresh  air.  The  guard 
room  and  room  occupied  by  white  prisoners  are  warmed  by  open  fireplaces;  but  there  is  neither 
fireplace  nor  stove  in  the  room  occupied  by  colored  prisoners.  The  prison-rooms  had,  during  a 
period  of  three  years,  -an  average  of  sixteen  men  confined  in  them — the  greatest  number  reached 
was  thirty-two. 

In  one  corner  of  the  guard-room  is  a  trap-door  opening  upon  a  stairway  which  leads  down  to 
the  cells  where  prisoners  are  kept  in  solitary  confinement.  The  cells  are  six  in  number,  three  on 
each  side  of  the  passage  way.  Each  cell  is  5  feet  7  inches  long,  2  feet  10  inches  wide,  and  4 


246  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

feet  10  inches  high,  giving  a  cubic  space  of  76  feet ;  width  of  passage  way  3  feet  7  inches. 
Eight  augur  holes  and  the  chinks  around  the  doors  are  the  only  means  of  admitting  air  and 
light  froni  the  passage-way  into  the  cells.  The  whole  amount  of  air  and  light,  admitted  into  the 
dungeons  passes  through  an  opening  beneath  the  guard-room  steps,  not  to  exceed  in  area  one 
square  foot.  This  is  the  only  opening,  except  the  trap  door,  which  is  always  closed  at  night. 

The  glaring  defects  noticeable  in  these  rooms  and  cells  are,  first,  the  great  want  of  ventilation; 
and,  next  in  importance,  the  want  of  proper  board  flooring. 

The  men,  with  seldom  more  than  a  single  blanket,  sleep  upon  the  earthen  floor,  which,  from 
being  frequently  sprinkled  to  lay  the  dust,  contains  much  moisture.  Colds  and  rheumatism  are 
frequent  among  the  inmates,  and,  if  not  removed  at  once  to  the  hospital  for  treatment,  are  very 
difficult  to  treat. 

The  old  hospital  consists  of  two  adobe  structures;  one  15  by  90  feet,  the  other  20  by  90  feet, 
parallel  to  each  other  and  40  feet  apart.  The  rooms  contained  in  each  building  communicate  with 
each  other  by  doors,  and  there  are  no  halls,  except  the  one  which  separates  the  two  wards.  Open 
fireplaces  are  the  means  of  warming  the  hospital,  the  rooms  of  which  are  insufficiently  lighted  and 
ventilated  by  windows  measuring  only  4  by  2£  feet.  The  wards  measure  each  20  by  20  by  14  feet. 
The  windows,  four  in  each  ward,  two  in  front  and  two  back,  are  very  small,  and  no  appliance 
exists  for  roof  ventilation.  These  rooms  contain  each  eight  beds,  giving  700  cubic  feet  per  bed. 

Owing  to  the  many  defects  in  the  hospital,  a  new  adobe  building,  70  by  22  feet,  (inside  measure- 
ment,) has  been  erected  for  the  accommodation  of  the  sick.  It  contains  two  wards,  each  30  by  22 
by  14  feet,  and  a  hall,  10  by  22  by  14  feet,  extending  through  the  center  of  the  building,  from  front 
to  rear,  and  is  well  lighted  by  windows,  4  by  8  feet.  The  building,  however,  is  still  in  an  unfin- 
ished state,  owing  to  a  want  of  material  and  skilled  workmen.  Before  the  walls  had  attained  the 
required  height,  the  citizen  mason  who  had  superintended  the  work  was  discharged,  and  the  com- 
pletion of  the  building  was  left  to  the  soldiers  of  the  command.  ^Ihe  remaining  layers  of  adobe 
were  laid  by  a  man  on  extra  duty  and  some  prisoners.  The  rafters  and  planking  for  a  flat  roofing 
were  put  on,  and  it  is  here  that  the  inexperience  of  the  workmen  is  plainly  to  be  seen.  The  roofing 
is  composed  of  sand  and  impure  gypsum,  a  material  the  proper  use  of  which  was  unknown  to  the 
soldiers,  and  the  result  was  that  nearly  500  bushels  more  than  requisite  was  used  on  the  roof, 
causing  the  rafters  and  sheathing  to  sag  and  spring.  The  enormous  weight  of  the  roof,  with 
the  addition  of  collected  rain  in  its  hollowed  center,  thus  imperil  the  walls  by  its  immense  side 
pressure. 

The  building  is  ventilated  by  six  ventilators  placed  on  the  ridge,  each  presenting  an  orifice, 
4  by  15  inches,  which  is  increased  in  size  as  it  enters  the  ward  where  the  diameter  is  12  by  15 
inches.  The  wards  contain  16  beds,  allowing  to  each  1,155  cubic  feet. 

The  old  building  is  still  occupied,  and  has  been  repaired  and  plastered.  Even  in  the  event  of 
the  new  building  being  completed,  the  present  hospital  -could  not  be  dispensed  with,  the  original 
purpose  of  the  former  being  to  have  sufficient  accommodation  for  the  sick  only,  giving  an 
abundance  of  air  space  and  light.  No  provision  is  made  for  bathing.  The  dispensary  is  used  as 
an  office.  The  hospital  sink  is  located  about  fifteen  yards  distant  from  the  building.  A  small 
room  is  used  as  a  dead-room  and  for  the  storage  of  lumber  and  wood.  The  grounds  are  well 
drained  by  means  of  grading,  together  with  wooden  pipes,  which  convey  the  water  into  the  outer 
trench. 

The  post  bakery  contains  an  adobe  oven,  situated  in  the  center  of  a  room,  22  by  20  by  11£  feet, 
and  supplies  the  garrison  with  excellent  bread.  The  floor  of  the  room  is  of  gypsum. 

The  cavalry  stables  and  corral  are  located  inside  the  fort  and  within  200  yards  of  the  officers' 
quarters.  In  summer  the  effluvia  is  often  distinctly  perceptible  on  the  parade  ground,  and  mos- 
quitoes and  flies  are  attracted  in  great  numbers,  to  the  discomfort  of  the  garrison.  Refuse  is  re- 
moved in  carts  and  deposited  below  the  hill,  where  it  is  burned. 

The  post  library  contains  63  volumes  of  novels,  histories,  and  scientific  works. 

A  good  supply  of  water  is  obtained  from  the  Rio  Grande,  about  one  mile  distant,  and  distrib- 
uted about  the  post  by  water-wagons.  Though  turbid,  the  water  is  of  good  quality. 

The  fort  being  placed  upon  a  slope,  leading  to  the  river,  the  natural  drainage  is  all  that  can 


FORT  CRAIG,  NEW  MEXICO. 


247 


be  desired.  The  soil,  also,  being  loose  and  gravelly,  water  disappears  rapidly  from  nearly  all  parts 
of  the  post. 

There  are  no  systematic  arrangeinen  ts  for  bathing,  either  in  summer  or  winter;  the  men  avail 
themselves  of  the  river  during  the  hot  months,  at  their  own  discretion.  In  the  cold  months,  the 
wash  tubs  of  the  laimdresses  are  used  for  that  purpose  by  the  men. 

Attempts  have  been  made  to  cultivate  gardens,  but  with  little  success.  With  the  exception 
of  the  very  small  quantity  of  vegetables  raised,  none  have  been  used  by  the  troops.  It  has  been 
recommended  that  potatoes  be  provided  for  winter  use;  but  the  chief  commissary  of  the  district 
reports  that  his  department  will  not  countenance  such  purchase. 

The  furniture  of  the  barracks,  though  meager,  is  quite  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  the  men. 
There  are  no  benches  or  chairs;  the  men  rolling  up  their  bedding  each  morning  to  the  head  of  the 
bunk,  employing  the  foot  of  it  as  a  seat. 

Communication  from  here  to  Sheridan,  the  nearest  railroad  station,  is  by  wagon.  As  a-  rule  it 
is  regular,  but  liable  to  irregularities  from  snows,  floods,  and  Indians.  The  mails  have  been  very 
regular,  arriving  and  departing  six  days  in  the  week.  A  letter  from  the  post  to  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, usually  occupies  ten  days  in  its  transit. 

Means  of  transportation  are  government  wagons,  old  and  needing  repairs,  drawn  by  six  mules, 
and  inadequate  to  the  wants  of  the  post. 

The  Mexicans  who  occupy  the  vicinity  of  the  post  subsist  by  agriculture  and  their  flocks  and 
herds.  Some  few  are  rich  ;  but  the  greater  part  are  very  poor  and  lazy,  with  barely  sufficient  eu- 
ergy  to  earn  enough  to  meet  the  wants  of  their  large  families.  The  Navajoes  and  Apaches  are  sel- 
dom seen  in  this  vicinity,  and  can  hardly  be  classed  among  the  inhabitants. 

No  cases  arising  from  malarial  influence  can  be  said  to  originate  directly  at  the  post ;  the  few 
which  are  brought  under  treatment  are  derived  from  the  troops  who  may  have  been  stationed  in 
Arizona  and  Texas.  Pneumonia  occurs  somewhat  frequently,  and  is  apparently  epidemic  in  char- 
acter, more  cases,  however,  occurring  among  the  inhabitants  than  the  troops.  Rheumatism  is  ap- 
parently more  prevalent  among  the  inhabitants  than  almost  any  other  form  of  disease.  Soldiers 
who  have  served  any  considerable  period  in  this  district  are  also  sufferers  from  it;  still,  in  the 
acute  form,  it  submits  readily  enough  to  treatment. 

Statement  xhoirini/  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  white  troops  at  Fort  Craig, 

Neic  Mexico,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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1869 

63.5 

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10 

1 

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6 

Statement,  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort  Craig, 

New  Mexico,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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118  33 

281 

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70 

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1869,  (10  months)  

103.4 

56 

9 

18 

2 

3 

4 

2 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


248  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT  STANTON,  NEW  MEXICO. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  R.  GIBSON,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Stauton,  New  Mexico,  is  in  latitude  33°  29'  27"  north,  longitude  from  Greenwich  105° 
28'  19"  west,  and  situated  on  the  Eio  Bonito,  a  mountain  stream,  having  its  source  in  the  White 
Mountains,  and,  running  easterly  to  join  the  Eio  Euidose,  twenty  miles  distant.  The  post  has  an 
approximate  altitude  of  7,500  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  Capitan  Mountain  lies  north,  dis- 
tent about  15  miles.  The  Sierra  Blanca  is  to  the  southwest  about  20  miles.  The  country  is  settled 
to  but  a  limited  extent  by  a  scattered  population  of  Mexicans  and  Americans. 

There  are  no  towns  in  the  vicinity  excepting  three  small  Mexican  villages,  one  distant  9  miles, 
with  a  population  of  100;  the  others  are  distant,  respectively,  60  and  55  miles,  and  are  somewhat 
larger. 

The  post  was  originally  constructed  in  the  year  1855  for  the  purpose  of  holding  in  check  the 
band  of  Mescalero  Apaches,  who  roamed  the  country.  On  the  occupation  of  the  Territory  of  New 
Mexico  by  the  Texan  troops,  Fort  Stanton  was  abandoned  and  fired  by  the  United  States  troops  in 
the  year  1861,  and,  with  the  exception  of  the  walls  of  the  buildings  and  corrals,  the  post  was  de- 
stroyed. In  the  year  1862  a  garrison  of  volunteer  troops  reoccnpied  the  post,  and  by  covering  the 
walls  with  rafters  and  earth  roofs  made  the  quarters  tenable.  In  this  condition  the  post  was  occu- 
pied until  1868,  when  repair  and  reconstruction  were  commenced. 

The  valley  of  the  river  at  the  site  of  the  post  is  from  one-half  to  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
wide.  Its  banks  ascend  gradually  until  the  plain  of  the  valley  is  reached,  which,  at  the  site  of  the 
post,  is  about  75  feet  above  the  bed  of  the  stream. 

The  geological  formation  exhibits  outcroppings  of  new  red  sandstone  and  magnesian  limestone. 
Gold  ore  is  found  in  limited  quantity  in  the  Jicarillo  Mountains  northwest,  distant  about  30  miles 
from  the  post.  Pines,  cedars,  and  cottonwoods  abound.  The  game  consists  of  bear,  deer,  ante- 
lope, wild  turkeys,  and  quail.  Trout  are  abundant  in  the  stream. 

The  climate  is  niild;  the  average  temperature  during  the  warm  season — greatest,  92°;  lowest, 
43°  F.  During  the  cold  season — greatest,  39° ;  lowest,  .2°  F.  The  average  rain-fall  during  the 
year  is  between  18.30  and  20.16  inches.  The  prevailing  winds  are  southwest  and  northwest. 

The  post  was  originally  laid  out  in  a  rectangular  form.  In  the  middle  of  one  side  of  the 
square,  that  next  and  parallel  to  the  river,  is  situated  the  commanding  officer's  quarters.  On  the 
side  facing  this  are  two  sets  of  company  quarters,  and  one  building  in  the  center  is  designated  for 
use  as  adjutant's  office,  guard-room,  and  cell.  In  each  of  the  remaining  sides  of  the  square  are 
three  buildings,  viz:  One  set  of  company  quarters,  a  store-house,  and  one  building  designated  as 
four  sets  of  officers'  quarters.  All  the  buildings  of  the  post  are  constructed  of  undressed  stone, 
and  originally  shingled  roofs.  As  before  mentioned,  these  dilapidated  walls  were  rudely  and  tem- 
porarily repaired  on  the  reoccupation  of  the  post,  and  with  earth  roofs,  (earth  floors  in  the  barracks,) 
constituted  the  quarters  of  the  troops  from  1863  until  the  present  time. 

The  post  is  now  undergoing  repairs,  and  will  be  restored  to  its  former  condition,  and  upon  an 
improved  plan.  Two  companies  are  quartered  in  new  stone  barracks,  and  a  third  company  occu- 
pies temporary  barracks,  which  are  old  and  dilapidated.  These  barracks  are  warmed  by  fireplaces, 
and  well  ventilated  by  means  of  chimneys  and  cupolas.  The  squad-rooms  afford  1,000  cubic  feet 
of  space  per  man,  and  are  furnished  with  double  bunks  in  single  tiers,  containing  bedsacks,  &c. 
Attached  to  each  set  of  barracks  is  a  wash-house  for  ordinary  daily  use. 

Sinks,  consisting  of  pits,  are  dug  in  the  rear  of  each  set  of  barracks  and  quarters. 

From  each  set  of  company  quarters,  giving  the  building  an  L-shape,  a  wing  is  prolonged,  used 
as  kitchen  and  mess-reom. 

The  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  living  in  temporary  quarters,  the  old  walls  of  a  former 
company  barracks,  having  been  roofed  in  with  earth.  Two  laundresses  occupy  temporary  frame 
shanties. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  in  two  buildings,  sufficient  for  a  full  garrison  of  C9mpany  officers  and 


FORT  STAXTOX,  XEW  MEXICO.  249 

staff.  Each  building  is  90  by  35  feet,  divided  into  eight  rooms,  with  two  halls,  four  rooms  opening 
into  one  hall.  In  rear  of  each  of  these  buildings  is  another,  divided  into  eight  rooms,  with  110 
halls,  intended  for  use  as  dining-rooms  and  kitchen  for  four  sets  of  quarters.  Both  main  buildings 
and  rear  are  constructed  of  stone,  undressed,  finished  inside  with  plaster;  they  are  one  story, 
shingled  roof,  heated  by  fireplaces  and  lighted  by  windows.  In  the  exterior  set  of  quarters  there 
are  two  windows  to  each  room;  in  the  interior  one  each.  Ventilation  is  procured  by  the  windows 
and  doors  only,  each  room  having  two  doors,  one  communicating  with  the  hall,  and  the  other  be- 
tween the  two  rooms.  The  buildings  are  not  supplied  with  water;  a  water-course  circuits  the 
parade  ground  about  20  feet  in  front  of  the  quarters  and  barracks.  There  are  neither  water-closets 
nor  bath-rooms.  Privies  arc  constructed  at  a  distance  on  the  flank  of  the  officers'  quarters. 

On  the  east  side  of  the  square  or  parade  is  located  the  quartermaster  and  commissary  store- 
house, the  dimensions  of  the  entire  building,  externally,  being  110  by  30  feet.  It  was  originally 
intended  for  quartermaster  store-house,  and  is  too  small  for.  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  now  used. 

The  guard-house  is  located  on  the  south  side  of  the  parade  or  square,  constructed  of  stone,  100 
by  35  feet,  and  is  divided  into  four  apartments.  The  most  eastern  is  the  adjutant's  office,  25  by  18 
feet;  then  the  library-room,  18  by  16  feet;  then  the  guard-room,  20  by  18  feet;  next  the  prison 
cell,  25  by  18  feet, 

The  prison-room  is  lighted  and  ventilated  by  grated  apertures.  Each  room  in  the  building 
is  heated  by  a  fireplace,  excepting  the  prison  cell,  which  is  not  heated.  The  guard-house  is  well 
adapted  to  its  purpose. 

The  hospital  buildings  are  four  in  number,  (the  original  plan,)  consisting  of  one  oblong 
building,  (part  of  which-is  demolished,)  designed  as  a  ward;  parallel  with  this,  and  at  an  interval 
of  about  10  feet,  two  smaller  buildings,  the  united  length  of  which,  with  the  interval  between 
them,  equals  the  length  of  the  ward;  these  two  buildings  are  used,  one  as  dispensary  and  office, 
the  other  as  store-room.  The  kitchen  is  detached,  making  the  fourth  building,  and  is  placed  in  the 
rear  of  the  wards.  An  entirely  new  plan  is  proposed  for  the  hospital.  The  buildings  now  in  use 
will  then  be  demolished. 

The  present  hospital  is  warmed  by  fireplaces,  and  chimneys  are  its  principal  means  of  ventila- 
tion. The  only  ward  is  an  adobe  building  with  mud  roof,  28  by  18  feet  in  the  interior,  and  in  the 
rainy  season  is  untenable  for  the  sick.  Ten  beds  can  be  placed  in  this  building.  This  number 
includes  also  those  occupied  by  the  attendants,  giving  to  each  man  1,000  cubic  feet  of  space.  As 
there  is  no  bath-room  connected  with  the  hospital,  portable  baths  are  used  in  the  ward.  An  excel- 
lent sink,  built  of  adobe,  is  in  the  rear  of  the  hospital,  with  water  drainage  and  urinals  in  the 
rear  of  the  sink. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  temporary  shanty,  erected  over  a  brick  oven.  The  stables  are  temporary 
sheds  inclosed  in  corrals,  located  northeast  of  the  post,  and  400  yards  distant  from  it.  The  library 
contains  about  125  volumes,  embracing  historical  works  and  standard  novels. 

Water  is  carried  into  and  through  the  post  by  means  of  an  aqueduct  which  taps  the  river 
about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  above  the  post,  and,  passing  in  front  of  the  bake-house,  enters  the 
southwest  corner  of  the  square.  Running  on  the  exterior  of  the  four  sides  of  the  parade,  it  again 
diverges  at  the  northeast  angle  of  the  square  and  passes  as  a  single  aqueduct  by  the  hospital 
buildings,  and  thence  to  the  corrals,  where  it  makes  a  detour  and  drains  into  the  river.  There  is 
also  a  force-pump  and  section  of  hose  under  charge  of  the  acting  assistant  quartermaster.  Water 
buckets  are  always  ready  in  case  of  fire  at  the  post. 

The  slopes  from  the  plateau  form  the  natural  drainage  of  the  post  to  the  river. 

Gardens  are  cultivated  by  each  company  on  duty  at  the  post;  also,  one  by  the  hospital.  The 
area  of  the  company  gardens  is  nearly  two  acres,  that  of  the  hospital  garden  half  an  acre.  Almost 
every  variety  of  vegetables  can  be  cultivated  except  the  sweet  potato  and  tomato. 

Two  cows  are  kept  for  the  garrison  and  one  for  the  hospital. 

The  nearest.supply  depots  are  at  Fort  Union,  Xew  Mexico,  207  miles  distant.  The  route  of 
supply  is  generally  via  Fort  Sumuer,  271  miles.  The  shortest  route  (207  miles)  is  via  Anton  Chico 
and  the  Galliua  Mountains.  This  route  has  but  little  water  on  it,  and  in  the  dryest  seasons  trains 
go  via  Fort  Sumner  and  Pecos  River,  a  distance  of  301  miles;  road  good,  and  open  at  all  seasons. 
All  supplies  are  transported  by  wagon. 
32 


250 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  prices  of  milk,  butter,  eggs,  &c.,  are  usually  high ;  milk,  from  15  cents  to  25  cents  per 
quart;  butter,  75  cents  to  $1  per  pound;  eggs,  75  cents  to  $1  per  dozen  ;  chickens,  si  each;  fresh 
vegetables  in  summer  from  5  to  7  cents  per  pound. 

The  surrounding  country  is  not  inhabited  within  a  distance  of  GO  miles,  excepting  by  a  few 
scattering  Americans  and  Mexican  families.  The  region  is  known  as  the  Apache  country,  which 
tribe  is  in  open  hostility. 

During  the  fall  of  1868  many  cases  of  remittent  fever,  with  a  tendency  to  run  into  a  continued 
fever  of  a  typhoid  nature,  were  under  treatment  at  this  post.  Several  cases  of  typhoid  fever  also 
occurred.  A  fe.w  cases  of  simple  catarrh  and  rheumatism  have  been  under  treatment  in  the 
winter  season. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  nick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Typhoid  fever. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrlioea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

4 

% 

•9 

| 

1 

£ 

•2 

U 

<n 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  niVce- 
tions.* 

1 
* 

1 

1868  

160.16 

104 

3 

4 

25 

g 

n 

10 

i 

Q 

1869  

111 

50 

5 

7 

3 

g 

5 

2 

1 

"  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  WINGATE,  NEW  MEXICO. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  R.  S.  VICKERY,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  exact  location  of  this  fort  has  never  been  accurately  determined;  but  by  the  latest  official 
map  it  is  latitude  35°  20'  north,  longitude  108°  25'  west.  It  is  laid  down  on  some  maps  as  Ojo  del 
Oso,  or  Bear  Spring,  and  is  nearly  on  the  site  of  a  former  temporary  post  called  Fort  Fauntleroy 
and  afterward  Fort  Lyon,  which  was  abandoned  in  1862,  at  the  time  of  the  Texan  invasion  of  the 
Territory. 

This  post  was  formed  about  the  beginning  of  August,  1868,  by  the  arrival  of  troops  with  the  Na- 
vajo  tribe  of  Indians,  who  were  moved  by  General  Sherman  from  the  reservation  of  Fort  Sunnier, 
New  Mexico,  where  they  had  been  for  some  years,  back  to  this,  their  old  country.  At  the  same  time 
old  Fort  Wiiigate,  sixty  miles  southwest,  was  abandoned,  and  the  troops  moved  to  this  point.  The 
present  fort  is  west- northwest  of  Albuquerque,  on  the  Rio  Grande,  about  150  miles  from  it  by  the 
road,  and  about  45  miles  southeast  of  old  Fort  Defiance.  It  is  on  the  Pacific  slope  of  the  mount- 
ains, about  23  miles  west  of  a  slight  elevation  called  the  Dividing  Ridge,  and  is  situated  on  gently 
rising  ground  at  the  south  side  of  a  valley,  about  two  miles  in  diameter,  opening  to  the  north.  The 
valley  is  open  and  grassy,  with  some  pine  timber  and  scrubby  oak  scattered  through  it,  and  has 
well-wooded  hills  back  of  it.  The  mountains  around  are  mostly  red  sandstone  and  clayey  rock. 
The  surface  soil  is  clay  and  decayed  sandstone  mixed  with  gravel,  the  latter  being  in  larger  pro- 
portion near  the  head  of  the  valley. 

The  wild  animals  found  in  this  region  are  antelope,  black-tailed  deer',  black  bear,  large  gray 
wolf,  coyote,  wild  cat,  fox,  (dark  gray,)  beaver.  On  the  Nutria  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Zuni 
River,  about  twenty  miles  to  the  south,  are  prairie  dogs,  kangaroo  rats,  pouch  rats,  and  field 
mice,  (white  footed.) 

Birds:  Wild  turkey,  wild  duck,  (teal,)  large  raven,  blackbird,  blue  jay,  (Canada,)  wood  bluebird 
or  rusty  bluebird,  woodpecker,  (speckled,)  woodpecker,  red-headed,  large,  (slate-colored  body 
with  black  spots,)  woodpecker  nicker,  sparrow-hawk,  (small,)  hawk,  (several  varieties,)  owls,  (sev- 
eral species,)  mourning-dove,  fly  catcher,  meadow  lark,  magpie,  snowbird,  Rocky  Mountain  blue- 
bird, Rocky  Mountain  swallow. 


FORT  WINGATE,  NEW  MEXICO. 


251 


There  is  very  little  game  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  post,  it  having  been  thinned  out  of  late 
years  by  the  Navajo  Indians. 

The  climate  is  dry  and  equable;  breezy  and  pleasant  even  in  the  hottest  weather.  There  are 
no  very  high  winds,  except  in  March.  Mean  annual  temperature,  52.08°;  highest  9th  July,  2  p.m.,  93°; 
lowest  22d  December,  7  a.  m.,  6°.  Average  difference  between  dry  and  wet-bulb  thermometer  in 
summer,  10.59°;  in  winter,  4.43°.  Bain-fall,  summer  of  1869,  7.58  inches;  in  winter,  .67  inch. 
Snow,  11. 10  inches.  Rainy  season,  July,  August,  and  September.  The  summer  rains  mostly  from 
same  directions.  In  March  and  April  there  are  occasional  high,  dry  winds  from  southwest  and 
west,  bringing  much  dust  with  them,  and  going  down  generally  at  sunset.  The  nights  are  nearly 
always  calm.  The  coldest  winds  in  winter  are  from  northwest  and  northeast,  partly  because  the 
fort  is  not  sheltered  from  these  directions. 

Spring  begins  about  the  middle  of  March.  There  are  light  snow  showers  and  frosts  occasion- 
ally until  the  end  of  April,  or  early  in  May,  making  the  season  for  planting  late.  Frosts  some- 
times set  in  in  the  latter  part  of  September,  keeping  late  corn  from  ripening  fully. 

The  stream  from  the  spring  crosses  the  east  angle  of  the  plan.  The  buildings  of  the  post  are 
near  the  head  of  the  valley,  and  are  all  temporary  log-houses,  with  the  exception  of  the  store-house 
and  one  of  the  officers'  quarters,  which  are  built  of  adobe,  and  are  permanent. 

The  post  was  begun  on  a  circular  plan,  which  has  been  disapproved  at  district  headquarters, 
as  giving  too  much  space  to  defend,  and  as  being  too  expensive.  This  plan  is  shown  in  Figure  28. 

1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  officers'  quarters;  7,  store- 
house; 8,  cavalry  quarters;  9,  infantry  quar- 
ters; 10,  guard-house ;  11, 12,  infantry  quarters ; 
13,  store-house;  14,  chaplain's  quarters;  15, 
16,  17,  18,  officers'  quarters;  19,  23,  27,  30, 
sally-ports;  20,22,  post  trader;  21,  hospital ; 
24,  26,  cavalry  quarters  ;  25,  cavalry  stables ; 
28, 29,  infantry  quarters ;  31,  stream ;  32,  wash- 
house. 

A  square  plan  has  been  sent  up  for  the 
approval  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  which  will 
cover  the  same  site  now  occupied.  Good, 
permanent  buildings  will  be  commenced  on 
the  "square  plan"  as  soon  as  the  weather 
permits. 

The  men's  quarters  are  built  of  logs,  each 
company's  forming  one  range  of  houses,  with 
earth  roofs  and  floors.  The  squad-rooms  are 
too  crowded,  but  it  could  not  be  avoided,  as 
nearly  all  the  work  was  done  by  soldiers,  and 
had  to  be  completed  in  three  months,  that  they  Figure  28.— Scale,  300  feet  to  l  inch, 

might  have  shelter  before  the  winter  snows.  This  evil,  however,  is  being  remedied  daily  by  the 
number  of  men  being  lessened  by  discharge.  The  four  sets  of  quarters  consist  of  twenty-four  rooms, 
each  20  feet  square ;  the  ventilation  is  by  windows  measuring  4  by  3  feet,  and  by  air  spaces,  4  inches 
wide,  extending  the  whole  length  under  the  eaves,  which  are  kept  open  when  the  weather  permits ; 
open  fireplaces  are  in  each  room,  which  are  also  furnished  with  rough  bunks,  bedsacks  filled  with 
hay,  and  blankets.  Each  company  has  its  own  kitchen,  measuring  20  by  20  feet,  and  a  mess-rooin  of 
the  same  dimensions.  The  sinks  are  100  yards  behind  each  company  quarters,  and  they  are  fre- 
quently filled  and  changed. 

There  is  one  married  soldier  in  each  company,  and  each  has  a  detached  log  or  frame  building 
near  the  company  quarters,  measuring  about  20  feet  square. 

There  are  ten  sets  of  officers'  quarters,  all  temporary ;  one  is  of  adobe,  the  others  are  log  or 
frame  structures. 

An  adobe  building  100  feet  square,  inclosing  a  plazita  60  feet  square,  is  used  as  a  store-house. 

The  guard-house  is  a  log  building  containing  two  rooms,  each  18  by  20  feet;  one  is  used  as 


252  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

guard-room,  the  other  for  prisoners.  Both  rooms  are  wanned  by  open  fires,  and  ventilated  by  two 
small  windows,  and  additional  openings  made  under  the  eaves  in  the  prisoners'  room;  the  average 
occupancy  is  15  men. 

The  hospital  is  a  temporary  log  building,  with  additional  frame  building  recently  put  up.  A 
permanent  hospital  is  to  be  built  in  a  few  months.  The  present  one  is  80  by  20  feet  in 
dimensions,  and  10  feet  high,  with  earth  roof;  it  is  warmed  by  open  wood  fires,  lit  by  windows, 
and  ventilated  by  the  same  with  the  addition  of  open  spaces  under  the  eaves ;  the  ward  is  40  feet 
long  by  20  feet  wide,  and  adjoins  the  dispensary  and  wash-room,  each  of  which  measures  20  by  10 
feet ;  the  steward's  room  and  store-room  are  next  in  order,  and  of  the  same  size.  The  capacity  of 
the  ward  is  twelve  beds,  though  it  at  present  contains  but  eight ;  and  the  superficial  area  per  bed 
is  100  feet,  air  space  1,000  feet.  The  wash-room  adjoining  the  ward  is  furnished  with  a  bath-tub, 
which  is  usually  used  in  the  ward.  The  water-closets  are  20  yards  in  the  rear  of  the  hospital ;  these 
are  properly  policed,  and,  when  necessary,  filled  up  and  new  ones  made.  The  additional  new  frame 
building  is  40  by  20  feet,  and  divided  into  three  apartments,  two  of  which  are  used  as  sur- 
geon's rooms,  and  the  third  is  the  hospital  kitchen,  which  is  also  used  as  mess-room.  The  sick 
were  in  hospital  tents  previous  to  their  removal  to  this  hospital,  which,  though  rough  and  small, 
will  answer  until  a  permanent  hospital  is  built. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  stone  building  with  two  ovens. 

A  building  of  upright  logs,  not  plastered,  is  the  stable.  It  is  312  feet  long  by  24  feet  wide ; 
refuse  is  transported  by  wagons  every  morning  to  a  ravine  one-half  a  mile  from  post  and  burned. 
There  are  post  and  company  libraries,  aiul  in  addition  there  are  many  papers  and  periodicals  takeii 
by  the  men. 

The  water  supply  of  the  post  is  from  a  pure,  cool,  and  abundant  spring,  situated  back  of  the 
post,  and  high  enough  to  be  conducted  to  any  part  of  it ;  the  water  contains  a  little  lime,  and  is  all 
that  can  be  desired.  The  permanganate  of  potash  test  shows  it  to  be  nearly  free  from  organic 
matter.  Water  buckets  and  barrels  are  the  present  means  of  extinguishing  fire. 

The  slope  of  the  ground  everywhere  gives  good  natural  drainage.  At  the  men's  quarters  the 
substratum  of  clay,  coming  near  the  surface,  made  the  ground  rather  damp ;  but  by  cutting  a  new 
channel  for  the  stream,  thereby  turning  it  off  further,  this  has  been  much  improved.  This  is  nearly 
all  the  artificial  drainage  that  has  been  found  necessary  as  yet.  The  west  side  of  the  post  is  well 
drained  by  a  small  stream  running  in  a  deep  channel.  An  acre  and  a  half  of  land  is  allotted  to 
one  company,  and  one  acre  to  each  of  the  other  companies,  for  garden  purposes.  The  soldiers  are 
assisted  by  some  Navajo  Indians  in  the  cultivation,  and  good  crops  of  vegetables,  except  potatoes, 
have  been  raised.  One  and  a  half  ounces  of  desiccated  potatoes  are  issued  to  each  ration.  No  tea 
is  used,  nor  mixed  vegetables,  which  the  men  dislike. 

The  nearest  city  is  Santa  Fe\  A  new  road  has  been  opened,  almost  due  east,  to  the  Rio  Grande, 
crossing  that  river  at  San  Fe'lipe  about  28  miles  north  of  Albuquerque.  Distance  to  Santa  F6",  via 
Albuquerque,  208  miles ;  to  the  same  place,  via  San  Fe'lipe,  170  miles — a  saving  of  38  miles.  The 
mails  arrive  once  a  week  from  Santa  Fe,  via  the  latter  route.  They  are  regular,  though  sometimes 
interrupted  for  a  week  or  two  in  the  spring  by  floods  and  snows.  It  requires  about  seven  days  for 
a  letter  to  reach  department  headquarters,  and  from  nine  to  ten  days  to  Washington.  Kit  Carson, 
on  the  Kansas  Pacific  railroad,  542  miles  from  Fort  Wiugate,  is  the  nearest  railroad  station. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country  are  the  Navajoes,  numbering  about  7,500,  who  are 
generally  of  good  physique,  and  better  looking  and  more  intelligent  than  most  tribes  of  Indians. 
They  were  moved  to  this  place  from  a  former  reservation,  and  about  two  months  afterward  the 
most  of  them  were  removed  to  old  Fort  Defiance,  about  45  miles  to  the  northwest  Fort  Win- 
gate.  These  Indians  receive  from  government,  clothing,  and  a  daily  ration  of  half  a  pound  of  beef 
and  half  a  pound  of  corn  ;  they  have  small  flocks  of  sheep  and  goats,  and  some  ponies ;  they  culti- 
vated in  1809,  4,000  or  5,000  acres  of  corn.  Some  of  them  work  for  the  quartermaster  and  for 
private  parties  at  this  post ;  they  are  industrious  and  quick  to  learn,  even  some  of  the  mechanical 
arts.  The  squaws  make  excellent  woolen  blankets,  woven  in  a  way  peculiar  to  their  tribe. 

The  treaty  provides  that  a  school-house  shall  be  built  and  a  teacher  supplied  for  them. 

The  nearest  Pueblo  village  is  Zuni,  about  40  miles  south  of  the  post.  These  Indians  are  an 
agricultural  and  a  very  peaceful  people,  living  in  fortified  towns  or  pueblos.  They  keep  horses, 


FOET  BASCOM,  NEW  MEXICO. 


253 


cattle,  sheep,  goats,  &c.,  and  raise  corn,  and  some  vegetables  and  fruits,  such  as  peaches  and  ap- 
ples. They  visit  the  post  occasionally  to  trade.  Much  syphilitic  disease  exists  among  the  Nava- 
joes,  and  in  the  summer  of  1868  an  epidemic  of  small-pox  raged,  of  which  many  died. 

The  prevalent  disease  at  the  post  and  vicinity  during  the  past  year  has  been  of  a  venereal 
character.  In  the  summer  and  fall  cases  of  diarrhoea  occurred ;  also,  of  intermittent  fever,  which 
probably  was  caused  by  the  crowded  state  of  the  squad-rooms  at  that  time.  With  good,  permanent, 
and  roomy  buildings,  there  is  no  reason  why  the  sanitary  condition  of  this  post  should  not  be  as 
good  as  that  of  any  post  in  the  country.  A  few  cases  of  intermittent  fever,  and  diarrhoea  and 
dysentery  of  malarial  origin,  occur  each  fall.  There  were  some  cases  of  typhoid  and  typho-inala- 
rial  fever  in  the  fall  of  18C8,  supposed  to  be  from  much  turning  up  of  the  soil  and  exposure  of  the 
men  while  building  quarters.  Almost  the  only  pulmonary  disease  is  a  little  pneumonia  each  win- 
ter, of  a  mild  type.  Some  few  cases  of  rheumatism  occur,  acute  and  chronic,  the  latter  generally  a 
manifestation  or  consequence  of  constitutional  syphilis. 

Statement  show-ing  mean  strength,  number  of  siek,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Wingate,  Neic  Mexico, 

for  the  years  1868  and  18G9. 


o 

-d 

d 

i 

,d 

ft 

jj 

S3 

£ 

3 

P 

g   ^ 

1 

i 

S 

| 

Years. 

1 

X 

1 

S  x 
a 
s 

]| 

P 

Typhoid  fe 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrha>a 
dyseute 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  di 

§ 

Rheumatis 

Catarrhal 
tions.' 

1 

•8 

d 

1868  

195.  08 

158 

4 

28 

40 

5 

23 

- 

5 

10 

1869  

169.  91 

193 

3 

10 

31 

7 

48 

2 

17 

6 

2 

*  Include  liii-yn^itis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  plonrisy. 


FORT  BASCOM,  NEW  MEXICO. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  GEORGE  S.  ROSE  AND  W.  H.  H.  MICHLER,  AND 
ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  H.  DUANE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Bascom  is  located  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Canadian  River,  in  San  Miguel  County,  New 
Mexico,  latitude  35°' 23'  20"  north,  longitude  107°  27'  20"  west  from  Greenwich;  elevation  above  the 
sea  about  4,000  feet.  Fort  Sumner,  nearly  due  south,  is  distant  80  miles.  Fort  Union,  the  nearest 
mail  post,  is  145  miles  to  the  northwest,  and  the  border  of  the  Llano  Estacado  is  about  15  miles  to 
the  eastward. 

The  fort  is  on  a  plateau  about  20  feet  above  the  river  bottom,  and  500  yards  from  the  bed  of 
the  river,  which,  at  this  point,  is  about  25  feet  wide  and  2  or  3  feet  in  depth  during  ordinary  stage 
of  water,  but  which  is  subject  to  great  and  sudden  overflows,  having  been  known  to  rise  15  feet  in 
twenty-four  hours.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream  is  a  bluff  from  50  to  60  feet  in  -height,  be- 
yond which  the  country  is  rolling  and  broken. 

The  soil  of  the  plateau  is  sandy  and  alkaline,  nothing  thriving  except  prairie  grass,  soap  weed, 
and  cactus  ;  that  of  the  bottom  is  alluvial  and  fertile.  Cotton  was  successfully  cultivated  in  1864. 
Timber  consists  of  cottouwood  and  cedar.  Wild  animals  are  deer,  puma,  wild  cat,  wolf,  fox,  prairie 
dog,  beaver.  Birds  are  duck,  blackbird,  quail,  partridge,  and  turkey.  The  only  fish  caught  in  the 
river  are  trout  and  catfish.  The  climate  is  mild;  mean  temperature  for  1869,  58.38°  F.;  exflfemes, 
103°  F.,  and  8°  F.;  rain-fall,  9.97  inches;  snow-fall,  2.55  inches. 

The  post  was  established  by  the  following  order : 

[General  Orders  No.  20.— Extract.] 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  NEW  MEXICO,  SANTA  FK,  NEW  MEXICO,  August  11,  1863. 

1.  A  military  post,  to  be  garrisoned  by  one  company  of  infantry  and  one  of  cavalry,  will  at  once  be  established  at 
or  near  the  mouth  of  Utah  Creek  on  Red  River,  otherwise  known  as  the  South  Fork  of  the  Canadian.     Unless  other- 


254 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


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wise  directed,  this  post  will  be  known  as  Fort  Bascom,  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  gallant  Captain  George  N.  Bas- 
com,  of  the  United  States  Sixteenth  Infantry,  who  foil  in  the  defense  of  our  colors  at  the  battle  of  Valverde,  February 
21,  1862. 

2.  Captain  P.  W.  L.  Plympton,  Seventh  United  States  Infantry,  is  designated  as  the  commander  of  Fort  Bascom. 

#*«***  +•*»#*»*#** 

3.  While  Fort  Bascom  will  be  an  outpost  to  New  Mexico  during  the  present  rebellion,  its  advanced  pickets  watch- 
ing the  roads  from  Arkansas  and  Texas,  it  will  be  of  the  greatest  importance  in  preventing  the  predatory  incursions  of 
the  Comanche  and  Kiowa  Indians.  »»»»»         »**» 

By  order  of  Brigadier  General  Carleton : 

B.  C.  CUTLER, 
Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

No  reservation  has  been  declared,  but  one  square  mile  is  held  as  reserved. 
The  post  covers  an  area  of  1,000  by  500  feet,  inclosed  by  an  adobe  wall,  and  trench.    Its  gen- 
eral arrangement  is  shown  by  Figure  29. 

A  and  AI,  cavalry  stables;  B,  cavalry 
corral ;  C,  quartermaster's  corral ;  D  and  DI, 
officers'  quarters;  E,  quartermaster's  store - 

T7>0 


house;  F,  commissary's  storehouse;  HI, 
store-house;  K,  barracks;  L,  mess-hall;  M, 
MI,  laundresses'  quarters;  N,  old  hospital; 
NT,  new  hospital ;  P,  guard-house.  Houses, 
the  walls  of  which  are  indicated  by  double 
lines,  are  finished  and  occupied,  the  remain- 
der, marked  I,  with  single  lines,  are  incom- 
plete or  unfinished. 

The  buildings  are  not  in  a  state  of  com- 
pletion according  to  the  original  plan.  The 
barrack,  sit  ated  on  the  southeast  side  of  the 
garrison,  is  an  adobe  building,  roofed  with 
poles  and  earth,  and  divided  by  four  covered 
passage-ways  into  four  rooms,  each  100  by  20 
by  13  feet.  Each  room  is  warmed  by  three 
large  fireplaces,  and  the  floors,  constructed  of 
earth,  are  hard  and  dry.  The  barrack  is  gen- 
erally comfortable,  and  in  good  order ;  it  easily 
accommodates  two  full  companies,  allowing 
at  least  500  cubic  feet  of  air  to  each  man. 
The  circulation  of  air  through  the  doors  and 
windows,  with  the  addition  of  the  fireplaces, 

Figure  29.— Scale,  264  feet  to  l  inch.  ventilates  the  building  thoroughly.   The  roof- 

ing is  bad,  and  leaks  whenever  it  rains.  The  company  sinks  are  75  yards  in  the  rear  of  the  barrack; 
and  about  25  yards  distant,  and  in  rear  of  the  quarters,  are  situated  the  cook-houses,  mess-rooms, 
company  laundry,  and  post  bakery. 

On  the  northwest  side  of  the  garrison  are  the  officers'  quarters,  five  in  number,  constructed  of 
sandstone,  and  roofed  with  poles  and  earth.  Each  set  of  quarters  is  divided  by  a  wide  covered 
passage  way,  leaving  two  rooms  on  each  side.  The  rooms  are  small,  15  by  9  feet,  badly  constructed, 
and  very  inconvenient;  the  roofs  leak  badly,  rendering  the  quarters  very  uncomfortable  during  wet 
weather.  The  commissary  and  quartermaster's  buildings  are  on  the  north  side  of  the  garrison,  con- 
struct^! of  adobes,  and  roofed  with  poles  and  earth.  The  buildings  are  large  and  convenient,  and 
are  in  good  order,  with  the  exception  of  the  roofing,  which  leaks. 

The  post  hospital,  situated  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  garrison,  is  built  of  adobe,  and  is  80 
feet  long  and  20  feet  wide.  The  hospital  grounds  are  about  75  yards  square,  and  are  separated 
from  the  company  grounds  by  a  low  adobe  wall.  The  building  is  divided  by  a  hall,  10  feet  wide, 
making  two  wards,  30  by  20  feet,  and  16  feet  high.  Each  ward  is  heated  by  two  large  fireplaces, 
and  ventilated  by  common  roof-ventilators.  The  floors  are  made  of  earth,  and  the  roofing  of  poles 


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SANTA  FE,  NEW  MEXICO. 


255 


and  earth.  The  beds  iu  one  ward  are  separated  from  each  other  four  feet,  allowing  1,100  eubic 
feet  of  air  space  per  bed.  The  other  ward  is  used  as  steward's  room,  dispensary,  and  store  room. 
There  is  no  mess-room,  bath-room,  or  quarters  for  matron  connected  with  the  hospital.  The  sinks 
arc  situated  70  yards  in  rear  of  the  wards,  and  are  constructed  on  the  same  plan  as  those  of  the 
companies. 

The  water  supply  is  from  the  river,  casks  being  placed  outside  of  the  wall  in  the  rear  of  the 
various  buildings,  and  filled  every  day  by  water-wagons.  Small  adobe  water-houses  have  been 
erected  to  shade  the  water  during  the  summer  months.  When  the  river  is  low,  during  the  winter 
and  fall,  the  water  is  clean  and  good,  but  during  the  summer,  when  the  river  is  high,  overflowing 
its  banks,  the  water  is  muddy  and  loaded  with  organic  matter,  so  much  so  that  it  becomes  putres- 
ceut,  standing  in  the  water-casks,  within  twenty-four  hours.  The  casks  are  cleaned  every  day,  and 
alum  used  to  settle  the  water.  No  deleterious  effects  from  the  river  water  have  as  yet  been 
observed. 

The  drainage  is  entirely  surface ;  none  other  is  required,  as  the  post  is  so  situated  that  there 
is  a  natural  drainage  into  the  river. 

No  cows  are  kept  for  the  garrison,  and  but  one  for  the  hospital.  Two  company  gardens,  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  are  cultivated  by  a  detail  of  each  company.  There  is  no  hospital  garden. 

There  are  no  inhabitants  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  Fort  Bascom  is  very  good.  There  are  no  prevailing  diseases,  and  ma- 
larial, pulmonary,  and  bowel  affections  are  seldom  met  with.  Rheumatism  exists  to  some  extent 
and  is  of  syphilitic  origin. 

Communication  has  been  regular  by  private  conveyance  or  government  wagons,  with  very  little 
danger  from  Indians,  though  occasionally  delayed  from  floods  and  snow.  A  weekly  mail  is  received 
and  sent,  varying  from  seven  to  fifteen  days  to  department  headquarters,  and  from  twelve  to  twenty 
days  to  Washington. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Bascom,  New  Mexico, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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1868                               

133.  58 

305 

22 

112 

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1869 

105.  91 

139 

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11 

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'  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


SANTA  FE,  NEW  MEXICO. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  SURGEON  C.  T.  ALEXANDER,   UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  AND  ASSISTANT 
SURGEON  D.  L.  HUNTINGTON,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  city  of  Santa  Fe  is  pleasantly  situated  on  an  extensive  plateau  on  the  western  slope  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  at  an  elevation  of  about  7,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  in  latitude 
35°  41'  north,  longitude  106°  2'  west.  To  the  north  and  east  rise  the  foothills  and  peaks  of  the 
Rocky  Mountain  range;  on  the  south,  the  plateau  is  gradually  lost  in  spurs  of  mountains  shooting 
out  of  the  main  range,  and  on  the  west  it  terminates  somewhat  abruptly  in  the  valley  of  the  Rio 
Grande.  The  city  is  reached  from  the  north  by  the  stage  road  from  the  terminus  of  the  Kansas 
Pacific  railroad,  this  terminus  being  about  400  miles  distant.  Fort  Union,  on  this  same  road,  lies 
to  the  east  about  100  miles.  To  the  south  runs  the  main  road  to  Albuquerque  and  Southern  New 
Mexico,  and  less  important  roads  leading  to  neighboring  towns.  The  Rio  Grande  runs  in  a  south- 
westerly direction  from  Santa  Fe,  about  18  or  20  miles  distant  at  the  nearest  point.  A  small  mount- 
ain stream,  a  tributary  of  the  Rio  Grande,  called  the  Rio  de  Santa  Fe",  nearly  bisects  the  town. 


256  ,  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  present  site  of  the  city  of  Santa  Fe"  was  originally  held  by  some  tribe  or  band,  probably 
of  the  ancient  Aztecs,  Toltecs,  or  Anahues,  and  remains  of  their  buildings  are  still  to  be  seen 
within  the  limits  of  the  present  city.  In  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century  a  Spanish  settle- 
ment was  made  under  the  name  of  the  City  of  the  Holy  Faith  of  Saint  Francis,  the  abbreviation 
of  which  is  still  retained. 

The  geological  features  of  the  country  about  the  town  are  mainly  tertiary,  and  indications  of 
volcanic  action  are  apparent  on  every  side  in  the  remains  of  craters  and  trap  dikes.  In  certain 
localities  where  the  primitive  rocks  have  been  exposed,  discoveries  of  silver,  gold,  and  copper  have 
been  made,  but  whether  in  quantity  and  quality  sufficient  to  make  it  an  object  to  work  mines,  is 
yet  doubtful.  There  are  beds  of  bituminous  coal,  of  an  excellent  quality,  about  25  or  30  miles  to 
the  southwest. 

The  soil  of  Santa  Fe  and  vicinity  is  dry,  light,  and  sandy,  yet  very  fruitful.  Irrigation  is 
almost  entirely  relied  upon,  and  extensive  systems  of  acequias  or  canals  surround  the  town,  the 
water  for  this  purpose  being  taken  from  the  Santa  Fe"  River,  which  has  sufficient  fall  to  afford 
facilities  for  the  irrigation  of  the  soil  for  miles  around.  Good  crops  of  wheat,  corn,  beans,  red 
pepper,  and  many  of  the  vegetables  are  raised.  Potatoes  cannot  be  successfully  cultivated  in  this 
vicinity.  Until  recently,  but  few  fruits  or  berries  have  been  raised,  but  late  experiments  in  the 
culture  of  apples  and  the  smaller  fruits  have  been  quite  successful.  The  grape  does  not  mature 
well,  the  frosts  are  too  late  and  early. 

The  country  for  miles  about  Santa  Fe  is  destitute  of  trees.  The  large  growth  is  said  to  have 
been  cut  away,  at  an  early  date  in  the  history  of  the  place,  for  fuel  and  for  better  security  against 
hostile  Indians,  and  a  subsequent  growth  of  large  trees  has  not  appeared,  though  stunted  cedars 
and  pines  are  very  common.  This  want  of  vegetation  detracts  much  from  the  natural  beauties  of 
the  town  and  vicinity.  On  the  hills  toward  the  mountains  are  found  large  pines  and  cedars.  The 
pinon,  a  species  of  pine,  furnishes  the  almost  sole  supply  of  fire  wood.  It  is  brought  for  miles 
on  the  backs  of  donkeys  and  sold  by  the  load,  in  the  plaza,  at  from  twenty  five  cents  to  one  dollar, 
according  to  the  season  of  the  year  or  severity  of  the  winter.  Coal  is  not  brought  to  market. 

The  natural  drainage  of  Santa  Fe  is  excellent,  and  is  materially  assisted  by  the  above  men- 
tioned system  of  acequias.  Still  little  attention  is  paid  to  the  subject,  and  many  of  the  narrow 
streets  and  lanes  of  the  city  are  excessively  filthy. 

The  river  water  is  very  extensively  used  for  drinking  purposes,  and  is  excellent.  Good  water, 
but  a  little  impregnated  with  lime,  may  be  obtained  by  wells  at  a  depth  of  from  10  to  40  feet. 

The  population  of  Santa  F6"  is  about  6,000,  of  which  the  larger  portion  is  Mexican  and  Indian, 
or  an  admixture  of  the  two.  The  American  element  is  rapidly  increasing,  and  already  has  the 
chief  influence  in  matters  of  trade  and  politics. 

The  place  is  irregularly  built  of  adobe,  and,  when  seen  from  the  approaches  to  the  town,  has 
an  exceedingly  uninviting  appearance.  The  houses  are  generally  built  on  the  Spanish  plan,  a 
quadrangle  with  an  interior  court-yard,  the  entrance  being  through  a  gateway,  generally  kept 
closed.  The  older  portions  of  the  town  are  built  upon  narrow  lanes  and  passage  ways,  rather  than 
upon  streets.  The  better  portion  is  the  more  recent  and  inhabited  by  the  American  residents. 
The  plaza  holds  a  conspicuous  place  as  a  business  center,  and  about  it  and  in  its  vicinity  are  the  civil 
and  military  offices,  Santa  Fe  being  the  headquarters  of  both  the  civil  and  military  establishment. 
For  many  years  Santa  Fe  had  been  the  business  center  for  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  but  of  late 
the  increasing  facilities  for  transportation  have  had  the  tendency  to  create  other  centers,  and  to 
some  degree  Santa  Fe  has  lost  some  of  its  commercial  importance. 

The  climate  is  exceeding  salubrious.  The  winters,  though  long,  are  not  generally  severe,  the 
thermometer  rarely  falling  below  zero.  The  snow  fall  is  variable,  but  heavy  falls  are  rare,  and  the 
snow  remains  upon  the  ground  but  a  short  time.  The  summers  are  late,  and  excessive  heat  is  un- 
known. The  mountain  peaks  are  covered  with  snow,  often  until  June,  and  render  the  air  cool  and 
chilly.  The  yearly  mean  is  60°  F.  The  highest  temperature  reached  in  1869  was  97°;  the  lowest 
was  6°.  The  trees  leaf  about  the  middle  of  May,  and  shed  their  foliage  early  in  October.  July 
and  August  are  the  rainy  months  proper,  during  which  showers,  accompanied  with  thunder  and 
lightning,  are  of  daily  occurrence.  There  is  generally  more  or  less  rain  during  the  spring  months, 
but  a  storm  of  long  continuance  is  rare.  The  rain-fall  in  1869  was  3.60  inches;  snow,  3.16  inches, 


SANTA  FE,  NEW  MEXICO. 


257 


North  winds  prevail,  bringing,  in  winter,  snow  or  bail,  and  in  spring,  rain.  The  southeast  wind 
prevails  from  the  middle  of  June  to  the  first  of  August,  which  season  is  known  as  the  rainy  season, 
after  which  it  is  perfectly  dry,  until  a  fall  of  snow,  which  may  happen  any  time  after  the  middle  of 
October.  High  winds  prevail  in  February,  March,  and  April.  The  summer,  fall,  and  early  winter 
mouths  are  the  pleasant  seasons  of  the  year,  during  which  the  bright  sunny  days,  and  the  trans- 
parent, clear  atmosphere  are  unequaled. 

The  buildings  formerly  composing  Fort  Marcy,  which  was  abandoned  as  a  post  in  18G7,  are 
still  used  in  connection  with  the  military  headquarters,  as  quarters  for  guards,  escorts,  and  de- 
tachments, and  for  store-houses;  they  are  in  fair  repair  and  answer  well  the  purpose  indicated. 

The  quarters  formerly  allotted  to  officers  and  the  barracks  are  occupied  by  the  enlisted  men  of 
the  band  and  detachment,  also  affording  room  for  offices  and  store  rooms.  These  buildings  are 
warmed  by  fireplaces,  and  well  lighted.  In  the  band  quarters  the  air  space  per  man  is  1,000  cubic 
feet,  and  in  the  detachment  quarters  936  cubic  feet;  in  the  former  single  bunks  are  used,  while  in 
the  latter  double  bunks  are  furnished,  and  the  bedding  is  both  good  and  in  sufficient  quantity ; 
each  detachment  has  its  own  mess-room  ;  the  kitchen  is  good,  and  the  cooking  is  performed  by  men 
belonging  to  the  detachment,  and  is  inspected  by  the  officer  commanding. 

The  quarters  of  married  soldiers  and  laundresses  are  those  formerly  occupied  by  officers,  and 
the  officers'  quarters  are  the  same  as  those  occupied  by  the  officers  of  the  post,  and  are  also  used 
as  offices  for  the  non-commissioned  staff.  There  are  two  sets  of  officers'  quarters,  built  of  adobe, 
one  story  high,  plastered  in  and  out,  and  have  dirt  roofs;  there  are  three  and  four  rooms  to  each 
set,  with  hall  in  the  center.  The  rooms  are  18  by  18  by  10  feet.  The  kitchens  and  servants'  rooms 
are  14  by  14  by  10  feet.  A  porch  extends  the  entire  length  in  front  of  both  sets. 

The  buildings  are  heated  by  fireplaces,  and  lighted  by  windows,  and  ventilated  by  one  door 
and  one  window  to  each  room ;  they  are  supplied  with  water  from  a  well  in  the  yard;  there  is  no 
water-closet  or  bath-room.  The  offices  and  store-houses  are  located  on  the  east  side  of  the  parade 
ground;  they  are  built  of  adobe,  with  dirt  roofs,  and  are  in  bad  condition,  one  office,  with  two 
rooms,  used  as  quartermaster  and  commissary  offices.  There  are  two  commissary  store-houses,  each 
114  by  18  by  10  feet,  and  two  quartermaster's  store-houses,  one  103  by  24  by  10  feet,  and  the  other 
132  by  24  by  10  feet. 

The  guard-house  is  but  little  used ;  it  is  well  ventilated,  and  is  warmed  by  fireplaces,  and 
lighted  by  a  large  window;  its  average  occupation  is  not  one  during  the  year. 

The  hospital  is  located  upon  grounds  201  by  120  feet,  or  24,120  square  feet  in  extent.  The 
buildings  are  of  adobe,  and  are  of  sufficient  capacity  to  receive  the  usual  per  cent  of  sick  enlisted 
men,  and  well  adapted  for  the  purpose.  They  are  built  in  the  form  of  a  square,  measuring  77  feet 
on  a  side,  and  inclosing  a  court-yard,  47  feet  square.  The  plan  of  the  hospital  is  shown  in  Figure  30. 

A,  ward,  15  by  32  feet;  A,  ward,  15  by  17  feet; 
A,  ward,  14  feet  6  inches  by  15  feet;  C,  surgery,  15 
by  15  feet  6  inches ;  E,  steward's  room,  15  by  15  feet ; 
H  H,  halls ;  K  M,  kitchen  and  mess-room,  14  by  25 
feet;  S,  store-room,  15  by  15  feet ;  V,  matron's  quar- 
ters, 15  by  22  feet;  V,  matron's  quarters,  15  by  15 
feet;  V,  matron's  quarters,  14  by  14  feet;  W  H, 
bath  room,  14  by  15  feet. 

Nearly  all  of  the  rooms  have  windows  and  doors 
opening  both  to  the  outside  of  the  building  and  to 
the  court-yard  within.  The  hospital  is  warmed  by 
fireplaces,  which,  in  connection  with  the  windows, 
are  the  only  means  of  ventilation.  The  dispensary 
is  large  and  convenient,  and  furnished  with  all  the 
necessary  fixtures.  In  the  large  wards,  the  air  space 
per  bed  is  798  feet ;  in  the  smaller  wards,  840  feet ; 

the  average  occupation  is  three  men.    As  there  is  no  Figure  30.— Scale,  28  feet  to  i 

bath-room,  a  spare  room  is  used  for  the  purpose,  in  which  there  is  a  large  bath-tub  for  cleaning  pur- 
poses, and  can  be  used  for  vapor  baths,  &c.    There  are  two  water-closets  outside  of  the  hospital.    A 
33 


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258  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

spare  room  is  used  as  a  post-mortem  room,  which  is  sufficiently  adapted  for  the  purpose.  The  hospital 
diet  is  very  good,  following  the  diet  table  as  nearly  as  the  necessities  of  so  small  a  hospital  will 
allow.  The  food  is  well  cooked  and  daily  inspected,  and  served  to  convalescents  on  table  set  in 
kitchen ;  to  the  sick,  in  the  wards. 

The  post  bakery  is  in  good  condition  and  well  adapted.  As  there  is  no  laundry  at  this  post, 
all  washing  is  done  outside. 

The  stables  and  corral  are  separate,  distant  from  the  quarters  100  yards.  Eefuse  is  trans- 
ported to  the  distance  of  one-quarter  of  a  mile  or  more,  and  deposited  on  waste  land. 

The  water  is  procured  from  wells  sunk  upon  the  premises,  and  is  of  excellent  quality.  These 
wells,  by  the  aid  of  buckets,  are  the  only  means  of  extinguishing  fire. 

The  drainage  is  mostly  natural,  modified  and  improved  by  acequias  and  surface  drains ;  it  is 
good.  All  drainage  is  toward  larger  arroyos,  west  and  northwest  of  the  post;  all  slops  and  offal 
are  carried  off  in  carts  beyond  the  reservation.  Excreta  are  used  to  fertilize  the  garden. 

The  post  garden  has  an  area  of  about  two  acres,  aud  supplies  in  part  the  garrison  and  hospi- 
tal ;  it  is  cultivated  by  details  of  men  for  that  purpose,  and  produces  vegetables  (except  potatoes) 
sufficient  for  the  detachment  and  hospital. 

As  milk  can  be  bought  cheaply  in  town,  no  cows  are  kept  at  the  post. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  upon  requisition  on  the  medical  storekeeper,  United  States 
Army,  of  the  district  of  New  Mexico,  and  are  received  in  good  condition  and  kept  in  a  store-room 
of  the  hospital,  well  adapted  for  the  purpose. 

The  mails  are  received  daily,  except  Fridays,  and  regularly  most  of  the  time.  Letters  go  to 
department  headquarters  in  six  or  seven  days,  and  to  Washington,  in  nine  or  ten  days. 

Mexicans  who  till  the  soil  are  poor,  indolent,  and  improvident,  and,  consequently,  are  low  and 
demoralized.  Their  disposition  is  mild  and  inoffensive,  but  when  aroused  they  are  treacherous, 
vindictive,  and  dangerous. 

The  principal  Indian  tribes  in  and  about  the  vicinity  are  known  as  the  Pueblos,  most  probably 
the  remains  of  the  ancient  Aztecs,  resident  in  this  country  and  in  old  Mexico  before  the  conquest 
by  Cortez.  They  are  all  docile  and  industrious,  living  in  their  own  communities  and  governed  by 
their  own  system  of  laws.  They  are  principally  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits ;  but  some  com- 
munities are  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  a  rough  leather  ware  and  baskets.  They  constitute  a 
very  well-behaved  and  worthy  class  of  the  population.  They  dress  mainly  in  their  own  style,  and 
associate  but  little  outside  of  their  own  villages.  The  Utes,  Northern  Apaches,  and  Navajoes  are 
frequently  seen  in  and  about  Santa  F6",  to  which  point  they  come  at  intervals  on  business  with  the 
agents. 

This  region  is  exempt  from  many  of  the  diseases  incident  to  more  populous  districts,  and  those 
which  prevail  may  be  generally  traced  to  imprudence  or  irregularity  of  life.  From  February  to 
May,  pneumonia,  rheumatism,  and  erysipelas  prevail  to  some  extent;  but  when  occurring  in  per- 
sons of  good  physical  condition  are  easily  managed.  As  a  general  thing  the  bronchial  affections 
are  not  severe  or  frequent.  Asthmatic  patients  generally  do  well  in  this  climate,  though  at  first 
the  symptoms  are  aggravated. 

Santa  Fe",  from  June  to  February,  is  a  good  climate  for  consumptives  or  persons  predisposed 
to  phthisis ;  but  such  persons,  to  receive  benefit  from  the  climate,  must  come  here  during  the  first 
stages.  Cases  in  which  the  disease  is  fully  developed,  seem  to  fail  more  rapidly  than  in  other  cli- 
mates. During  the  more  inclement  seasons  of  the  year  consumptive  patients  should  spend  their 
time  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  Territory,  where  will  be  found  a  milder  and.  more  equable 
climate. 

Syphilis  is  the  disease  of  the  country,  and  prevails  extensively  in  all  classes  of  society ;  it  is  of 
a  mild  type,  and  anti-syphilitic  treatment  is  generally  well  borne  and  effectual.  The  prevalence  of 
this  disease  for  generations  among  the  native  race  may  account  for  its  mildness  on  the  ground  of 
acquired  immunity.  Skin  diseases  and  affections  of  the  eye  and  ear  are  common,  aud  can  gener- 
ally be  traced  to  a  specific  cause  or  to  neglect  of  cleanliness.  Strangers  coming  to  Santa  Fe  are 
liable  to  a  mild  acclimating  fever,  assuming  the  typhoid  type  and  running  a  course  of  from  seven 
to  fourteen  days.  No  cases  of  typhus  or  of  malarial  fever  originating  here  have  been  noticed. 

Epidemics  of  small-pox  occasionally  rage,  but  the  ignorance  and  superstition  of  the  people 


FOET  UNION,  NEW  MEXICO.  259 

relative  to  the  protecting  powers  of  vaccination  is  rather  the  cause  of  its  severity  than  any  unusu- 
ally severe  type  of  the  disease. 

In  parturition  the  Mexican  women  generally  prefer  women  of  their  own  race,  who  are  believed 
to  be  especially  skillful  in  such  cases;  but  the  treatment  is  only  barbarous,  consisting  of  a  violent 
kneading  and  pounding  of  the  abdomen,  the  result  of  which  is  seen  in  the  unusually  large  number 
of  cases  of  peritoneal  inflammation.  As  a  race  the  Mexicans  are  hardy  and  bear  exposure  and  ha'rd- 
ship  well.  The  children  grow  up  with  little  or  no  attention  or  care ;  the  stronger  ones  survive,  and 
the  feeble  ones  perish  in  the  first  year.  The  menstrual  period  is  developed  at  a  very  early  period, 
often  so  early  as  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  year. 

The  women  become  mothers  at  an  early  age,  and  at  a  correspondingly  early  age  pass  the  criti- 
cal turn  of  life,  not  unfrequently  in  the  twenty -eighth  or  thirtieth  year. 

Diseases  of  the  uterus  are  frequent,  and  can  generally  be  traced  to  imprudence  at  or  after 
childbirth. 

The  Mexicans  have  many  remedies  for  diseases,  but  they  generally  partake  of  the  nature  of 
charms  or  useless  superstition.  Decoctions  of  various  herbs  are  favorites  in  all  diseases.  The 
Chili  or  red  pepper  and  peppermint  are  used  on  all  occasions.  In  gonorrhoea,  the  iron  and  grease 
weeds  are  very  generally  employed,  and  seem  to  be  very  effectual.  The  manifestations  of  second- 
ary syphilis  are  commonly  treated  by  sweating-baths.-  Several  of  the  hot  springs  near  this  locality 
are  reputed  to  have  great  efficacy  in  such  cases. 

Want,  hardship,  and  exposure,  with  often  lives  of  vice,  all  tend  to  shorten  the  term  of  a  Mexi- 
can's life.  Both  sexes  show  age  prematurely,  and  their  ignorance  of  their  own  ages  makes  it  impos- 
sible to  do  more  than  conjecture  the  probable  years  of  a  seemingly  old  person. 


FORT  UNION,  NEW  MEXICO. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  SURGEON  D.  C.  PETERS  AND  GENERAL  C.  GROVER,  UNITED  STATES 

ARMY,  AND  OTHERS. 

Fort  Union  is  situated  in  latitude  35°  54'  21"  north,  longitude  104°  57'  15"  west,  at  an  eleva- 
tion above  the  sea  of  about  6,750  feet.  Santa  Fe  is  100  miles  southwest.  The  nearest  railroad 
station  is  Kit  Carson,  on  the  Kansas  Pacific,  distant  about  250  miles.  Las  Vegas,  28  miles  distant 
on  the  Santa  F£  route,  is  the  nearest  large  settlement.  The  post  is  in  a  beautiful  valley,  about  25 
miles  long  by  five  and  a  half  wide,  which  has  been  carved  out  of  the  cretaceous  plateau.  On  the 
east  the  ascent  is  gradual ;  on  the  west  is  an  abrupt  bluff  cut  through  by  many  ravines. 

About  five  miles  to  the  northeast  is  a  small  range  of  mountains,  called  Turkey  Hills,  composed 
of  red  and  white  sandstones,  well  timbered,  and  rising  from  one  to  two  thousand  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  plain.  The  Taos  Mountains,  a  spur  of  the  rocky  chain,  are  about  40  miles  distant.  Nine 
miles  north  of  the  post  is  an  old  volcanic  crater,  the  rim  of  which  is  circular,  and  well  defined. 
The  depression  is  shallow,  and  thickly  grassed ;  the  sides  are  covered  with  masses  of  rough  basalt. 

The  grazing  in  the  valley  is  good,  the  grass  being  principally  gramma.  No  minerals  of  value 
have  as  yet  been  discovered  within  80  miles  of  the  post,  the  nearest  mines  being  at  Elizabethtown, 
New  Mexico.  There  is  no  running  stream,  proper,  within  five  miles.  Water,  of  excellent  quality, 
is  obtained  fro'm  springs  a  quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  the  post.  Four  miles  south  is  a  pond  fed  by 
springs,  from  which  ice  is  obtained  in  winter  for  the  use  of  the  post. 

Five  miles  northwest  of  Las  Vegas  are  a  number  of  hot  springs,  which  "appear  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  carboniferous  and  the  gneissic  rocks.  The  lowest  spring  issues  from  the  granite  just 
beneath  a  mass  of  limestone.  The  bed  of  limestone  is  quite  hard  and  cherty,  with  a  dip  southeast 
40°  to  45°;  the  underlying  rock  is  rotten  gneiss."* 

These  springs  have,  for  years,  been  famous  among  the  inhabitants  of  this  country  for  their 
efficacy  in  relieving  rheumatism  and  chronic  syphilitic  complaints,  and  are  known  as  the  "ojos 
calientes."  The  temperature  is  about  140°  F. ;  the  water  is  very  clear,  and  contains  carbonates 

*  Report  of  Dr.  F.  V.  Hayden,  United  States  Geological  Survey  of  Colorado,  New  Mexico. 


260 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


of  soda  and  potash.    When  rendered  more  accessible,  by  extension  of  railroads,  it  is  probable 
that  these  springs  will  be  much  resorted  to. 

The  indigenous  trees  of  the  vicinity  are  the  pine,  piiion,  and  scrub  oak,  with  cottonwood  and 
willow  on  the  streams.  The  soil  is  sandy.  By  irrigation  a  great  variety  of  vegetables  can  be  raised 
near  the  fort;  but  the  farmers  are  mostly  Mexicans,  who  are  too  indolent  to  do  more  than  procure 
the.  necessaries  of  life.  Wheat,  corn,  and  oats  are  raised ;  potatoes  do  not  thrive,  and  no  fruits 
are  cultivated. 

The  climate  is  dry;  in  winter,  cold  and  bracing.  The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  west. 
Mean  temperature,  for  18C9,  50.97°  F. ;  extremes,  95°  F.,  and  1°  F. 

Fort  Union  was  established  in  August,  1851,  as  a  check  upon  the  northern  tribes  of  Apache 
and  Utah  Indians,  who  were  at  that  time  hostile.  It  was,  at  first,  placed  immediately  under  the 
bluffs  west  of  its  present  site,  at  a  point  now  included  in  the  ordnance  reserve. 

In  the  fall  of  1801  General  C.  Grover,  United  States  Army,  built  a  bastioned  earthwork  south- 
west of  the  present  post,  about  three  hundred  yards  from  the  springs,  and  removed  the  stores  and 
troops  to  it.  The  quarters  were  constructed  of  logs  and  adobe  behind,  and  forming  a  part  of,  the 
parapet.  This  was  done  in  anticipation  of  an  attack  from  the  Texans,  the  post  being  the  main 
supply  depot  for  the  Territory.  The  reservation,  nearly  square,  contains  51£  square  miles.  There 
is,  also,  a  timber  reservation  of  50  square  miles. 

The  arrangement  of  the  main  part  of  the  present  post  is  shown  in  Figure  31. 

A,  officers'  quarters;  B  B  B  B,  squad-rooms;  C  C,  mess- 
rooms  ;  D,  forage-rooms ;  E,  bakery ;  F,  quartermaster's  store- 
room ;  H,  issuing  room ;  I,  quartermaster's  stables ;  L,  cavalry 
stables ;  M,  cavalry  corral ;  N,  quartermaster's  corral. 
All  the  buildings  are  constructed  of  adobe. 
The  barracks  are  one  story  high,  with  flat  tin  roofs,  which,  in 
this  climate,  do  not  answer,  for  the  reason  that  where  artillery  is 
used,  the  firing  springs  the  nails  and  solder,  and  severs  the  attach- 
ments. The  adobe  settles  and  causes  the  tin  also  to  loosen ;  the 
tin  rusts ;  the  high  winds  detach  it ;  and,  in  every  respect,  it  is  more 
expensive  and  less  serviceable  than  shingles. 

The  squad -rooms  are  ceiled;  each  measures  72J  by  26  £  feet 
by  12  feet  high,  and  contains  twenty-one  movable  single  bunks, 
giving  1,098  cubic  feet  per  man.  Each  has  three  ventilators, 
being  round  tin  pipes  ten  inches  in  diameter,  and  three  and  a  half 
feet  long,  extending  above  the  roof,  and  located  in  the  ceiling 
twenty-three  feet  from  each  other. 

There  are  eight  of  these  squad-rooms,  intended  to  accommo- 
date four  companies ;  when  so  occupied,  the  allowance  of  air  space 
would  be  about  500  cubic  feet  per  man. 
[Figure  31.— Scale  340  feet  to  1  inch.  The  officers' quarters  are  well  constructed  and  arranged,  with 

commodious  yards  and  out-houses.    The  quarters  for  the  commanding  officer  contain  eight  rooms ; 
each  of  the  others,  six.    All  have  large  porticos. 

The  hospital  is  located  on  the  open  prairie  about  300  yards  .from  the  post.  It  consists  of  three 
houses  parallel  to,  and  6  feet  5  inches  from,  each  other,  each  house  being  81  feet  long  and  37  feet 
wide. 

A  hall,  140  feet-by  11£  feet,  traverses  the  middle  of  these  buildings  perpendicular  to  their  long 
axis.  There  are  six  wards,  each  29£  by  19J  feet,  and  12  feet  high,  containing  10  beds,  giving 
090  cubic  feet  air  space  to  each. 

Each  ward  has  two  windows  in  one  end,  and  a  square  opening  in  the  ceiling  which  can  be 
closed  at  pleasure.  They  are  warmed  by  stoves.  The  arrangement  of  the  wards  is  bad  in  a  sani- 
tary point  of  view. 

The  hospital  has  two  cisterns,  each  24  feet  in  diameter,  and  27  feet  3  inches  deep. 

The  guard-house  is  built  of  stone,  inclosed  by  an  adobe  wall  which  supports  the  roof,  there 


CAMP  SUPPLY,  INDIAN  TERRITORY. 


261 


being  a  space  between  the  walla  four  feet  in  width.  There  are  two  cells,  each  9  by  4£  feet  by 
7£  feet  high,  giving  300  cubic  feet  air  space.  The  ventilation  is  by  a  trap  in  the  iron  door. 

There  is  no  laundry,  chapel,  nor  school-house.  There  are  no  facilities  for  bathing  at  the  post, 
either  for  summer  or  winter. 

The  water  is  hauled  by  water-wagons  from  the  springs  above  referred  to.  The  drainage  is 
entirely  superficial,  but  is  very  satisfactory. 

The  means  of  communication  with  the  nearest  railroad  is  by  the  mail  coach,  which  runs  six 
times  a  week ;  time  to  department  headquarters,  five  days. 

The  inhabitants  within  fifteen  miles  of  the  post  number  about  3,000,  the  majority  being 
Mexicans.  The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  very  good. 

Statement  shoicing  mean    strength,  number   of  sick,  and  principal  diseases    at  Fort '  Union,  New 

Mexico,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  luclude  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  SUPPLY,  INDIAN  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  A.  FITZGERALD,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Supply  is  situated  on  the  neck  of  land  between  Wolf  and  Beaver  Creeks,  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  above  their  junction  to  form  the  North  Fork  of  Canadian  River,  in  latitude  36°  30' 
north,  longitude  99°  30'  west.  Fort  Dodge,  the  nearest  military  post,  lies  86  miles  north-northwest. 
Fort  Hays,  the  nearest  railroad  station,  is  166  miles  distant.  The  Cimarron  River  is  30  miles  to 
the  north.  The  country  in  the  vicinity  is  rolling  prairie,  with  much  sand  near  the  streams.  The 
soil  is  a  sandy  loam,  and  good  gardens  can  be  made.  Grass  is  abundant  and  good. 

The  climate  is  warm.    Temperature  during  the  summer  months  frequently  reaches  100°  F. 

The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  south  and  west,  and  are  almost  constant,  varying  in  force 
from  a  gentle  breeze  to  heavy  gales;  and  during  the  autumn  and  early  spring  months  they  are 
very  disagreeable  from  the  quantity  of  sand  and  dust  suspended. 

There  is  good  hunting  in  the  vicinity ;  antelope,  buffalo,  deer,  bear,  rabbits,  wild  geese  and 
ducks,  pinnated  grouse,  plover,  quail,  snipe,  turkeys,  and  reed  birds  being  found. 

The  post  was  established  in  November,  1868,  as  a  base  for  troops  operating  against  hostile 
Indians.  The  fort  consists  of  a  stockade,  150  feet  square,  situated  about  700  yards  from  Wolf 
Creek,  the  peninsula  being  at  this  point  about  2,000  yards  wide.  The  buildings  are  of  rough 
cottonwood  logs,  that  being  the  only  available  timber.  The  men  were  at  first  quartered  in 
"  dug-outs,"  being  excavations  about  4£  feet  deep,  with  log  walls  above  the  .surface,  3  feet  high, 
and  covered  with  earth  and  warmed  by  fireplaces.  A  few  common  tents  gave  shelter  to  two 
companies.  The  officers  occupied  tents,  but  in  the  spring  of  1869,  log  huts  were  built  for  their 
accommodation.  A  stockade  inclosure,  covered  with  paulins,  was  used  as  stables  and  forage 
rooms,  and  was  at  some  distance  southeast  of  the  main  stockade.  During  the  latter  part  of  1869, 
the  arrival  at  the  post  of  recruits  increased  the  command  to  600  men,  and  immediately  steps  were 
taken  for  the  construction  of  suitable  quarters  for  the  officers  and  men,  and  stables  for  the  stock. 


262 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


The  barrack,  containing  five  sets  of  company  quarters,  is  90  feet  long,  18  feet  wide,  and  9  feet 
high ;  a  kitchen  to  each  set,  measuring  15  by  15  feet,  is  attached.  The  dormitories  are  warmed  by 
stoves,  but  none  of  them  are  too  well  lighted.  Bunks  are  constructed  of  poles  and  boards ;  and 
bedsacks  filled  with  hay,  with  the  ordinary  blanket,  comprise  the  bedding.  The  arrival  of  recruits 
has  made  it  necessary  for  one  of  the  companies  to  take  up  their  quarters  in  the  old  dug-outs, 
having  first  erected  new  buildings  above  ground,  similar  to  those  just  described.  The  company 
quarters  give  not  more  than  220  cubic  feet  of  spacje  per  man.  Married  soldiers  are  quartered  in 
small  log  huts  built  above  ground.  Quarters  for  laundresses  are  five  in  number,  and  recently 
constructed.  The  officers'  quarters  have  been  increased  in  number  by  the  erection  of  five  complete 
sets,  70  feet  long,  15  feet  wide,  and  9  feet  high,  with  kitchen  attached,  20  by  12  by  9  feet.  The 
commanding  officer's  quarters  are  in  dimensions  31  by  15  by  9  feet,  and  have  a  kitchen  24  by  12 
by  9  feet.  The  buildings  above-mentioned  and  described  are  of  unhewn  logs,  set  upright  in 
trenches  to  form  sides,  and  have  a  covering  of  logs  and  earth.  The  guard-house  and  bakery  are 
similar  buildings,  the  first  being  31  feet  long  by  15  feet  wide  and  9  feet  high ;  the  bakery  16  feet 
square  by  9  feet  high.  The  guard-house  is  ventilated  by  windows  and  doors,  and  warmed  by 
stoves.  The  quartermaster  and  commissary  store-houses  occupy  the  east,  west,  and  south  sides  of 
the  main  stockade,  by  which  their  outer  walls  are  formed;  the  rooms  are  excavated  3  feet  below 
the  surface ;  the  log  walls  rise  about  7  feet  above  the  same,  and  are  roofed  with  paulins.  The 
several  offices  are  excavations  about  4  feet  in  depth,  with  log  walls  extending  3£  feet  above  the 
surface,  with  a  roofing  of  earth.  They  are  warmed  by  fireplaces,  and  lighted  by  openings  for 
windows.  The  forage-house,  40  by  15  feet,  is  also  similarly  constructed.  New  store-houses  are 
indispensable. 

The  hospital  consists  of  tents  framed  and  floored,  and  warmed  by  stoves.  The  dispensary  is 
a  log  hut,  with  a  hospital  tent,  framed  and  floored.  A  log  hut  is  also  used  as  a  store-room. 

Five  sets  of  stables  have  been  erected,  measuring  150  feet  long,  24  feet  wide,  and  9  feet  high. 

The  post  is  supplied  with  water  from  Wolf  Creek,  half  a  mile  distant,  and  is  found  to  be  of 
good  quality.  The  water  of  Beaver  Creek  is  highly  alkaline.  Water  has  been  obtained  from 
wells,  from  ten  to  twelve  feet  deep,  but  it  was  quite  alkaline  in  character,  and  much  inferior  to 
water  obtained  from  Wolf  Creek. 

The  drainage  of  the  post  is  naturally  bad,  the  surface  being  basin-like  in  character;  but  as 
the  soil  is  loose  and  sandy,  with  the  subsoil  entirely  sand,  there  is  never  any  standing  water  in  the 
vicinity.  No  gardens  have  been  cultivated. 

There  are  no  settlements  at  the  post.  The  nearest  Indians  are  the  Arapahoes  and  Cheyennes. 
Their  physical  condition  is  good,  though  somewhat  impaired  by  venereal  taint.  The  prevailing 
diseases  at  the  post  are  mild  intermittents,  diarrhrea,  and  catarrhal  affections.  There  is  a  weekly 
mail,  comparatively  regular,  but  liable  to  interruptions  from  snow,  floods,  thieves,  and  Indians. 
Time  to  department  headquarters  from  seven  to  ten  days. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  white  troops  at  Camp 
Supply,  Indian  Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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'Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FOET  SILL,  INDIAN  TEEEITOKY. 


263 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Camp 
Supply,  Indian  Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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;  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  SILL,  INDIAN  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  H.  S.  KILBOURNE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  DATED  SEPTEM- 
BER 24,  1870. 

Fort  Sill  is  situated  oil  the  Coinanche,  Kiowa,  and  Apache  reservation,  Indian  Territory;  lati- 
tude 34°  40'  north,  longitude  98°  25'  west;  elevation  above  the  sea,  1,700  feet.  The  post  is  near 
the  confluence  of  Medicine  Bluff  and  Cache  Creeks,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  former.  Fort  Smith, 
Arkansas,  is  275  miles  east ;  Fort  Eichardson,  Texas,  110  miles  south ;  Camp  Supply,  190  miles 
northwest ;  and  Fort  Arbuckle,  75  miles  east.  The  post  is  situated  at  the  eastern  extremity  of  the 
Wichita  Mountains.  Mount  Scott,  the  highest  peak  and  eastern  spur  of  the  range,  is  9£  miles  in 
a  right  line  from  the  post.  Several  hills  belonging  to  the  range  intervene,  among  which  are  the 
noted  Medicine  Bluffs,  one  mile  west  by  north.  Washita  Eiver  is  30  miles  north ;  Eed  River,  45 
miles  south.  Fort  Sill  was  located  by  General  Grierson  in  June,  1868,  under  the  name  of  "Camp 
Wichita,"  and  was  first  occupied  by  four  companies  of  the  Tenth  United  States  Cavalry  in  January, 
1869.  It  was  selected  by  Major  General  Sheridan  as  a  base  of  operations  against  the  Cheyennes 
and  Kiowas,  in  his  winter  campaign  of  1868-'69,  and  from  that  date  has  been  the  military  center  of 
the  reservation  of  Comanches,  Kiowas,  and  affiliated  bands  of  the  Wichitas,  Keechies,  Wacoes, 
and  Caddoes.  The  military  reservation  upon  which  the  post  is  situated  is  six  miles  long  (east  and 
west)  by  three  miles  broad,  (north  and  south,)  and  is  a  quadrangle.  Within  its  boundaries  are  in- 
cluded the  confluence  of  Cache  and  Medicine  Bluff  Creeks,  and  the  timber  and  bottom  lands  which 
fringe  and  skirt  those  streams,  the  hills  called  Medicine  Bluffs,  the  Indian  commissary  buildings, 
lime-kilns,  quarries,  &c. 

Cache  Creek  flows  through  the  reservation  from  the  north,  through  a  valley  ranging  in  width 
from  one-half  to  three  miles,  having  on  each  bank  a  belt  of  timber  from  100  to  500  yards  wide.  It 
takes  a  southerly  course,  and  discharges  its  waters  into  Eed  Eiver,  45  miles  from  the  post.  The 
region  through  which  it  flows  is  well  covered  with  flue  grass.  Medicine  Bluff  Creek  rises  in  the 
northeastern  portion  of  the  mountains,  and  flows  through  a  broken  and  abrupt  region  to  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Cache ;  there  are  small  areas  of  fertile  bottom  lands  along  its  course. 

The  Wichita  range  of  mountains  extends  from  the  northwest  corner  of  the  military  reservation 
westward  for  about  50  miles.  The  width  of  the  chain  is  from  5  to  15  miles.  The  highest  peak  is 
Mpunt  Scott,  at  the  northeast  extremity  of  the  range ;  it  has  an  elevation  of  1,135  feet  above  the 
waters  of  Medicine  Bluff  Creek.  Mount  Webster,  at  or  near  the  western  extremity,  has  nearly  the 
same  elevation. 

West  Cache  Creek,  the  main  branch  of  the  main  Cache,  rises  by  numerous  small  streams  from 
the  southern  slope  of  the  Wichitas,  and  joins  at  a  point  about  10  miles  from  Eed  Eiver. 

The  Indian  reservation  is  of  an  irregular  form,  averaging  83  miles  in  width  (north  and  south) 
by  120  miles  in  length,  (east  and  west.)  Its  boundaries,  as  determined  by  the  War  Department, 
are  as  follows :  On  the  east  the  98th  meridian,  on  the  west  the  100th  meridian,  on  the  north  the 
Washita  Eiver,  on  the  south  the  Eed  Eiver ;  (the  north  fork  of  Eed  Eiver  forms  the  main  western 


264  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAET  POSTS. 

boundary.)  This  region  appears,  I  think,  on  Dana's  geological  map  of  the  United  States  as  within 
the  limits  of  the  region  covered  by  the  great  marine  lagoons  of  the  cretaceous  period.  But,  as 
the  rocks  and  marls  are  noil  fossiliferous,  it  is  inferred  that  we  are  not  within  the  ancient  shore  line 
of  these  waters.  The  vast  deposits  of  gypsum  and  selenite  mentioned  by  Colonel  Marcy  as  found 
by  him  west  of  the  100th  meridian  on  Bed  Eiver  would  seem  to  indicate  that  we  are  east  of  the 
cretaceous.  The  surface  soil  of  the  bottoms  is  a  dark  sandy  alluvium.  The  Cache  flows  between 
abrupt  clay  banks  from  5  to  50  feet  in  height. 

The  surface  of  the  prairie  is  loam  and  marl,  with  various  admixtures  of  sand  and  gravel. 
Black  sand  is  washed  out  of  the  soil  near  the  post  by  rains.  The  subsoil  is  a  dingy  red  clay,  with 
sand.  The  bed-rock  is  a  light  gray  limestone,  which  is  ordinarily  far  below  the  surface,  but  crops 
out  occasionally  in  the  hills  and  at  points  along  Cache  Creek;  it  makes  a  good  quality  of  lime  and 
fine  building  material.  Quarries  have  been  opened  within  one  mile  of  the  post,  which  furnish  the 
rock  in  any  desirable  quantities. 

The  soil  of  the  creek  bottoms  is  very  fertile,  producing  all  varieties  of  plants  belonging  to  this 
latitude.  I  have  seen  no  finer  agricultural  region  in  the  West  than  the  slope  between  the  Wichitas 
and  Red  Eiver.  Several  mineral  springs  have  been  found,  which  will  be  described  under  the 
proper  heading. 

The  largest  and  finest  forest  trees  are  the  oaks,  cottonwood,  and  pecans,  found  in  the  bottoms. 
The  two  former  are  sufficiently  numerous  to  furnish  lumber  for  building  purposes.  There  are  three 
varieties  of  the  oak,  also  hackberry,  ash,  black  walnut,  elm,  and  rnesquite;  among  the  small  trees 
and  shrubs  are  dogberry  and  willow.  Among  the  fruits  are  the  wild  plum,  wild  grape,  and  black- 
berry ;  strawberries  are  found  in  small  quantities.  The  edible  plants  are  what  is  known  as  the 
prairie  pea,  the  artichoke,  and  the  fruit  of  one  sort  of  cactus,  of  which  latter  there  are  several 
varieties.  The  taraxacum  and  cheuopodium,  the  latter  in  large  quantities,  are  seen  about  the  post. 
There  are  also  a  large  variety  of  flowering  plants. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  wild  animals  found  on  the  reservation  and  vicinity :  Buffalo,  bear, 
elk,  antelope,  white-tailed  deer,  panther,  gray  wolf,  wild  rabbit,  coyote  or  prairie  wolf,  wild  cat, 
otter,  squirrel,  coon,  and  a  few  others  of  small  size. 

Among  the  birds  are  the  wild  turkey,  wild  goose,  wild  duck,  (four  varieties ;)  prairie  hen  or 
grouse,  snipe,  quail,  meadow  lark,  blackbird,  and  swallow.  Cache  and  Medicine  Bluff  Creeks  fur- 
nish the  following  kinds  of  fish  in  small  quantities:  Catfish,  white  fish,  sunfish,  eels,  and  garfish  ; 
the  latter  stream  has  also  a  few  trout,  in  the  mountains.  Thirteen  sorts  of  game  have  been  killed, 
besides  fish,  in  one  week,  among  the  head-waters  of  West  Cache  Creek,  where  all  the  above  varie- 
ties are  plentiful  in  their  season. 

Both  Cache  and  Medicine  Bluff  Creeks  furnish  a  plentiful  supply  of  water  for  all  purposes  the 
year  round.  There  are  several  springs  of  good  water  on  the  military  reserve,  and  one  on  the  post 
reserve.  The  latter  is  the  largest,  and  is  situated  on  the  north  bank  of  Bluff  Creek  opposite  the 
post;  this  spring  is  of  sufficient  size  to  furnish  water  to  the  post  for  drinking"  and  culinary  pur- 
poses. It  is  proposed  to  raise  the  water  to  a  reservoir  with  an  engine  for  supplying  the  new  post. 
No  wells  have  been  sunk.  Several  mineral  springs  have  been  found  on  the  military  reserve. 

A  bituminous  substance  resembling  coal  tar  exudes  from  the  soil  at  a  point  near  the  east  line. 
There  is  a  salt  spring  one  mile  northwest  of  the  post.  Several  small  springs,  holding  a  small  quan- 
tity of  iron  in  solution,  are  found  on  the  southern  slope  of  Medicine  Bluffs. 

A  meteorological  register  has  been  kept  at  this  post  since  April  1,  1870,  the  necessary  books, 
instruments,  and  apparatus  not  being  in  order  until  that  date.  The  monthly  mean  temperature  is 
as  follows:  April,  62.85°;  May,  75.73°;  June,  73.97°;  July,  81.81°;  August,  79.23°.  The  monthly 
extremes  are  as  follows:  April,  highest,  88°;  lowest,  40°.  May,  highest,  94°;  lowest,  64°.  June, 
highest,  101°;  lowest,  64°.  July,  highest,  105°;  lowest,  64°.  August,  highest,  106°;  lowest;  62°. 
The  amount  of  rain-fall  in  April  was  3|  inches;  no  rain  in  May;  in  June,  4.60  inches;  in  July,  4.55 
inches;  in  August,  3.03  inches;  total,  15.90  inches.  The  average  annual  rain-fall  is  large. 

The  map  shows  that  the  region  lying  between  the  Wichita  Mountains  and  the  Eed  Eiver  is  a 
network  of  streams,  receiving  their  water  supply  from  the  southern  slope  of  those  mountains. 
The  northern  slope  towards  the  Washita  Eiver  has  but  two  inconsiderable  streams,  (Elk  and  Eainy 
Mountain  Creeks.)  It  is  probable  that  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  mountain  rain-fall  is  drained 


FORT  SILL,  INDIAN  TERRITORY.  265 

off  by  Cache  Creek.  This  fact  is  due  either  to  the  greater  inclination  of  the  southern  slope  or  the, 
influence  of  the  chain  on  prevailing  winds;  perhaps  to  both  causes.  Vegetation  usually  commences 
about  the  1st  of  April.  Foliage  appears  early  in  May.  The  warm  season  is  from  May  to  October, 
inclusive.  The  winters  are  mild,  the  mercury  rarely  falling  below  the'freezing  point  in  the  daytime. 
Ice  forms  not  to  exceed  one-half  inch  in  thickness. 

The  prevailing  wind  is  from  the  south  the  year  round.  In  warm  weather  a  daily  breeze  rises 
from  the  south  about  three  hours  after  sunrise,  and  blows  with  more  or  less  constancy  until  sunset. 
A  cold  north  wind,  the  "norther,"  appears  occasionally  at  all  seasons,  and  prevails  steadily  from 
two  to  four  days  at  a  time,  with  a  temperature  of  from  10°  to  30°  lower  than  the  seasonable  one. 
The  mercury  falls  rapidly  under  its  influence,  and  occasionally  the  extreme  is  reached  within  an 
hour.  The  changes  of  temperature  here  are  generally  less  marked  and  sudden  than  in  central 
Texas.  Snow-storms  have  come  most  frequently  from  the  northeast.  The  number  of  the  latter  is 
few,  and  the  amount  of  snow  inconsiderable.  Snow  fell  twice  in  the  winter  of  1869-'70,  not  to  ex- 
ceed two  inches  in  depth. 

Fort  Sill  is  situated  in  the  center  of  the  post  reservation.  The  latter  is  an  area  of  one  square 
mile,  situated  in  the  center  of  the  United  States  military  reserve.  The  ground  occupied  by  the 
buildings  is  a  plateau  of  irregular  outline,  containing  an  area  of  about  one-half  mile  square.  The 
sides  of  this  plateau  slope  in  all  directions.  Its  elevation  above  low-water  mark  is  about  50  feet. 
All  buildings  excepting  the  commissary  store-house  are  to  be  built  of  the  gray  limestone  previously 
described.  This  stone  is  easily  quarried  and  worked,  and  when  laid  into  walls  presents  a  bright 
and  fine  appearance.  The  general  plan  of  the  post  is  a  square.  Its  capacity,  when  complete,  will 
be  six  companies  of  cavalry.  The  lots  for  each  barrack  are  200  feet  square;  those  for  the  officers 
are  each  200  by  106  feet.  The  number  of  buildings  intended  for  use  as  barracks  is  three.  These 
buildings,  of  which  the  walls  are  nowr  completed,  are  constructed  of  gray  limestone,  unfaced.  The 
inner  surface  of  the  walls  will  not  be  plastered.  Each  building  is  double,  and  of  one  story,  each 
division  having  capacity  for  the  accommodation  of  a  company  of  one  hundred  men.  The  buildings 
are  to  be  warmed  by  stoves;  they  are  well  lighted  by  windows  on  all  sides,  and  ventilated  from 
the  ridge.  The  walls  are  one  and  a  half  feet  thick;  the  external  dimensions  are  200  by  30  by  12 
feet.  Two  wings,  each  GO  by  30  by  9  feet,  with  porches,  10  feet  deep,  in  front  and  rear.  The  air 
space  per  man  is  about  388.57  cubic  feet,  calculated  on  the  basis  of  one  hundred  men  to  each  bar- 
rack. In  the  one  building  now  occupied  bunks  are  in  two  tiers,  each  for  the  accommodation 
of  four  persons.  There  are  no  wash  or  bath-rooms  in  the  plan.  The  wing  of  each  set  of  company 
quarters  contains  a  mess-room,  27  by  40  feet,  a  kitchen,  17  by  17  feet,  and  a  store-room,  15  by  17  feet. 
Laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  quartered  in  tents. 

The  number  of  buildings  for  officers'  quarters  on  the  plan  is  eleven;  the.  walls  of  six  of  them 
are  now  complete.  These  buildings  are  of  the  same  material  and  style  as  the  barracks,  but  they 
are  to  be  lathed  and  plastered.  They  are  all  one  story  high,  double,  excepting  the  quarters  of  the 
commanding  officer,  and  each  is  intended  for  the  accommodation  of  the  officers  of  one  company. 
Each  building  contains  four  rooms,  two  kitchens,  two  halls,  and  a  covered  porch  between  the  main 
building  and  wing,  (kitchen.)  The  outside  dimensions  are  52  by  34  by  9£  feet ;  wings,  18  by  30  by 
9£  feet ;  a  porch,  10  feet  deep,  front  and  rear.  There  are  in  each  set  of  quarters  two  rooms,  each  15 
by  15  feet,  a  hall,  8  by  30  feet,  a  covered  porch,  10  by  15  feet,  and  a  kitchen,  12  by  14  feet.  The 
quarters  of  the  commanding  officer  are  of  the  same  style  and  shape  as  the  others;  the  dimensions 
are,  exteriorly,  52  by  40  by  10  feet.  They  contain  four  rooms,  18.J  by  18  feet,  a  hall,  10  by  30  feet,  a 
covered  porch,  10  by  22  feet,  and  a  kitchen,  14  by  18  feet — a  porch  on  all  sides.  Each  room  has  a 
fireplace.  There  are  no  special  arrangements  for  ventilation.  There  are  no  bath-rooms  in  the  offi- 
cers1 quarters. 

The  buildings  for  headquarter  offices,  quartermaster's  and  commissary's  store-houses  are  located 
on  the  south  side  of  the  parade  ground  on  the  same  line.  *Their  dimensions  are  as  follows :  Quar- 
termaster's and  commissary's  store-houses  are  each  200  by  30  by  12  feet,  outside  measurement.  Each 
store-house  has  an  office,  private  office,  issuing  room,  and  entry  in  one  end.  There  is  also  an 
ordnance  building,  75  by  25  feet,  and  a  second  quartermaster's  store-house,  120  by  25  feet.  The 
building  for  the  headquarters  offices  is  of  the  following  dimensions :  80  by  30  by  12  feet,  outside 
34 


266  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

measurement.  It  contains  a  hall  and  four  rooms,  each  17  by  26  feet,  and  a  porch  in  front  and  rear, 
10  feet  deep. 

The  guard-house  is  located  at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  post,  near  the  commissary  and 
ordnance  buildings.  Its  dimensions  are  46  by  46  feet,  exterior  measurement ;  the  foundation  walls 
are  to  be  three  feet  in  thickness ;  the  upper  wall  is  two  feet  thick.  It  contains  a  hall  and  four  rooms, 
and  has  a  basement  containing  four  cells  for  prisoners.  Ventilation  is  by  the  ridge  above  and 
grated  windows  below.  The  plan  appears  to  be  adequate  to  the  needs  of  the  post,  arid  well  adapted 
to  its  piu'pose. 

The  hospital  will  be  located  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  post;  it  will  be  constructed  of  the 
same  material  as  the  other  buildings;  its  capacity  will  be  twenty-four  beds.  The  plan  is  the  one 
furnished  from  the  Surgeon  General's  Office  for  a  building  of  that  size. 

The  places  for  post  bakery,  laundry,  chapel,  and  school-house  are  yet  undetermined. 

The  stables  are  located  in  rear  of  the  barracks,  at  a  distance  of  300  feet.  They  are  three  in 
number;  each  has  a  capacity  for  a  squadron.  Dimensions,  200  feet  square.  The  plan  is  a  square, 
inclosed  by  a  wall,  furnished  with  sheds  on  the  inside,  and  open  in  the  center. 

The  total  number  of  volumes  of  all  kinds  in  the  library  is  now  about  five  hundred. 

The  water  used  for  washing  and  bathing  and  for'  general  purposes  is  obtained  from  Medicine 
Bluff  Creek,  a  few  yards  above  the  post.  Except  at  high  water  the  quality  of  this  water  is  good, 
and  suitable  for  all  purposes;  the  impurities,  during  a  high  stage  of  water,  are  mostly  clay,  sand, 
and  some  organic  debris  washed  down  by  the  stream.  Much  of  the  drinking  water  is  obtained 
from  the  large  spring  opposite  the  post,  previously  mentioned,  and  from  two  smaller. ones,  one  just 
above  and  one  just  below  the  present  post,  and  from  a  private  well  on  the  premises  of  the  post 
trader.  The  water  of  the  creek  is  supplied  by  means  of  water-wagons  (tank  on  four  wheels  drawn 
by  eight  mules)  in  liberal  quantity.  The  water  thus  furnished  is  kept  in  covered  barrels.  There 
are  no  cisterns  or  reservoirs  at  the  post. 

The  efficiency  of  the  natural  drainage,  both  in  the  new  post  and  of  the  ground  now  occupied, 
is  nearly  complete.  There  is  a  spot  of  low  ground  of  about  50  yards  square  in  area,  lyigg  between 
the  two  posts,  which  is  not  drained;  a  small  amount  of  labor  is  only  needed  to  drain  it  toward  the 
creek. 

There  is  no  special  arrangement  for  bathing,  except  at  the  hospital. 

The  post  garden  has  an  area  of  about  5  acres.  The  hospital  has  no  garden  as  yet,  At  the 
present  post  two  officers  only  Lave  gardens ;  the  area  of  each  is  about  one-quarter  of  an  acre.  Each 
of  the  four  infantry  companies  and  two  of  the  cavalry  of  the  garrison  have  cultivated  gardens  of 
about  two  acres  area  each. 

Vegetables,  except  canned  articles,  have  not  generally  been  supplied  by  the  commissary.  It 
is  proposed  hereafter  to  keep  a  supply  on  hand.  There  is  no  market  capable  of  supplying  the  post 
with  vegetables,  butter,  &c.,  within  50  miles. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  from  the  medical  purveyor  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

The  nearest  railroad  station  is  at  Fort  Barker,  Kansas,  distance  334  miles.  The  means  of 
communication  with  that  post  are  trains,  public  and  private.  Communication  is  somewhat 
irregular,  being  liable  to  interruption  by  high  water  in  the  Washita,  Canadian,  and  Arkansas 
Rivers — rarely  from  the  attacks  of  Indians.  Mails  are  usually  regularly  received  twice  weekly. 
Occasional  interruptions  occur  from  high  water.  The  line  is  one  of  light  wagons  from  Boggy  Depot, 
Indian  Territory,  to  Fort  Sill;  at  the  former  place  connection  is  made  with  the  main  line  from  Fort 
Smith,  Arkansas,  to  Fort  Coucho  and  El  Paso.  The  time  required  to  communicate  with  depart- 
ment headquarters  is  about  ten  days. 

There  are  no  inhabitants  on  the  Indian  or  military  reservations  excepting  those  authorized  by 
law;  these  include  contractor's  men,  drovers,  and  persons  adopted  into  the  Indian  tribes;  also, 
employe's  of  the  Indian  agent.  * 

The  prevailing  diseases  during  the  past  year,  ending  June  30,  1870,  have  been  intermittent 
fever,  acute  diarrhoea,  acute  dysentery,  and  acute  catarrh.  The  malarial  influence  is  predominant 
at  all  seasons,  and  the  majority  of  cases  of  acute  disorders  are  complicated  with  it.  The  water 
used  at  the  post  is  not  an  appreciable  cause  of  disease.  The  origin  of  malaria  is  regarded  as  being 
both  climatic  and  endemic.  At  Fort  Arbuckle,  in  the  same  latitude,  75  miles  east,  malarial 


FORT  GIBSON,  CHEROKEE  NATION,  INDIAN  TERRITORY. 


2C7 


diseases  are  much  less  frequent  than  at  this  post.  The  amount  of  low,  moist  ground  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  post,  the  nature  of  the  subsoil,  and  rapid  alternations  of  heat  and  moisture  are 
regarded  as  the  endemic  causes.  An  epidemic  catarrh  of  mild  form  has  prevailed  once  during  the 
past  year.  The  graver  forms  of  pulmonary  diseases  are  not  common.  Bowel  affections  and  rheu- 
matism of  the  muscular  variety  are  common.  Acute  rheumatism  is  rare.  Two  cases  of  congestive 
fever  have  occurred  at  the  fort,  with  one  death.  Malaria  has  been  the  bane  of  the  post;  probably 
one-half  of  the  entire  garrison  have  been  attacked  with  some  form  of  malarial  disorders. 

Work  on  the  new  post  of  Fort  Sill  was  commenced  in  the  summer  of  1809,  and  during 
that  year  one  building,  the  commissary  warehouse,  was  completed.  This  building  is  con- 
structed of  hewn  timber,  laid  one  piece  upon  another,  horizontally.  All  other  buildings  are  of 
stone.  The  number  of  buildings  now  completed  and  occupied  is  nine,  as  follows:  Quartermaster 
store-houses,  two;  commissary  store-house,  ordnance  building,  headquarter  offices,  (partly  occupied 
by  the  library,)  one  barrack  building,  quartermaster  corral,  and  two  small  dwellings  adjacent. 
The  walls  of  the  following-named  buildings  are  now  nearly  completed,  viz :  Two  barracks,  six  sets 
of  officers'  quarters.  The  former  lack  only  the  partition  walls,  as  do  the  latter. 

Foundations  for  the  following-named  buildings  have  been  excavated,  viz :  Five  sets  of  officers' 
quarters  and  guard-house.  The  following  have  not  been  commenced :  Hospital,  bakery,  and  chapel. 
The  work  of  construction  is  still  in  progress,  but  with  a  diminished  force  of  laborers.  At  the  old 
vpost  the  meu  are  quartered  in  tents,  and  the  officers  in  log  houses. 

The  commanding  officer  occupies  a  frame  house. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  ichite  troops  at  Fort  Sill, 

Indian  Territory,  for  the  year  1869. 


1 

£ 

t 
a 

X 

1 

1 

to 

S? 

i 

fr 

£ 

2 

a 

j| 

^Tear. 

Mcanstreu 

Whole  n 
taken  si 

• 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrlura 
dysente 

Venereal  d 

Scurvy. 

Rheumatis 

Catarrhal 
tions.* 

1 

a 

|Z5 

1869,  (four  months)   

194.  75 

90 

57 

7 

2 

1 

6 

15 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort  Sill, 

Indian  Territory,  for  the  year  1869. 


S 

8 

o 

! 

Year. 

Mean  streugth 

Whole  numl 
taken  siek. 

Typhoid  fever 

Malarial  fever 

Diarrhoea  a 
dysentery. 

Venereal  disea 

L 

B 

cc 

t 

IMlrllllKII  i-MI. 

Catarrhal  aff 
tious.* 

1 

1 

3 

1 

1869  (six  mouths) 

401  83 

387 

6 

256 

63 

g 

t 

7 

19 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pmmmonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  GIBSON,  CHEROKEE  NATION,  INDIAN  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  ALFRED  DELANY,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  reservation  upon  which  Fort  Gibson  is  situated  has  not  been  defined  or  declared ;  its  sur- 
vey is  in  progress.  The  fort  is  located  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Neosho  or  Grand  River,  3  miles  north- 
east of  its  confluence  with  the  Arkansas,  latitude  35°  48'  10"  north,  longitude  95°  3'  15"  west,  and 
000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Tahlequah,  the  territorial  seat  of  government,  is  17  miles  dis- 
tant in  a  northeasterly  direction.  The  nearest  military  post  is  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  65  miles  dis- 


268  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

taut,  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  on  the  dividing  line  between  Arkansas  and  the  Territory. .  The 
site  is  the  western  terminus  of  a  high  rolling  prairie,  which  extends  in  an  easterly  direction  from 
the  fort  to  the  Menard  Mountain,  distant  about  3  miles.  On  the  north  side  of  the  fort  the  prairie 
descends  rapidly  to  a  narrow  strip  of  bottom,  which  has  a  river  margin  of  1£  miles.  On  the  south 
side  it  generally  slopes  to  a  plain,  which  is  fifty  feet  below  the  fort,  and  distant  about  400  yards. 
This  plain  extends  back  from  the  river  more  than  300  yards,  where  it  is  terminated  by  a  ridge  of 
land,  the  commencement  of  the  prairie.  To  the  south  and  west  this  plain  is  continuous  with  an 
extensive  river  bottom,  which  extends  to  the  Arkansas  River,  3  miles,  and  along  this  river,  in  a 
southeasterly  direction,  more  than  4  miles  to  the  "  Bayou  Menard  ;"  it  has  an  average  breadth  of  3 
miles,  and  contains  several  lakes.  The  southern  half  of  this  plain  is  covered  with  forest  trees  and 
a  very  dense  undergrowth. 

On  the  west  side  of  Grand  River  lies  another  extensive  bottom,  irregularly  triangular  in  form, 
which  is  limited  by  the  Arkansas  River  on  the  southwest,  the  Grand  River  on  the  east,  and  the 
Verdigris  River  on  the  west ;  it  has  an  average  breadth  of  2  miles,  and  is  heavily  timbered.  Coal 
is  discovered  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  but  no  veins  or  mines  have  been  opened  or  worked.  The 
soil  is  sandy,  underlaid  by  limestone,  and  varies  in  depth  from  a  few  inches  to  several  feet.  There 
is  scarcely  an  acre  of  land,  except  upon  the  ranges  of  high  hills  along  the  Grand,  Verdigris,  and 
Illinois  Rivers,  that  is  not  arable  and  susceptible  of  cultivation  ;  the  soil  will  produce  abundantly 
all  kinds  of  cereals,  vegetables,  fruits,  cotton,  and  tobacco.  The  principal  crops  now  raised  are 
corn,  wheat,  potatoes,  and  oats ;  fruits  (apples,  pears,  and  peaches)  of  the  finest  quality  are  very 
plentiful.  Timber  is  scarce,  growing  only  in  the  bottoms  along  the  rivers  and  bayous,  and  on  the 
mountains,  but  there  very  densely.  It  consists  chiefly  of  oak,  walnut,  hickory,  pecan,  and  cotton- 
wood.  Wild  prairie  grass  grows  rank  and  heavy,  and  is  cut  for  hay  in  large  quantities.  Xone  of 
the  cultivated  varieties,  or  clover,  have  been  sown.  The  country  is  well  watered,  and  abounds  in 
springs ;  near  the  post,  however,  water  is  only  found  at  great  depths,  and  is  strongly  impregnated 
with  lime.  There  are  innumerable  salt  springs  of  the  purest  quality  on  the  Illinois,  Grand,  and 
Canadian  Rivers,  some  of  which  are  extensively  worked.  The  climate  is  variable.  The  summers 
are  very  warm,  and  the  winters,  though  usually  mild  and  pleasant  up  to  the  end  of  December,  are 
occasionally  very  severe.  The  variations  in  temperature  are  often  sudden  and  extreme.  Spring 
and  autumn  are  delightful,  and  are  highly  propitious  to  agriculture.  The  annual  average  range  of 
the  thermometer  is  80° ;  in  summer  rising  above  100°,  and  in  the  winter  falling  to  2°.  The  mean 
temperatures  are  as  follows:  Spring,  61.04°;  summer,  79.41°;  autumn,  61.06°.;  winter,  41.13°. 

The  prevailing  winds  during  the  summer  months  are  from  the  southeast  and  south-southeast, 
blowing,  in  some  months,  twenty-eight  out  of  thirty  days  from  one  of  these  points.  These 
winds  traverse  the  extensive  "bottom"  above  described  before  reaching  the  fort.  As  a  general 
rule  the  garrison  is  protected  from  the  prevailing  winds  by  the  elevated  prairie  ridge. 

The  fort  is  600  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  more  than  100  feet  above  ordinary  low- 
water  mark  in  the  Grand  River.  The  present  site  of  the  fort  was  occupied  by  volunteer  troops  dur- 
ing the  war  of  the  rebellion.  The  barracks,  though  erected  twenty-five  years  ago,  were  never  occu- 
pied by  regular  troops  until  after  the  close  of  the  war.  It  was  in  contemplation  at  one  time  to  lo- 
cate the  fort  at  Webber's  Falls,  35  miles  southeast  from  here.  In  a  sanitary  point  of  view,  it  would 
be  a  preferable  site  to  the  present  one,  being  high,  and  far  removed  from  swamps  or  bottom  lands. 
It  is  manifest  that  had  a  site  been  selected  to  the  windward  of  these  bottoms,  one  source  of  disease 
would  have  been  avoided. 

The  majority  of  the  buildings  now  occupied  are  new.  The  officers'  quarters,  the  barracks,  and 
guard-house,  are  arranged  on  the  three  sides  of  a  square,  and  a  new  hospital  building  will  be 
erected  on  the  vacant  side. 

The  barracks  are  built  of  dark  yellow  sandstone,  and  are  two  stories  high.  In  the  lower  story- 
are  the  mess-rooms  and  kitchens ;  in  the  upper  story  are  the  squad-rooms  and  orderly-rooms.  This 
building  is  divided  into  two  distinct  barracks  by  solid  partitions,  and  each  is  occupied  by  one  com- 
pany. Each  squad-room  is  63  feet  in  length  by  21  feet  in  breadth ;  19 J  feet  to  the  eaves,  and  23  J 
feet  to  the  ridge,  giving  28,444  cubic  feet  of  air  space.  There  are  fourteen  double  bunks  to  accom- 
modate 56  men,  thus  allowing  to  each  man  over  500  cubic  feet  of  air  space.  The  windows  and 
doors  are  large.  Each  squad-room  has  seven  windows  on  the  south  side  and  six  windows  and  a 


FORT  GIBSON,  CHEROKEE  NATION,  INDIAN  TERRITORY. 


269 


door. on  the  north  side;  the  latter  open  on.  a  veranda,  12  feet  iu  width,  which  extends  the  whole 
length  of  the  building.  The  orderly-rooms  are  each  14  feet  long  and  21  feet  wide.  The  mess-rooms 
and  kitchens  have  the  same  dimensions  as  the  rooms  in  the  upper  story.  There  are  no  cellars  no/ 
store-roorns.  The  upper  floor  is  approached  by  the  veranda,  there  being  no  stairway  within  the 
walls.  These  squad-rooms  are  open  to  the  ridge,  are  well  lighted,  and  are  provided  with  open  fire- 
places. The  colored  troops  of  the  command,  numbering  18  men,  are  encamped  on  the  southern 
slope  of  the  prairie,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  northeast  of  the  fort ;  they  are  provided  with 
wall  tents,  and  have  constructed  a  log  stable  to  accommodate  their  horses. 

The  sinks  of  the  garrison  are  simply  trenches,  with  frame  shelters  erected  over  them ;  they  are 
regularly  disinfected,  and,  as  occasion  requires,  fresh  earth  is  thrown  in. 

The  quarters  for  married  soldiers  are  located  about  300  yards  south  of  the  garrison,  and  out- 
side of  the  limits  of  the  reservation  ;  they  are  very  old  log  buildings,  and  much  out  of  repair.  It 
is  purposed  to  abandon  them  as  soon  as  suitable  quarters  can  be  constructed. 

There  are  five  sets  of  quarters  for  officers.  The  commanding  officer's  quarters  are  built  of  dark 
sandstone,  one  story  and  a  half  high,  with  an  English  basement.  This  house  contains  thirteen 
rooms,  including  the  attic  and  basement.  Those  of  the  first  floor  and  basement  are  built  on  oppo- 
site sides  of  a  hall,  10  feet  wide,  extending  through  the  building.  All  the  rooms  are  large,  well 
lighted,  and,  excepting  those  of  the  attic,  have  open  fireplaces.  The  other  sets  of  quarters  are 
built  in  pairs.  They  are  frame,  with  stone  foundations.  Two  of  them  have  basements ;  the  re- 
maining two  have,  in  lieu  thereof,  a  small  cellar  each.  There  are  six  rooms  in  each  house,  includ- 
ing the  kitchen.  These  quarters  are  substantially  built  houses,  having  high,  airy  rooms,  open  fire- 
places, and  large  doors  and  windows. 

The  store-house  of  the  chief  quartermaster  and  commissary  of  the  district  is  a  handsome 
stone  building,  150  feet  by  42  feet,  and  one  story  high  ;  about  50  yards  south  of  the  officers'  quar- 
ters is  a  narrow  stone  building,  50  feet  long,  used  as  offices  by  the  district  and  post  commanders. 

The  commissary  store-house  stands  50  feet  south  of  the  barracks  and  parallel  to  them.  It  is 
a  substantial  stone  structure,  30  feet  by  36  feet,  two  stories  high,  and  has  a  cellar.  This  building 
is  dry,  freely  ventilated,  and  is  admirably  adapted  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  used. 

In  addition  to  the  buildings  described  may  be  mentioned  the  saw-mill,  the  blacksmith  shop, 
and  the  officers'  mess-hall.  An  ice-house  has  been  erected  which  will  hold  sufficient  ice  to  supply 
the  demands  of  the  garrison  throughout  the  summer  season. 

The  guard-house  is  a  substantial  frame  building,  recently  erected.  It  is  sufficiently  lighted  by 
windows,  and  warmed  by  wood  stoves.  There  are  no  special  arrangements  for  ventilation. 

The  hospital  is  located  on  a  gentle  slope  about  117  yards  south  of  the  barracks.  It  consists  of 
two  log  huts  of  the  following  dimensions  :  36  feet  long,  15  feet  wide,  8£  feet  to  the  eaves,  and  15 
feet  from  floor  to  ridge.  Each  hut  is  divided  into  two 
rooms,  making  in  all  four  rooms,  which  are  used  respect- 
ively as  dispensary,  store-room,  kitchen,  and  a  ward  of  four 
beds,  for  the  sick  of  the  colored  troops. 

The  plan  of  the  hospital  is  shown  in  Figure  32. 

A,  ward;  D,  dispensary;  K,  kitchen;  S,  store-room; 
Z,  covered  passage. 

Three  hospital  tents,  spread  over  a  frame  and  floored 
constitute  a  ward  for  the  sick  of  the  white  troops.  The 
huts  and  the  tent  ward  are  provided  with  open  fireplaces. 
This  hospital  is  ill  adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  post,  and  a 
contract  has  been  awarded  for  the  construction  of  a  frame 
hospital  to  accommodate  twelve  patients,  after  the  plan 
contained  in  Circular  No.  4,  Surgeon  General's  Office, 
1867.  Figure  32.— Scale,  21  feet  to  1  iucb. 

In  the  present  hospital,  the  dispensary  and  office  are  in  the  same  room,  which  is  fitted  up  with 
counter  and  shelves.  The  wards  are  furnished  with  sixteen  iron  bedsteads,  and  have  an  air  space 
of  317  cubic  feet  per  man. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  new  frame  building,  situated  iu  the  vicinity  of  the  barracks. 


A 


D 


K 


270  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  stable  is  located  on  the  northwest  side  of  the  officers'  quarters,  and  to  the  leeward  of  them, 
as  well  as  the  men's  quarters;  it  is  built  in  the  form  of  a  square,  and  consists  simply  of  sheds 
djvided  into  stalls.  Refuse  from  the  stable  is  carted  to  the  distance  of  over  a  mile  from  the  post. 
The  companies  are  in  possession  of  good  libraries  which  are  liberally  patronized  by  the  men,  both 
in  garrison  and  hospital. 

Two  cisterns,  one  in  front  and  the  other  in  the  rear  of  the  barracks,  each  having  a  capacity 
of  8,000  gallons,  are  chiefly  depended  upon  for  the  supply  of  water,  though  many  prefer,  for  drink- 
ing, the  water  of  the  Grand  River,  which,  when  confined  to  its  sandy  and  rocky  bed,  is  beautifully 
clear,  very  agreeable  to  the  taste,  and  remarkably  free  from  organic  matter.  For  cooking  purposes, 
however^  the  cistern  water  is  usually  employed. 

There  is  no  system  of  sewerage  at  the  post.  The  configuration  of  the  surface  on  which  the 
fort  is  located,  being  a  gradual  declination  to  all  sides,  secures  good  drainage.  All  refuse  at  the 
post  is  collected  and  carted  away  daily. 

The  cemetery  is  situated  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  garrison.  The  post  garden  consists 
of  about  ten  acres  of  land,  from  which  the  garrison  and  hospital  are  amply  supplied  with  all  kinds 
of  vegetables,  especially  potatoes. 

Rations  procured  from  the  commissary  are  of  good  quality.  Extra  articles  of  food  are  pur- 
chased by  the  company  fund  from  neighboring  farmers. 

Medical  supplies  for  the  post  are  obtained  upon  requisition  from  the  medical  purveying  depot 
at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  are  generally  received  in  good  condition.  They  are,  for  the  want  of 
suitable  store-rooms,  difficult  to  keep  well  preserved. 

The  nearest  quartermaster  and  subsistence  depots  are  at  Fort  Leaveuworth,  Kansas,  297  miles 
distant.  The  route  of  supply  is  by  the  Arkansas  River,  which  is  open  about  six  months  in  the 
year,  and  the  best  method  of  transporting  supplies  is  by  steamboat.  Communication  between  the 
post  and  the  nearest  town  is  by  boat,  when  there  is  sufficient  water  in  the  Arkansas  River. 

Fort  Gibson  has  been  called  the  "  charnel-house  of  the  frontier,"  and  it  may  reasonably  be 
supposed  that  when  the  fort  was  located  on  the  plain  to  the  south  the  ratio  of  sick  was  greater  than 
at  present ;  for,  while  citizens  and  others  who  live  in  the  village  on  the  site  of  the  old  fort,  and 
those  who  live  in  the  bottoms  bounded  by  the  Arkansas  and  Verdigris  Rivers,  suffer  almost  con- 
stantly from  malarial  fevers  or  in  some  other  manner  manifest  symptoms  of  malarial  poisoning, 
the  troops  suffer  much  less,  and  are  usually  able  to  attribute  an  attack  to  special  exposure.  The 
quartermaster's  employes,  who  occupy  quarters  built  on  the  slope  to  the  south  of  the  fort  and  about 
35  feet  above  the  village  plain,  suffer  less  than  the  villagers,  but  vastly  more  than  the  troops. 

The  Grand  River  is  subject  to  an  annual  rise,  which  usually  takes  place  in  June  or  July. 
The  bottoms  are  then  subject  to  an  overflow.  When  the  water  subsides  the  soil  is  left  saturated 
with  moisture,  and  the  reeking,  slimy  surface,  rich  in  decomposing  vegetable  matter,  sends  forth 
that  poison  which  is  supposed  to  be  the  cause  of  malarial  fevers. 

The  prevailing  diseases  are  of  malarial  origin  in  the  majority  of  cases.  Remittent  and  inter- 
mittent fevers  constantly  engage  attention.  Remittent  fever  is  especially  severe  in  its  character, 
and  yields  only  to  prompt  treatment.  Pneumonia  of  an  asthenic  type  is  a  common  and  fatal  disease 
with  the  Indians ;  death  frequently  occurs  within  forty-eight  hours  of  the  onset  of  the  disease. 
This  great  fatality  is  attributed  to  the  depressed*  condition  in  which  the  disease  usually  finds  these 
people,  who  are  enfeebled  by  chronic  malarial  poisoning,  poor  and  insufficient  diet,  and  the  general 
insalutary  condition  in  which  they  live.  Lazy,  filthy,  and  intemperate  as  they  are,  poorly  housed, 
fed,  and  clothed,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  surprise  that  they  should  succumb  to  a  disease  attacking  an 
organ  so  important  to  life. 

The  ordinary  treatment  of  malarial  fever  by  quinia  is  usually  found  sufficient.  It  is  not  often 
necessary  to  employ  larger  doses  than  are  commonly  administered  in  more  northern  localities.  It  is 
considered  highly  important,  however,  promptly  to  arrest  an  intermittent  to  prevent  its  assuming 
a  more  pernicious  type  or  lapsing  into  a  remittent.  The  law  of  recurrence  at  the  septenary  periods 
is  recognized  here,  and  quinia  is  administered  at  those  periods  with  the  view  t:>  prevent  a  return. 
Remittents  are  prone  to  become  continued ;  active  lowering  treatment  is  badly  borno,  even  when 
the  symptoms  would  seem  to  strongly  indicate  it;  prompt  cinchonism  only  is  trusted  to,  and,  unless 
some  organ  is  specially  assailed,  no  other  treatment  is  employed.  Malaria  complicates  most  of  the 


FORT  SMITH,  ARKANSAS. 


271 


diseases  which  occur,  and  the  administration  of  quinia  in  dysentery  and  pneumonia  is  very  fre- 
quently necessary.  Pneumonia  is  the  most  fatal  disease  the  physicians  of  the  vicinity  have  to 
encounter.  It  is  either  typhoid  from  its  commencement,  or  rapidly  assumes  that  character. 
The  intemperate  and  half-starved  Indians  furnish  the  most  cases.  It  is  usually  ushered  in  with  a 
chill,  during  which  the  brain  or  lungs,  or  both,  are  fatally  congested.  In  other  cases  it  runs  a  moiv 
protracted  course,  and  the  lungs  pass  through  the  various  conditions  denominated  stages  of  the 
disease.  The  most  frequent  condition,  however,  is  simply  congestion,  with  commencing  so-called 
exudation.  The  treatment  must  be  supporting  from  the  onset,  and  especially  addressed  to  tin- 
malarial  element  of  the  disease. 

All  affections  of  the  respiratory  organs  are  sufficiently  common,  and  peculiarly  unmanageable. 
The  sudden  and  extreme  variations  in  temperature  seem  to  be  the  cause  of  the  prevalence  of  this 
class  of  diseases.  The  percentage  of  cases  of  disease  of  this  class  among  the  troops  has  not  been 
greater  than  in  localities  of  a  more  equable  temperature. 

The  settlement  of  Fort  Gibson,  adjoining  the  post,  has  a  population  of  about  300.  The  nearest 
Indians  are  the  Cherokees  and  Creeks. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  white  troops  at  Fort  Gib- 
son, Cherokee  Nation,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort  Gib- 
son, Cherokee  Nation,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  SMITH,  ARKANSAS. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  MORRIS   BROWN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Smith  is  situated  in  the  western  part  of  the  State  of  Arkansas,  in  latitude  35°  23'  north, 
and  longitude  94°  30'  west  from  Greenwich.  It  is  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Poteau,  at  its  junction 
with  the  Arkansas  River.  Fort  Gibson  is  northwest,  distant  60  miles.  Fort  Arbuckle  is  200  miles 
southwest,  and  Fort  Sill  is  distant  350  miles.  To  the  northeast,  and  adjoining  the  reservation,  is 
the  city  of  Fort  Smith,  a  thriving  place,  having  a  population  of  5,000,  and  being  the  head  of  navi- 
gation of  the  Arkansas  River.  Little  Rock,  the  nearest  town  of  any  importance,  is  southeast,  dis- 
tant 200  miles. 


272  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

Fort  Smith  was  established  in  1817,  by  Major  Bradford,  of  the  rifles,  for  the  protection  of  trad- 
ing posts,  and  is  one  of  a  cordon  of  posts  established  along  the  boundary  of  the  Indian  Territory 
during  that  period. 

The  reservation  contains  about  300  acres,  besides  about  150  acres  between  the  State  line  and 
the  Poteau  River.  The  adjacent  country  outside  the  limits  of  the  city  is  very  much  broken  ;  the 
soil  in  the  vicinity  is  very  fertile,  cotton  being  the  staple  product.  Large  quantities  of  corn  are 
also  raised.  Fruits,  both  large  and  small,  are  in  abundance,  as  are  also  almost  all  kinds  of  vege- 
tables. Coal  abounds,  and  traces  of  iron  are  found  iu  the  vicinity. 

The  climate  is  temperate,  the  temperature  ranging  from  5°  to  95°  F.;  the  mean  temperature 
is  56°  F.  The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  southwest.  The  spring  and  fall  winds  blowing  over 
the  valley  of  the  Poteau  cause  an  increase  of  malarial  disease.  The  winters  are  usually  short  and 
mild.  The  warm  season  begins  in  April  and  continues  until  November,  the  early  part  being  gen- 
erally rainy. 

The  fort  is  situated  on  the  northern  portion  of  the  reservation,  about  300  yards  from  the  Po- 
teau, and  about  100  feet  above  its  level.  It  is  built  of  stone,  irregularly  pentagonal  iu  shape,  in 
dimensions  600  by  650  feet,  and  contains  about  ten  acres. 

The  barrack  is  a  brick  building,  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  with  verandas  in  fr  ont  and  rear. 
It  contains  two  rooms,  each  56  by  29  feet,  and  was  intended  for  one  company.  It  is  warmed  by 
fireplaces  and  lighted  by  windows,  of  which  there  are  six  to  each  room.  There  are  no  special  means 
of  ventilation.  The  air  space  per  man  is  818  cubic  feet.  Wooden  bunks  are  used,  with  the  ordi- 
nary supply  of  bedding  in  sufficient  quantity,  but  of  very  poor  quality.  There  are  no  wash  or  bath- 
rooms nor  water-closets  connected  with  the  barracks.  Kitchens  and  mess-rooms  are  in  the  base- 
ment of  the  building,  and  are  of  sufficient  capacity  for  one  company. 

A  number  of  small  frame  buildings  located  outside  of  the  walls  are  occupied  as  quarters  by 
married  soldiers.  They  are  in  a  very  poor  condition. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  contained  in  a  two-story  brick  building,  with  verandas  in  front  and 
rear,  and  comprise  sixteen  rooms,  each  15_by  17  by  14  feet,  and  8  kitchens  in  the  baseme  nt.  These 
are  divided  into  sets  of  quarters,  two  lower  rooms  and  a  kitchen  being  usually  a  set.  They  are 
heated  by  stoves  or  fireplaces.  Each  room  is  lighted  and  ventilated  by  means  of  two  windows. 
There  are  no  bath-rooms  nor  water-supply  connected  with  the  building.  Yaults  in  the  rear  are 
used  as  privies,  there  being  no  water-closets. 

One  small  building  outside  the  walls  is  used  for  offices.  The  quartermaster's  store-house  is 
north  of  the  fort  about  one  hundred  yards :  it  is  a  frame  one-story  building,  200  by  50  by  30  feet. 
The  commissary  store-house  is  a  two-story  stone  building  located  within  the  fort,  and  measures 
46  by  45  by  36  feet.  A  number  of  smaller  buildings  about  the  post  are  also  used  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. The  quartermaster's  store-house  being  situated  on  lower  ground — between  the  fort  and  the 
river— is  very  damp,  and  therefore  not  well  adapted  to  the  purpose. 

The  guard-house,  situated  at  the  entrance  of  the  garrison,  is  a  one-story  brick  building,  30J  by 
27  J  by  22  feet,  warmed  by  fireplaces  and  lighted  by  four  windows,  which  are  its  only  means  of  ven- 
tilation. The  building  is  divided  into  four  rooms,  two  for  the  guard  and  two  for  prisoners,  one 
being  divided  into  three  cells.  Owing  to  imperfect  ventilation,  the  guard-house  is  ill  adapted  for 
the  purpose.  The  average  number  of  prisoners  is  six. 

.  The  buildings,  which  have  been  in  use  for  about  twenty  years  as  a  hospital,  have  recently  been 
abandoned,  and  the  one  now  occupied  for  that  purpose  is  a  two-story  stone  structure,  46  by  45£  feet, 
(inside  measurement,)  and  36  feet  high,  and  situated  at  the  northwest  corner  of  the  garrison.  The 
first  story  is  used  for  a  kitchen  and  dining-room;  the  second  contains  the  ward,  dispensary,  and 
store-room. 

The  ward,  45J  by  26J  by  12  feet,  contains  twelve  beds,  allowing  about  1,200  cubic  feet  of  air 
space  to  each.  It  is  warmed  by  fireplaces,  lighted  and  ventilated  by  windows,  of  which  there  are 
four,  each6  feet  10  inches  by  3  feet.  There  are  no  bath  or  wash-rooms,  water-closet,  nor  dead-house 
attached  to  the  hospital.  With  some  repairs  the  building  will  answer  its  intended  purpose  very  well. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  log  building,  distant  from  the  fort  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile,  and  is  well 
adapted,  having  a  capacity  for  1,000  rations. 

The  stables,  granaries,  and  shops  are  frame  buildings  erected  during  the  war,  and  located 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  garrison. 


LITTLE  KOCK,  ARKANSAS. 


273 


The  library,  containing  140  volumes  of  a  miscellaneous  character,  is  kept  in  a  small  frame  build- 
ing located  between  the  officers'  quarters  and  hospital. 

The  water  supply  for  the  garrison  is  obtained  from  the  river ;  for  culinary  purposes  rain-water 
is  used,  a  large  cistern  furnishing  all  that  is  required.  There  are  several  wells  at  different  points 
about  the  garrison,  but  the  water  is  not  used  for  any  purpose  whatever. 

The  post  being  situated  on  high  and  rolling  ground,  the  natural  drainage  is  perfect,  and  no 
artificial  drains  and  sewers  are  required. 

The  river  affords  excellent  advantages  for  bathing  during  the  summer  months,  but  in  winter 
no  facilities  are  provided.  The  national  cemetery  is  situated  something  over  a  fourth  of  a  mile 
from  the  garrison,  has  an  area  of  about  ten  acres,  and  contains  1,785  graves,  having  been  in  use 
some  twenty  years.  The  post  garden  contains  fifteen  acres  of  ground,  which  is  cultivated  by 
the  troops.  Potatoes,  cabbages,  turnips,  onions,  and  almost  all  small  vegetables  are  raised,  and  in 
sufficient  quantities  to  supply  the  •command. 

Communication  is  had  with  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  by  stage  and  railroad,  via  Springfield,  Mis- 
souri, distant  about  550  miles,  and  is  occasionally  interrupted  by  floods.  The  river  affords  means 
of  communication  with  Little  Eock,  Arkansas,  and  all  points  east  and  south  of  the  post ;  though, 
on  account  of  low  water,  it  is  very  irregular  in  spring  and  summer.  Stores  received  from  St.  Louis 
are  usually  about  three  weeks  on  the  route.  Daily  mails  are  received  from  the  East.  A  letter  to 
department  headquarters  requires  from  four  to  five  days. 

The  residents  of  the  surrounding  country  in  the  State  are  principally  farmers.  To  the  west 
lies  the  country  of  the  Cherokee  and  Choctaw  Indians,  who  are  generally  an  idle,  lazy,  and  shiftless 
people. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good,  the  prevailing  diseases  of  the  past  year  de- 
pending entirely  on  malaria. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas, 

for  the  year  1869. 


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1869,  (8  months)  

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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


LITTLE  ROCK,  ARKANSAS. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  W.  A.  CANTRELL,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  post  of  Little  Eock,  which  is  embraced  within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  city  of  Little 
Eock,  the  capital  of  the  State  of  Arkansas,  is  situated  on  the  Arkansas  Eiver,  about  300  miles 
from  its  mouth,  in  latitude  34°  43'  north,  longitude  92°  10'  west  from  Greenwich. 

The  Territory  of  Missouri,  including  the  present  State  of  Arkansas,  was  organized  by  the  act 
of  Congress  of  June  4,  1812 ;  and  the  Territory  of  Arkansas  was  established  by  act  of  Congress  of 
March  2,  1819,  the  whole  Territory  at  that  time  comprising  a  population  of  scarcely  more  than 
1,000,  exclusive  of  Indians.  Arkansas  Post  was  the  capital,  being  a  Aallage  of  two  or  three  hun- 
dred persons,  mostly  of  French  descent. 

From  the  general  topography  of  the  country  this  point  had  been  a  regular  place  for  crossing 
the  Arkansas  Eiver  by  the  Indians  from  time  immemorial ;  for  although  the  river  was  not  forda- 
ble  here  nor  anywhere  else  for  many  miles,  yet  the  hills  set  into  the  river  on  both  sides,  and  gave 
35 


274  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAKY  POSTS. 

the  spot  a  marked  and  distinctive  character,  and  the  great  Indian  trail,  pursued  in  their  wanderings 
and  expeditions  southward  and  northward,  passed  over  the  present  site  of  the  city. 

Here  in  the  course  of  time  two  or  three  families  settled  for  the  double  purpose  of  cultivating 
the  soil  and  trading  with  the  Indians,  who  were  frequently  passing ;  and  a  tribe  of  whom,  the 
Quapaws,  stayed  in  grounds  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  Little  Kock  was  then  the  extreme  frontier 
of  the  United  States,  beyond  which  no  other  place  was  occupied  by  white  men.  The  city  takes  its 
name  from  a  prominent  and  well-defined  rock  that  projects  upon  the  river  at  the  spot  where  the 
wharf  now  runs  down  to  the  water's  edge,  an  object  which,  at  an  early  period,  formed  a  noteworthy 
landmark  for  boatmen  on  the  river,  as  it  was  the  first  rock  which  they  discovered  in  ascending  the 
stream  from  its  confluence  with  the  Mississippi,  and  it  was  called  "La  petite  Rochelle"  or  "the 
little  rock,r  in  contradistinction  with  another  much  larger  rocky  promontory  which  projects  upon 
the  river  three  miles  higher  up  on  the  opposite  side. 

The  steep,  rocky  bank  upon  the  river,  which  originally  rose  sheer  from  the  water's  edge,  grad- 
ually increases  in  height,  in  ascending  the  stream,  from  twenty  to  about  sixty  feet,  and  extending 
southward  and  westward  within  the  city  limits,  the  land  attains  a  still  higher  elevation,  being  at 
its  highest  point  about  150  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river,  the  ascent  being  everywhere  gradual. 
The  surface  is  a  slight  deposit  of  vegetable  mold  superimposed  upon  strata  of  sandstone,  excellent 
for  building  purposes,  very  hard,  and  of  light  gray  and  brown  colors,  and  upon  slate  which  ap- 
proaches the  surface  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  city,  and  is  there  exposed  in  thick  layers  upon 
the  bank  of  the  river. 

West  and  south  of  the  city  the  country  is  broken  and  diversified  with  irregularly-shaped  hills, 
covered  with  pine  woods.  Granite  and  millstone  grits  form  the  capping  of  these  hills,  while  the 
cuts  in  the  valleys  reveal  sandstone  and  reddish  and  dark  underlying  shales ;  while  eastwardly 
extends  the  expanse  of  the  alluvial  lands  of  the  Arkansas  River,  on  both  sides  of  the  stream,  which 
is  bounded  011  the  north  by  prairie  lands  at  some  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  distant.  The  slate,  which 
forms  the  substratum  on  the  bank  in  the  western  part  of  the  city,  has  been  formerly  quarried  for 
making  tiles  and  for  other  similar  purposes ;  but  the  work  has  been  discontinued.  Nine  miles  north 
of  the  city  are  situated  mines  of  argentiferous  lead,  which  have  been  worked  at  intervals  for  over 
a  quarter  of  a  century. 

The  climate  of  the  post  is  good,  and  the  place  is  healthy.  It  is^not  subject  to  winds  nor  to 
extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  the  mean  annual  temperature  being  about  61°  F.  It  had  never  suffered 
from  epidemics  of  any  kind  until  the  year  1866,  when  31  cases  of  cholera  occurred  in  the  city, 
while  among  the  troops,  who  had  been  removed  from  the  garrison  to  the  adjacent  country,  it  raged 
to  an  alarming  extent. 

The  reservation,  comprising  36  acres  of  ground,  is  situated  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  city, 
and  was  purchased  in  1836.  Two  years  later  the  building  of  the  post  commenced.  Five  large 
brick  buildings,  consisting  of  an  armory,  commanding  officer's  quarters,  a  barrack  for  one  com- 
pany, ordnance  store-rooms  and  work-shop,  and  quartermaster's  alid  commissary  store-room  were 
erected.  Also  a  magazine,  brick  stables,  and  outhouses. 

The  post  was  continuously  occupied  as  a  military  station  until  the  war  of  the  rebellion.  On 
February  18,  1861,  the  post  was  evacuated,  and  the  governor  of  Arkansas,  with  his  militia  took 
charge  of  and  held  the  post  until  it  was  retaken  by  the  United  States  forces  under  command  of 
Major  General  Steele,  on  the  10th  of  September,  1863. 

The  barracks  now  used  by  the  enlisted  men  are  composed  of  nine  framed  buildings.  Each  of 
these  buildings  lately  constituted  a  ward  of  the  Little  Kock  General  Hospital.  They  are  each  160 
feet  long  and  30  feet  wide,  and  were  removed  in  sections  over  the  space  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to 
the  arsenal  grounds,  where  they  are  placed  in  parallel  lines,  fronting  north,  and  in  the  rear  of  the 
officers'  quarters.  Each  building  will  accommodate  one  company,  giving  ample  room  for  offices, 
dormitories,  mess  rooms,  kitchens,  and  store-rooms.  They  are  well  ventilated  and  lighted.  The 
dormitories  are  warmed  by  stoves  and  lighted  at  night  by  candles.  Air  space  per  man,  468  cubic 
feet.  Each  one  is  supplied  with  a  sufficient  number  of  neatly  painted  two-storied  bunks;  the  major- 
ity of  them  are  single  bunks,  a  few  being  double.  The  sinks  are  located  200  yards  in  rear  of  the 
barracks.  A  kitchen  with  mess-room  adjoining  is  partitioned  off  of  the  rear  end  of  each  barrack. 
The  rooms  are  large  well  furnished,  and  adapted  to  the  purpose.  One  barrack  is  occupied  as 


JEFFERSON  BARRACKS,  MISSOURI. 


275 


quarters  by  laundresses  and  married  soldiers.  Three  frame  buildings,  situated  80  feet  in  rear  of 
the  men's  barracks,  are,  also  used  as  married  soldiers'  quarters. 

The  armory,  a  large  two-story  brick  building  with  tower,  lias  been  tastefully  altered  into  offi- 
cers' quarters,  containing  twenty  rooms,  with  kitchens  in  the  basement,  so  arranged  that  an  officer 
may  have  his  quota  of  rooms  entirely  private  from  others  under  the  same  roof. 

Two  brick  and  two  framed  buildings  are  used  for  the  storage  of  public  property. 

The  guard  house  is  built  of  brick,  and  ceiled  at  the  level  of  the  eaves  with  boards  ;  ventilated 
and  lighted  by  two  grated  windows  and  one  iron  grated  door.  The  building  contains  a  guard- 
room, 23|  by  26£  feet,  and  10£  feet  high,  and  five  cells,  each  10£  by  4£  feet,  and  10£  feet  high.  The 
cells  are  ventilated  by  means  of  apertures  in  the  doors. 

A  similar  building  to  the  barracks,  located  in  the  extreme  southeastern  part  of  the  grounds, 
is  used  as  a  hospital.  It  affords  abundant  room  for  dispensary,  office,  clothes-room,  store-room, 
dining-room,  bath-room,  kitchen,  steward's  quarters,  and  two  large  well  ventilated  and  lighted 
wards,  holding  twenty-live  beds. 

The  building  is  warmed  by  stoves,  lighted  by  windows,  and  ventilated  through  the  ridge.  The 
wards,  one  67  by  23  feet,  the  other  22  by  23  feet,  give  1,157  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  bed.  A 
small  room  adjoining  the  rear  of  the  hospital  building  is  used  as  a  bath-room.  There  are  no  water- 
closets.  The  dead-house,  framed,  15  by  10  feet,  is  in  the  rear  of  the  hospital,  and  still  further  in 
the  rear  are  the  hospital  sinks. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  frame  building,  45  by  23  feet,  containing  a  double  oven  with  a  capacity 
for  800  rations. 

The  post  is  supplied  with  excellent  water  from  five  wells,  sunk  from  30  to  (P  feet  beneath  the 
surface.  The  water  obtained  is  cool,  clear,  and  soft,  being  entirely  free  from  all  impurities.  The 
wells,  together  with  a  large  cistern,  abundantly  supply  the  demands  of  the  post.  As  a  means  of 
subduing  fire,  two  barrels  of  water  are  placed  on  the  roof  of  each  building. 

The  ground  upon  which  the  post  is  situated  being  rolling,  the  natural  drainage  is  excellent. 
Some  artificial  drainage  is  obtained  by  means  of  boxed  trenches. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  side,  and  principal  diseases  at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  for 

the  years  18G8  and  18G9. 


k 

dj 

V 

o 

5 

S    44 

b 

5 

s 

^     . 

i 

i 

rK 

Years. 

i 

<s 

a 

tf    -  — 
O     & 

•§! 

J5    * 

i 

Typhoid  fev 

Malarial  fev 

Diarrhoea 
dysenter. 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  dis 

ft 

i 

Rheumatism 

Phthisis. 

Catarrlial  ; 
tious.* 

1 
•O 

O 

d 

1868 

456  33 

1  794 

1 

891 

230 

243 

56 

108 

1869  

480.25 

1,928 

3 

1,150 

228 

1 

160 

l 

46 

79 

4 

11  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pueuuionia,  and  pleurisy. 


JEFFERSON   BARRACKS,   MISSOURI. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  JOSEPH  R.  SMITH,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  DATED  AUGUST  13,  1870. 

The  post  of  Jefferson  Barracks,  St.  Louis  County,  Missouri,  is  situated  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Mississippi  River.  475  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,*  in  latitude  38°  28'  north,  longitude 

*  Major  Abbott,  of  the  Engineer  Corps,  has  computed,  from  monthly  means  of  barometric  observations,  the  alti- 
tude of  this  post  as  follows  : 

Willett's  Point,  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  being  the  lower  station  of  observation,  the  altitude  of  this  place  is  466.5  feet. 

Yerba  Bueua  Island,  on  the  Pacific  coast,  being  the  lower  station  of  observation,  the  altitude  is  490.7  feet. 

The  observations  at  this  post,  however,  serving  as  data  in  computing  the  above,  are  not  strictly  accurate. 

Railroad  levels  and  former  barometric  observations  show  this  place  to  be  over  470  feet  above  mean  tide,  and  I  givo 
475  feet  as  the  altitude,  not  as  being  absolutely  accurate,  but  as  near  as  is  known,  and  near  enough  for  practical  purposes. 


276  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

90°  IT  west.  It  is  west  of  south  of  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  whose  southern  boundary,  now  formed 
by  the  river  Des  Peres,  an  insignificant  stream,  at  times  dry,  is  three  miles  distant.  The  Iron 
Mountain  railroad,  passing  along  the  river  bank  directly  through  the  post,  commences  at  St.  Louis 
and  terminates  at  Belmont,  Missouri,  where  a  ferry  across  the  river  to  Columbus,  Kentucky,  con- 
nects this  road  with  railroads  to  Mobile  and  New  Orleans.  To  the  south  and  west,  partially  incir- 
cling  the  post,  at  a  distance  of  about  ten  miles,  runs  tlje  river  Marainec,  emptying  into  the 
Mississippi. 

The  greater  part  of  the  barracks  was  erected  in  the  year  1827  by  the  labor  of  soldiers.  The 
more  modern  portion,  including  the  bake-house,  quartermaster's  store-houses,  water-works,  (steam- 
engine  and  reservoir,)  have  been  erected  within  a  period  of  time  varying  from  eight  to  fifteen  years. 

When  the  post  of  Jefferson  Barracks  was  established  the  neighboring  land  was  a  wilderness ; 
St.  Louis,  the  nearest  town,  (Carondelet  is  now  South  St.  Louis,)  was  but  a  trading  village.  The 
Mississippi  Kiver,  from  want  of  means  of  navigation,  was  an  obstacle  as  much  as  a  facility  to  inter- 
course, and  troops  for  this  post  arrived  from  the  East  via  Chicago  and  thence  down  the  Illinois 
Kiver  in  bateaux,  instead  of  using  the  now  well-traveled  highway  of  the  Ohio  River.  At  that  time 
this  post  was  a  frontier  station,  established  for  the  protection  of  the  neighboring  population,  and 
was  of  considerable  military  importance,  an  importance  which  it  long  maintained.  Here  at  different 
times  during  its  long  military  history  have  assembled  expeditious  for  distant  military  service,  and 
prior  to  1861  scarcely  a  regiment  existed  in  the  United  States  Army  but  at  one  time  or  other  had 
been  here  represented,  either  wholly  or  by  some  portion  of  its  organization.  The  veterans  who 
here  commanded  in  early  days  have  passed  away,  but  far  the  greater  part  of  the  distinguished 
soldiers  yet  remaining  of  our  army  have  some  kindly  recollection  of  life  and  pleasure  within  these 
walls ;  and  the  names  of  Grant  and  Sherman  are  both  associated  with  the  place  as  having  been  at 
one  time  their  military  residence.  With  the  progress  of  years,  however,  civilization  rapidly 
advanced  westward.  The  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  from  the  outskirts,  became  the  center  of  a 
teeming  population,  when  military  necessity  no  longer  required  the  presence  of  a  large  body  of 
troops. 

During  the  great  civil  war  extensive  pavilion  wards  were  erected  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
sick  at  suitable  spots  upon  the  military  reservation,  and  the  post  was  transformed  into  a  large 
hospital,  which  in  turn  became  a  depot  for  recruits.  For  a  short  time  after  the  war  it  was  again 
used  as  a  garrison,  was  soon  thereafter  abandoned,  and  finally,  in  the  fall  of  1867,  was  transferred 
to  the  Engineer  Department,  by  order  of  General  Sherman,  to  be  used  as  an  engineer  depot,  gar- 
risoned by  one  company  of  the  Engineer  battalion. 

The  orginal  military  reservation,  of  which  the  present  engineer  reservation  formed  the  middle 
part,  contained  between  1,700  and  1,800  acres,  extending  along  the  river  bank  about  two  miles, 
and  embracing  some  of  the  most  beautiful  sites  on  the  river  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Louis.  The 
present  engineer  reserve  contains  about  450  acres  of  land,  is  four-sided,  and  not  far  from  rectangu- 
lar, the  sides  running  nearly  north  and  south  and  east  and  west.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  a 
reservation  devoted  to  the  use  of  the  Ordnance  Department,  on  the  east  by  the  Mississippi  River, 
on  the  south  by  the  National  Cemetery,  and  on  the  west  by  a  series  of  improved  lands.  Its  river 
front,  or  eastern  boundary,  is  about  700  yards  long,  and  its  northern  and  southern  boundaries 
about  1,700  yards.  Its  western  boundary  being  of  nearly  the  same  length  as  its  eastern,  its  sur- 
face rises  abruptly  from  the  river,  and  is  generally  from  50  to  150  feet  above  the  level.  It  is  roll- 
ing, and  abounds  in  what  are  called  "  sink  holes,"  circular  or  oval  depressions  from  20  to  200  feet 
in  diameter,  and  from  25  to  75  feet  in  depth ;  some  of  these  communicating  subterraneously  with 
the  river,  some  of  them  constantly  containing  water. 

Locust  trees  of  many  years'  growth  shade  the  parade  ground,  but  are  fast  yielding  to  the 
ravages  of  time  and  decay.  Young  saplings  of  elm  and  maple  have  been  set  out  to  supply  the 
place  of  these  old  trees,  whose  place  a  few  years  will  see  vacant.  The  remaining  ground  has  been 
mostly  cleared  of  underbrush,  leaving  large-sized  oaks  scattered  here  and  there,  singly  and  in 
clumps,  converting  the  grounds  into  a  great  lawn.  The  vicinity  of  the  reserve  presents  also  a  roll- 
ing surface.  As  I  have  before  stated,  immediately  to  the  north  and  south,  government  land,  viz, 
the  ordnance  property  and  the  cemetery,  adjoin  the  post,  but  a  mile  or  two  distant  north  and  south, 
and  contiguous  to  the  west,  cultivated  fields  cover  almost  entirely  the  face  of  the  country,  and 
attest  to  the  prosperity  of  the  State,  The  few  uncultivated  portions  are  covered  by  a  low  growth 


JEFFERSON  BARRACKS,  MISSOURI.  277 

of  trees  aud  bushes.  Grapes  have  received  much  attention  of  late  years,  and  vineyards  and 
orchards  are  interspersed  among  the  farms  devoted  to  the  different  cereals.  The  west  side 
of  the  river  for  some  distance  above  and  below  this  place  presents  no  low  bottom  laud,  the 
limestone  formation  abutting  on  the  river,  or  at  a  short  distance  therefrom.  The  river  is 
here  about  a  mile  wide,  with  sandy  bottom,  ever-changing  bars,  and  changing  channel;  its 
depth  varies,  according  to  the  season  of  the  year  and  the  differing  years,  from  8  to  48  feet. 
In  the  spring  and  early  summer  the  water  is  deepest,  from  the  spring  raius  and  the  thaw- 
ing of  the  snow,  which  latter,  taking  place  later  in  the  distant  mountains  where  the  river 
rises,  extends  the  season  of  high  water  here  into  the  summer.  Coincident  with  the  low  water  of 
later  summer  and  autumn  is  the  prevalence  of  malarious  diseases;  in  fact,  the  sickly  season  of  the 
valley. 

Immediately  across  the  river,  in  the  State  of  Illinois,  is  an  extensive  bottom  land  of  several 
miles  in  width,  of  varied  wood  and  prairie,  and  subject  to  overflow  in  the  highest  stages  of  water. 
In  one  of  the  statistical  reports  published  by  the  Medical  Department,  I  find  it  stated  that  on  the 
river  this  bottom  "is  skirted  with  forests,  varying  in  breadth  from  half  a  mile  to  a  mile,  while  the 
remaining  space  to  the  high  ground  consists  principally  of  prairie  covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth 
of  grass.  This  prairie  is  checkered  with  numerous  lakes,  and,  as  the  evaporation  of  water  during 
the  latter  part  of  summer  exposes  the  surface  of  the  subjacent  soil,  a  fruitful  source  of  disease  is 
engendered,  the  influence  of  which  is  sensibly  felt  at  the  barracks."  *  *  *  "At  least  three- 
fourths  of  the  persons  at  this  post  have  had  fever  this  season,  (1839,)  while  at  the  distance  of  one 
mile  from  the  river,  a  dense  forest  intervening,  there  has  scarcely  been  a  single  case."  This  is  a 
correct  topographical  sketch  even  now,  save  that  farms  have  replaced  parts  of  the  forest  there 
described ;  but  the  connection  above  reported  between  disease  at  this  post  aud  a  source  across  the 
river  has  ceased  to  exist.  For  the  past  two  years  and  three-quarters  careful  observation  has 
shown  that  easterly  winds  coining  from  the  direction  of  the  bottom  laud  above  described  have  not 
been  accompanied  by  a  greater  amount  of  disease  than  westerly  or  other  winds,  nor  a  change  of 
wind  therefrom,  by  any  diminution  of  disease.  I  may  also  add  that  while  during  the  past  year 
(1809)  malarious  fevers  have  been  rife  here,  they  have  equally  prevailed  throughout  the  sur- 
rounding country;  and  I  have  been  called  to  see  professionally  many  cases  of  intermittent  and 
remittent  fevers  occurring  several  miles  in  the  interior. 

The  soil  in  this  vicinity  is  fertile,  consisting  of  vegetable  humus,  of  not  generally  great  depth, 
resting  upon  a  silico-calcareous  clay.  This  layer  increases  in  depth  with  its  distance  from  the  river. 
Much  of  this  clay  is  very  tenacious,  and  the  sand  hard  and  sharp,  so  as  to  be  suitable  for  the  manu- 
facture of  fire  and  other  brick.  Below  the  clay  we  come  upon  a  member  of  the  carboniferous  sys- 
tem, known  by  Western  geologists  as  the  St.  Louis  limestone.  This  stratum  is  exposed  in  hori- 
zontal layers,  dipping  at  an  angle  of  about  20°  to  the  northeast.  It  is  estimated  to  be  250  feet  in 
thickness,  and  underlies  the  coal  beds  of  Missouri,  from  which  it  is  separated  in  stratagraphical 
order  by  a  ferruginous  sandstone.  This  thick  stratum  of  limestone  is  not  of  uniform  composition, 
but  consists  of  different  beds,  calcareous,  silico-calcareous,  and  silico-magnesian.  It  is  extensively 
quarried  in  the  vicinity,  and  used,  according  to  its  quality,  for  building  purposes,  for  sidewalks,  and 
for  the  manufacture  of  lime.  Fossils  have  been  found  in  this  formation,  and  described  by  Shuniard, 
belonging  to  crinoidea,  zoophytes,  brachiopoda,  acephala,  gasterpoda,  fishes,  mollusca,  bryozoa,  and 
trilobites.  Of  these,  Paloctrinus  multipora,  Lithostrotion  canadense,  Ecliinocrlnus  nerd,  Poteriscrinus 
lonc/idactylus,  and  Atrypa  lingulata  are  the  most  characteristic. 

The  main  supply  of  water  for  the  post  is  from  the  Mississippi  River.  Several  springs  flow 
near  the  river  bank,  but  their  water  is  not  used.  The  only  ponds  in  the  vicinity  are  those  hereto- 
fore referred  to  as  contained  in  sink-holes,  and  those  across  the  river.  They  are  standing  water, 
the  center  of  more  or  less  vegetation,  and,  as  far  as  I  have  seen,  have  exerted  no  unfavorable  sani- 
tary influence. 

The  climate  of  this  place  is  variable  but  not  insalubrious.  Since  the  war  of  the  rebellion  me- 
teorological registers  have  not  been  kept  at  the  post.  Daily  observations  of  temperature  have 
been  made  since  I  have  been  stationed  here,  and  from  these  it  appears,  that  since  October,  1867,  the 
maximum  shown  by  the  thermometer  has  been  98°,  aud  the  minimum  1°.  The  exposure  of  the 
thermometer  was  on  the  north  side  of  a  hurricane  house,  overhung  by  a  porch,  to  a  limited  extent, 


278  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

and  freely  exposed  to  the  air.  The  examination  of  former  meteorological  records  shows  the  extreme 
recorded  range  of  the  thermometer  at  this  post  to  be  from  102°  to  18°,  a  difference  of  120°.  The 
extreme  range  of  the  mercury  at  St.  Louis  is  given  by  Loomis  as  133°,  from  a  maximum  of  108°  to 
a  minimum  of  25°.  The  mean  annual  temperature  of  the  post,  as  calculated  from  observations  for 
20  years,  from  1827  to  1854,  is  55.43°;  and  the  mean  annual  fall  of  rain,  calculated  from  15  years, 
observations,  (from  1840  to  1854,)  is  37.83  inches,  divided  as  follows:  In  the  spring,  10.56  inches; 
in  summer,  12.88;  iu  autumn,  80.2,  and  in  winter  C.37. 

The  post  is  on  the  same  isothermal  line  as  Washington,  District  of  Columbia,  on  the  Atlantic 
coast,  and  San  Francisco,  California,  on  the  Pacific,  the  three  places  being  also  iu  nearly  the  same 
parallel  of  latitude,  but  while,  in  most  other  respects,  the  climate  of  Washington  and  Jefferson 
Barracks  are  alike,  in  nearly  all  other  respects,  viz.,  humidity,  amount  of  rain-fall,  range  of  tem- 
perature, and  distribution  of  heat  and  rain  during  the  year,  the  climates  of  Jefferson  Barracks  and 
!S;in  Francisco  are  dissimilar.  Here  the  dew  point  is  habitually  high,  the  greatest  amount  of 
rain  falls  in  June,  and  the  least  iu  January;  the  fair  days  are  to  the  cloudy  in  nearly  the  propor- 
tion of  three  to  two,  and  the  days  devoid  of  rain  and  snow  to  days  of  rain  and  snow  iu  about  the 
proportion  of  thirteen  to  four,  days  of  rain  being  seven  times  more  frequent  than  days  of  snow  ; 
January  is  the  coldest  month  and  July  the  warmest,  the  mean  temperature  of  the  former  month 
being  32°  58',  and  of  the  latter  78°,  a  difference  of  35°  42'.  The  wind  blows  most  frequently 
from  the  south  and  least  frequently  from  the  northeast ;  the  northwest  wind  blows  with  the  greatest 
force  and  the  northeast  with  the  least. 

The  post  occupies  about  the  middle  half  of  the  river  front  of  the  reservation.  The  railroad 
runs  along  the  river  bank,  50  feet  distant  therefrom,  and  a  line  of  buildings  consisting  of  shops, 
store-house,  &c.,  runs  along  the  railroad.  From  this  point  the  ground  rapidly  rises,  attaining  an 
elevation  of  nearly  40  yards  in  100,  and  on  the  summit  of  a  ridge  extending  back  several  hundred 
yards  and  into  the  valley  on  either  side  is  situated  the  main  part  of  the  post.  Most  of  the  build- 
ings are  built  of  limestone,  some  of  brick,  and  a  few  of  wood.  Surgeon  DeCamp  reports  that  the 
post  was  originally  built  for  twenty-two  companies;  it  has  just  been  repaired  and  put  in  order  to 
accommodate  a  garrison  of  one  company.  Three  sides  of  a  rectangle  are  occupied  by  buildings ; 
the  fourth  side,  toward  the  river,  being  open.  One  building  is  occupied  by  the  eidisted  men  as 
quarters.  It  is  of  limestone,  substantially  constructed,  and.  of  most  excellent  finish.  It  fronts 
the  parade  ground  to  the  east,  and  is  about  120  by  36  feet.  It  consists  of  two  stories  and  a  base- 
ment, the  ceiling  of  the  basement  being  below  the  level  of  the  ground  in  front,  but  the  whole  of  it 
being  open  to  the  west  and  south.  Covered  porches,  10  feet  6  inches  wide,  extend  the  whole 
length  of  both  stories  on  the  east  and  west  sides.  The  first  and  second  stories  are  occupied  by 
the  men  as  day  quarters  and  dormitories  combined,  while  the  basement  contains  the  kitchen,  store- 
rooms, cooks'  rooms,  and  diuing-room.  Originally  constructed  for  officers'  quarters,  the  dividing 
partitions  have  been  torn  down,  and  each  story  is  now  a  single  room  partially  divided,  the  two 
stories  (littering  in  size  only  by  the  different  thickness  of  the  walls  and  a  slight  variation  in  height. 
The  room  on  the  first  or  lower  floor  is  116£  by  33  by  10  feet.  Three  large  chimneys  occupy  portions 
of  the  room,  one  near  the  center,  and  one  between  the  center  chimney  and  either  end,  and  diminish 
the  capacity  by  nearly  1,000  cubic  feet.  Short  stanchions  and  a  heavy  longitudinal  beam  support 
the  weight  of  the  upper  stories,  and  two  transverse  walls,  with  two  permanent  openings  in  each, 
running  almost  to  the  ceiling,  aid  iu  supporting  the  weight  from  above  and  partially  divide  the 
room.  These  avenues  of  communication  in  the  transverse  walls  are  8  feet  8  inches  in  height,  by 
7  feet  in  width.  Ten  windows  on  each  side  and  two  at  each  end  give  light  to  the  apartment, 
while  three  doors  on  each  of  the  long  sides  afford  the  means  of  entrance  and  exit  in  front  to  a  brick 
pavement  near  the  level  of  the  parade  ground,  iu  the  rear,  by  a  wooden  porch  communicating 
below  by  three  stairways,  the  ordinary  route  to  the  mess-room.  The  floor  of  the  room  is  wood.  In 
winter  this  room  is  heated  by  six  large  coal  stoves,  the  pipes  entering  the  upper  part  of  the  chim- 
neys, whose  fireplaces  below  are  closed  up  by  fire-boards.  The  only  means  of  ventilation  other 
than  doors  and  windows  are  semicircular  openings  of  about  7  inches  radius,  pierced  in  the  bottom 
of  each  fire-board.  It  is  difficult  to  see  how  these  apertures  could  satisfactorily  serve  for  venti- 
lating purposes.  At  night  oil  lamps  are  used  to  give  light.  This  room  would  furnish  an  actual 
available  space  of  about  37,179  cubic  feet.  Forty-two  men  are  assigned  to  this  room,  which  allows 


JEFFERSON  BARRACKS,  MISSOURI.  279 

885  cubic  feet  per  man.  The  highest  number  of  men  ever  assigned  to  this  room,  fifty-three,  would 
still  enjoy  each  over  700  cubic  feet  of  air  space,  which  is  ample. 

The  second  story  resembles  the  first,  which  it  slightly  exceeds  in  size,  being  8  inches  higher; 
while  the  diminished  thickness  of  the  walls,  as  not  required  to  support  such  great  weight,  gives  a 
•  few  inches  increase  in  its  other  dimensions.  The  doors  and  windows  are  the  same  in  number  as  in 
the  lower  story,  the  windows,  however,  being  6  inches  narrower,  while  the  chimneys  and  partitions 
are  the  same  in  each  story.  The  dimensions  of  the  second-story  room  are  10  feet  8  inches  by  33 
feet  8  inches  by  116  feet  6  inches,  which  would  give  of  clear  space  40,680  cubic  feet.  Forty-three 
men  are  assigned  to  this  room,  who  thus  have  an  allowance  of  946  cubic  feet  per  man.  This  room 
does  not  communicate  with  the  room  below.  Its  doors  open  upon  a  covered  porch,  whence  three 
stairways  lead  below. 

The  basement  is  occupied  as  kitchen,  mess  room,  store-room,  and  cook's  quarters.  The 
kitchen  is  24  feet  9  inches  by  32  feet  4  inches  by  7  feet  6  inches.  It  is  insufficiently  lighted  and 
ventilated,  having  an  abundance  of  windows  on  one  side  only,  the  west.  It  occupies  the  entire 
width  of  the  basement,  and  is  provided  with  an  excellent  range,  sink,  tables,  hot  and  cold  water, 
and  all  that  is  needed  for  cooking  purposes.  The  remainder  of  the  basement  is  89  feet  in  length. 
It  is  irregularly  divided  by  a  longitudinal  partition  running  north  and  south,  of  which  the  founda- 
tions to  the  chimneys  that  run  through  the  upper  stories  form  a  large  part.  This  part  is  of  course 
very  thick.  The  remainder  is  partly  of  wooden  lattice-work.  The  portion  east  of  this  partition 
furnishes  store-rooms  and  cook's  rooms.  Its  ceiling  is  nearly  a  foot  below  the  level  of  the  ground 
upon  the  east,  and  it  is  but  dimly  lighted ;  five  windows  on  the  east,  opening  into  narrow  grated 
areas.  The  west  half  is  the  mess-room,  and  is  14  feet  wide  by  7  feet  6  inches  high.  A  very  thick 
transverse  wall,  with  a  large  permanent  opening  of  communication,  supports  the  superstructure, 
and  partially  divides  the  room.  Its  furniture  consists  of  eight  tables  and  sixteen  benches.  It  is 
lighted  and  ventilated  by  windows  and  doors,  all  of  which  are  on  the  west  side.  It  has  seated  130 
men  at  meals.  The  table  is  bountifully  supplied  with  good  food  and  a  good  service.  Being 
crowded,  low,  ill  lighted  and  ventilated  from  one  side,  I  regard  it  as  poorly  fitted  for  its  purposes. 
The  inen  sleep  on  bedsteads  made  of  iron,  with  longitudinal  wooden  slats.  Their  bedding  consists 
of  a  sack  filled  with  straw,  and  blankets,  and  is  good  in  quality  and  sufficient  in  quantity.  The 
washing  arrangements,  or  lavatory,  are  to  the  rear  of  the  mess-room,  and  under  the  porch.  They 
consist  of  a  trough  furnished  with  basins,  the  water  being  supplied  from  pipes  connecting  with 
the  reservoir. 

There  is  but  one  privy,  a  plain  board  building,  situated  about  75  feet  to  the  southwest  of  the 
quarters,  in  a  sink-hole  about  15  feet  below  the  level  of  the  ground.  Beneath  the  building  is  a 
large  brick  vault  emptying  into  a  large  sewer  running  to  the  river.  The  waste  water  from  the 
company  kitchen  follows  this  course. 

The  long  buildings  running  east  and  west  were  built  for  soldiers'  quarters,  and  the  southwest 
one  was  used  as  such  by  this  command  until  January  last.  It  was  well  suited  for  this  purpose, 
being  309  by  20  by  10  feet,  with  an  abundance  of  doors  and  windows  on  the  north  and  south  sides, 
the  direction  of  the  prevailing  summer  winds,  conveniently  divided  into  smaller  rooms  by  trans- 
verse partitions,  and  with  ventilating  openings  in  the  roof  and  floors.  Basement  kitchens  and 
mess-rooms  were  the  greatest  objections  to  its  use  as  soldiers'  quarters.  The  building  now  used 
as  quarters,  which  has  been  above  described,  required  a  great  deal  of  change  from  its  former 
condition  as  officers'  quarters  to  fit  it  for  its  present  use.  Immediately  previous  to  its  occupancy 
last  winter  it  was  entirely  torn  to  pieces  inside  and  renovated,  and  is  now,  in  general  repair  and 
finish,  superior  to  the  majority  of  officers'  quarters  at  military  posts.  I  regard  it,  however,  as 
faulty  in  many  respects  as  barracks,  and  indeed  as  inferior  to  the  barracks  deserted  in  its  favor. 
The  former  barracks  were  cooler  in  summer,  the  long  rows  of  north  and  south  apertures  promoting 
the  circulation  of  the  prevailing  southerly  winds — no  mean  item  where  the  summer  climate  is  as 
warm  as  this.  The  mess-room  of  the  new  quarters  is  very  faulty,  narrow,  and  contracted,  ill 
lighted  and  worse  ventilated.  In  this  respect  the  basement  of  the  abandoned  quarters  had  much 
the  advantage,  although  the  fact  remains  that  basement  quarters  are  never  to  be  commended,  and 
basement  kitchens  underneath  dormitories  are  particularly  objectionable  on  account  of  the  heat 
and  smell.  The  quarters  now  occupied  are  uneconomical  in  regard  to  space,  having  reference  to 
the  arrangement  of  the  beds  and  the  cubic  space  allowed  each,  and  the  heating  of  the  rooms  in 


280  DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 

winter  with  the  least  expenditure  of  fuel  per  man.  These  barrack  rooms  are  nearly  30  feet 
wide.  The  unit  of  construction  as  to  width  recommended  by  Sutherland  and  other  members  of 
the  royal  commission  appointed  by  the  English  government  for  improving  the  sanitary  condition 
of  barracks  and  hospitals  was  20  feet ;  and  when  the  room  was  so  much  lower  than  12  feet  as  not 
to  give  600  cubic  feet  with  5  feet  breadth  to  each  bed,  (I  quote  from  the  language  of  their  report,)  • 
"it  would  be  better  to  make  up  the  unit  of  cubic  space  by  increasing  the  bed  space  along  the 
walls  than  by  making  the  room  wider."  This  same  principle  has  been  recognized  by  sanitarians  in 
our  own  country,  and  our  most  perfectly  proportioned  pavilion  hospitals  during  the  late  civil  war 
were  but  25  feet  in  width,  even  when  upwards  of  1,200  cubic  feet  were  allowed  per  man.  These 
new  quarters  are  two  stories  in  height.  Where  land  for  building  purposes  is  plenty,  barracks  and 
hospitals  should  both  be  built  but  one  story  high.  Three  stories  are  worse  than  two,  and  two  than 
one.  Worse  than  all  the  above-mentioned  objections,  the  new  quarters  are  without  adequate,  or, 
indeed,  any  special  provisions  for  ventilation.  In  all  the  foregoing  particulars  the  barracks  for- 
merly occupied  had  the  advantage  over  these  for  which  they  were  abandoned,  and  the  same  amount 
judiciously  expended  upon  them  in  improvements  and  repair  that  was  expended  on  the  present 
quarters  would  have  resulted  in  barracks  more  suitable  in  a  sanitary  point  of  view.  These  faults 
were  incident  to  the  original  construction  of  the  altered  building,  and  this  is  another  illustration 
of  the  difficulty  attending  the  attempt  to  transform  into  suitable  barracks  or  hospitals  old  buildings 
not  erected  therefor. 

When  I  first  learned  that  it  was  contemplated  to  make  the  change  of  quarters  here  commented 
on,  I  deemed  it  my  duty,  although  not  consulted,  to  represent  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
post  some  of  the  disadvantages  attending  it;  and  while  the  building  was  undergoing  the  altera- 
tions proposed,  again  expressed  my  opinion  in  the  matter.  As  the  late  transfer  of  the  post  to  the 
Engineer  Corps  would  seem  to  indicate  its  permanent  devotion  to  military  purposes,  it  would  not 
seem  unreasonable  to  expect  to  find  its  soldiers'  quarters,  planned  and  altered  since  such  transfer, 
conforming  to  the  strictest  sanitary  requirements ;  and  therefore  the  more  reluctantly  do  I  specify 
the  faults  too  conspicuous  to  escape  notice. 

The  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  quartered  in  one  of  the  long  buildings  formerly  used 
as  soldiers'  barracks,  and  in  two  small  but  comfortable  frame  buildings  a  few  hundred  yards  south 
of  west  therefrom.  The  main  building  is  of  stone,  well  finished  inside,  of  one  story,  with  basement 
kitchen,  and  so  divided  by  partitions  as  to  give  nearly  every  family  a  large  room  of  nearly  380  feet 
area.  In  this  room  a  bed-room  is  partitioned  off,  its  separating  wall  not  quite  reaching  the  ceiling, 
while  accommodatious  for  cooking  and  washing  are  provided  in  the  basement.  I  have  never 
elsewhere  seen  laundresses  so  well  provided  for. 

At  the  northeast  and  southeast  corners  of  the  parade,  and  facing  thereon,  are  situated  the 
buildings  used  as  officers'  quarters,  for  which  they  were  originally  built.  Between  them  there  are 
no  buildings,  the  parade  ground  being  open  to  the  river  side.  They  are  two  in  number,  substan- 
tially built  of  limestone,  well  finished  inside,  two  rooms  deep,  two  stories  in  height,  with  basement 
and  attic.  Like  the  soldiers'  quarters,  the  ground  in  the  rear  being  lower  than  in  front,  the 
basement  is  dark  and  subterraneous  in  front,  but  clear  and  level  with  the  surface  in  the  rear.  On 
the  front  covered  porches,  10  feet  5  inches  wide,  extend  the  whole  length  of  both  stories.  In  rear 
a  similar  porch  is  built  to  the  lower  story.  The  building  on  the  south  side  is  divided  into  two 
double  sets  of  quarters,  two  halls  running  through  the  building,  with  communicating  rooms  on  the 
east  side  of  each  hall,  and  chimneys  between  the  rooms.  The  north  building  is  differently  divided; 
a  hall  in  the  center,  with  rooms  on  each  side,  give  one  double  set  of  quarters,  while  each  end 
affords  a  single  set  of  quarters  consisting  of  a  hall  with  communicating  rooms  on  one  side.  The 
rooms  are  generally  about  16  feet  square  and  10  feet  high ;  on  the  lower  floor  they  have  folding 
doors.  Coal  grates  and  stoves  warm  them,  and  windows  and  doors  light  and  ventilate.  Water  is 
supplied  by  hydrants  from  the  reservoir,  but  the  fall  is  not  sufficient  to  force  the  water  into  the 
upper  floors.  A  pump  in  each  yard  communicates  with  cisterns.  Bath-rooms  are  provided  in  but 
a  part  of  the  houses,  and  privies  are  built  about  60  feet  in  the  rear,  covered  ways  leading  thereto; 
the  privy  vaults  are  of  brick  and  mostly  above  ground ;  they  communicate  with  sewers  leading  to 
the  river,  and  are  flushed  by  the  waste  hydrant  water.  They  answer  well  their  ends.  The  north 
row  of  quarters  have  been  put  in  good  repair  during  the  past  year.  The  south  set  are  not  in 
first-rate  repair. 


JEFFERSOX  BARRACKS,  MISSOURI. 


281 


I  I 

i      1.  —  Jl 


Figure  33.— Scalo,  30J  feet  to  1 
inch. 


The  adjutant's  and  commanding  officer's  office  adjoins  the  north  row  of  officers'  quarters; 
quartermaster's  and  commissary's  office  and  store-houses,  and  the  smith's  shop,  are  on  the  railroad, 
and  well  built  of  limestone;  other  store-houses,  and  a  carpenter's  shop,  of  wood,  are  in  the  same 
vicinity.  All  of  these  are  well  suited  for  the  purposes  to  which  they  are  devoted.  The  buildings 
not  heretofore  described  and  occupying  the  remainder  of  the  quadrangle  of  buildings  are  fitted  up 
as  store-houses  for  engineer  property,  or  are  vacant. 

The  guard-house  is  immediately  north  of  the  quadrangle  above  referred  to,  and  distant  about 
100  feet ;  it  faces  the  north,  and  is  47  feet  8  inches  by  22  feet,  and  two 
stories  high,  with  a  covered  porch  to  the  second  story,  10  feet  4  inches 
wide. 

Figure,  33  shows  the  general  arrangement  of  the  guard-house. 

1,  lower  floor;  2,  second  fl'oor;  C,  cells,  each  8  by  3  feet  by  7  feet  8 
inches  high;  I,  implement-room;  P, prison-rooms,  20 by  lOJfeet  and  20 
by  23  feet;  G,  guard-room,  19  by  20  feet;  V,  veranda. 

The  cells  have  brick  walls,  arched  ceiling,  and  iron  doors,  the  upper 
half  grated.  They  are  destitute  of  windows ;  the  height  of  the  lower 
story  of  the  building  generally,  between  the  beams,  is  10  feet  6  inches. 
The  rooms  in  the  second  story  are  11  feet  9  inches  high.  The  whole 
building  is  warmed  by  fireplaces  and  stoves,  and  lighted  and  ventilated 
by  windows  on  all  sides,  in  abundant  proportion ;  the  capacity  of  its  pris- 
on-rooms, exclusive  of  cells,  is  6,670  feet.  The  guard-house  is  suffi- 
ciently large,  and  well  suited  for  the  purpose.  The  average  number  of 
prisoners  occupying  it  daily  during  the  past  six  months  has  been  10 £; 
the  maximum  number  of  occupants  has  been  16. 

There  is  no  hospital  belonging  to  this  post,  or  on  the  engineer  reserve ;  the  former  post  hos- 
pital for  Jefferson  Barracks  is  now  on  the  ordnance  reservation,  and  is  used  as  a  hospital  by  per- 
mission of  General  Callender,  the  commander  of  the  St.  Louis  arsenal.  It  is  built  of  brick,  on  an 
elevated  ridge  of  land  running  nearly  east  and  west,  about  95  feet  above  the  river,  and  a  little  more 
than  200  yards  north  of  the  barracks.  About  four  acres  of  ground  constitute  its  inclosure;  that 
which  is  in  front,  or  to  the  south,  being  in  grass  and  sprinkled  with  large  oak  trees,  while  that  to 
the  north  is  cultivated  for  a  garden,  and  contains  a  stable,  cow-house,  and  chicken-coop. 

The  hospital  is  a  single  building,  122  feet  9  inches  by  24  feet  4  inches,  and  two  stories  high, 
with  basement  and  attic.  The  wards  for  the  sick  are  on  the.  first  and  second  stories,  which  are 
similarly  divided,  and  contain  rooms  of  corresponding  size. 

For  general  arrangement  of  the  basement  and  the  first  floor  of  the  hospital  see  Figure  34. 

1,  basement ;  2,  first  floor  over  the  1 

basement;  A,  ward;  B,  bath-room  and 
water-closet;  C, closet;  D, dispensary; 
E,  steward's  rooms ;  F,  mess-room ;  K 
kitchen ;  L,  laundry ;  M,  matron's 
room ;  S,  store-rooms ;  X,  furnace- 
room. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  center  of 
the  first  floor  is  occupied  by  two  prin- 
cipal rooms  or  wards  extending  the 
whole  width  of  the  building,  or  21  feet 
11  inches  from  wall  to  wall ;  each  room 
is  35  feet  2  inches  long  and  10  feet  1  inch  high. 


r~-nr-+ 

•      _      fcffftm      i*  *W  < 


-iiiri-j n_ 

*_____ 


X 


34.  —  Scale,  35  feet  to  1  iiieh. 

Four  windows  on  each  side  give  light.  The  doors 
are  in  the  corners,  in  semi-circular  walls,  running  from  one  room  to  the  next,  forming  a  vestibule  be- 
tween, into  which  a  door  from  the  outside  porch  gives  admission.  Fireplaces  are  at  each  end,  and 
heat-registers  in  the"  floor.  These  wards  are  intended  for  the  accommodation  of  six  patients  each, 
giving  1,300  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  The  hospital  has  been  rated  and  reported  as  one  for 
fifty  beds,  and  this  number  of  patients  could  be  comfortably  accommodated  by  making  use  of  all 
the  available  space.  It  is  more  thau  ample  for  the  necessities  of  this  post. 
36 


282  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

In  the  vestibules,  at  the  corners  of  the  wards,  are  situated  the  lavatories  and  water-closets, 
three  in  number.  Fixed  bath-tubs  and  wash-bowls  are  provided  with  hot  and  cold  water.  The 
water-closets  contain  sinks,  with  hydrants  and  one  urinal,  the  contents  flowing  through  a  system 
of  sewerage  to  a  large  sink  hole,  300  feet  distant  from  the  hospital,  which  communicates  subterra- 
neously  with  the  river.  Separate  sinks  are  placed  in  the  basement,  and  a  vault  is  also  dug  a  few 
yards  in  the  rear  of  the  hospital  for  the  use  of  the  well.  No  separate  dead-house  exists.  The  dead 
are  laid  out  and  post-mortem  examinations  made,  when  necessary,  in  one  of  the  vacant  rooms. 

The  furnace,  a  large  circular  iron  stove  in  a  masonry  chamber,  occupies  a  central  position  in 
the  basement,  and  pipes  therefrom  terminate  at  registers  in  the  first  and  second  stories. 

The  mess-room  and  kitchen  are  commodious  and  well  furnished,  with  a  range,  hot  and  cold 
water,  and  the  necessary  articles  of  that  department.  Dumb- waiters  run  up  from  the  basement  to 
the  first  and  second  stories  of  the  building.  The  laundry  is  fitted  up  with  a  washing  trough,  hot 
and  cold  water,  and  a  large  stove ;  the  adjoining  room  is  occupied  by  the  laundress. 

The  attic  is  divided  similarly  to  the  lower  stories,  and  is  intended  for  store-rooms  and  attend- 
ants' apartments ;  the  height  from  floor  to  ceiling  is  7  feet ;  the  other  diniensious  are  the  same  as 
the  lower  stories. 

Oil  lamps  are  used  for  lighting  the  hospital  at  night.  Gas-pipes  are  laid  through  the  build- 
ing, and  gas-works,  consisting  of  a  reservoir,  and  furnace,  and  retort,  were  purchased  and  placed 
in  the  rear  of  the  hospital  garden.  They  were  never,  however,  put  in  position  or  connected  or  used, 
although  this  could  now  be  done  at  little  expense.  The  only  means  of  ventilation  are  by  fireplaces, 
windows  and  doors.  The  hospital  source  of  water  supply  is  that  of  the  post.  Iron  pipes  bring  the 
water  from  the  main  reservoir  and  distribute  it  throughout  the  building.  A  smaller  reservoir  is 
constructed  in  the  upper  portion  of  the  hospital  in  a  purposely  built  room  at  the  east  end.  This 
reservoir  room,  and  on  the  second  floor  the  room  beneath  almost  inclosed  in  glass  windows,  an- 
swer well  for  a  conservatory.  Two  cisterns  of  600  barrel  capacity  collect  the  water  from  the  hos- 
pital roof.  Pumps  raise  the  water  from  the  cisterns. 

The  subject  of  permanent  hospital  accommodations  at  this  post  is  now  to  be  considered.  As 
already  reported,  the  hospital  building  now  used  by  the  Engineer  Department  is  used  as  such  by 
the  suft'erance  of  the  Ordnance  Department.  So  long  as  it  can  be  so  used  no  new  one  is  required. 
It  is  impossible  for  me  to  say  when  the  necessities  of  the  Ordnance  Department  may  require  the 
hospital  building  for  other  uses,  especially  in  view  of  recent  legislation  providing  for  the  sale  of  the 
arsenal  grounds  in  St.  Louis,  and  the  transfer  of  the  arsenal  to  the  grounds  on  which  the  hospital 
is  situated  adjoining  the  reserve.  In  this  contingency  the  post  would  be  left  without  any  hospital 
accommodations.  I  commend  the  matter  to  the  attention  of  those  having  power  to  decide  and 
act.  To  avoid  complication  or  conflict  it  would  be  well  to  turn  over  to  the  Medical  Department  for 
permanent  occupation  as  a  hospital — general  or  other — the  building  under  discussion,  with  the  few 
acres  now  included  in  its  inclosures ;  or,  if  this  is  deemed  impracticable,  a  new  permanent  hospital 
should  be  built  for  the  use  of  the  post. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  stone  building  near  the  commissary  store-house  on  the  railroad.  It  has 
ovens  capable  of  supplying  1,000  men  with  bread,  and  is  admirably  suited  for  its  purpose.  The 
bread  furnished  therefrom  is  habitually  of  indifferent  quality,  owing,  in  my  opinion,  partly  to  the 
want  of  skill,  and  still  more  of  attention,  on  the  part  of  the  bakers,  who  are  enlisted  men. 

No  laundry  for  the  post  exists.  The  washing  for  the  enlisted  men  is  done  at  their  quarters  by 
the  authorized  laundresses. 

The  chapel  is  a  neat  wooden  building,  72  by  28  feet,  plainly  finished ;  it  is,  however,  of  no 
use,  as  110  chaplain  is  assigned  to  the  post,  and  no  religious  services  have  been  held  for  a  year  past. 
Formerly  it  was  also  used  for  school  purposes,  but  there  is  now  no  children's  school  or  provision 
for  the  education  of  children  at  the  post. 

The  stables  are  built  in  the  valley  to  the  south  of  the  barracks,  from  which  they  are  about  100 
yards  distant.  They  are  built  of  wood  on  the  simplest  plan,  namely,  a  long  building,  with  win- 
dowed stalls  and  forage  rooms.  They  are  erected  for  the  use  of  the  horses  of  a  light  battery. 
Their  refuse  is  used  to  manure  the  gardens. 

The  post  library  is  in  the  building  occupied  as  laundresses'  quarters,  and  contains  254  volumes. 
The  room  is  also  provided  with  a  number  of  newspapers.  A  company  library  contains  94  volumes. 

The  main  water  supply  is  from  the  Mississippi  Kiver.     A  steam-engine  on  the  river  bank  forces 


JEFFERSON  BARRACKS,  MISSOURI.  283 

water  through  an  iron  pipe  into  four  large  iron  tanks  of  00,000  gallons  capacity,  contained  in  a 
brick  building  i  in  mediately  west  of  the  barracks,  whence,  after  settling  for  aMongor  or  shorter  time, 
it  is  conducted  by  iron  pipes  to  hydrants  con venientjy  distributed  throughout  the  post.  These 
tanks  can  be  filled  daily  if  necessary,  and  the  supply  and  use  of  water  be  practically  unlimited. 
Ten  large  cisterns,  of  GOO  gallons  capacity  each,  collect  the  rain  water  from  the  roofs.  Four  of 
them  are  situated  near  the  corners  of  the  parade  ground,  and  six  of  them  in  the  rear  of  the  differ- 
ent quarters.  They  furnish  an  amount  of  water  more  than  sufficient  for  drinking  purposes  for  the 
whole  command.  River  water  is,  however,  habitually  used,  being  preferred  by  almost  every  in- 
habitant of  the  post.  As  first  pumped  from  the  river  it  is  very  muddy,  but  becomes  quite  clear 
after  standing  24  hours.  As  is  well  known, -it  ordinarily  causes  diarrhoea  to  those  first  using  it, 
but  in  a  short  time  becomes  a  healthy  and  highly  acceptable  drink.  Ice  is  put  up  every  winter  at 
the  post,  mainly  floating  ice  in  the  river  seized  while  passing.  Some  winters  the  ice  floating  down 
the  river  gorges  a  few  miles  below  this  place  and  ceases  its  motion,  in  which  case  the  surface  of  the 
river  soon  solidifies,  and  ice  of  a  better  grade  is  secured.  It  is  issued  to  the  men  for  drinking  pur- 
poses, and  with  its  addition  I  know  of  no  better  water  to  drink  than  that  of  the  Mississippi. 

The  main  pipe  conducting  the  water  from  the  river  to  the  reservoir,  and  which  runs  up  the 
center  of  the  parade  ground  below  the  surface,  is  tapped  for  the  attachment  of  large  hose  to  be  used 
in  case  of  fire.  Abundance  of  hose  is  also  provided,  and  hooks  and  ladders  are  conveniently  placed 
for  instant  use.  Patent  fire  extinguishers  are  also  placed  at  well-understood  spots.  They  act  by 
the  discharge  of  water  saturated  with  carbonic  acid,  which  is  generated  by  the  reaction  between 
carbonate  of  soda  and  sulphuric  acid.  These  are  very  proper  precautions,  and,  in  case  of  fire  early 
discovered,  would  doubtless  prove  sufficient.  The  fall  is  so  little,  however,  and  the  head  of  water 
from  the  reservoir  so  feeble,  that  in  case  of  a  well-developed  fire  this  means  of  extinguishing  would 
be,  in  my  opinion,  practically  useless. 

The  natural  drainage  of  the  post  is  most  efficient.  The  ridge  on  which  the  barracks  are  built 
slopes  in  every  direction,  and  the  valleys  on  the  north  and  south  run  down  to  the  river,  thus  fur- 
nishing a  natural  outlet  for  both  surface  drainage  and  artificial  sewers.  Down  these  valley  sewers 
are  constructed  into  which  other  sewers  from  the  rear  of  the  quarters  and  the  privies  empty,  car- 
rying the  fluid  refuse  of  the  place.  Former  privy  vaults  dug  in  the  ground,  when  within  a  few 
feet  of  the  surface,  have  been  filled  with  soil. 

At  the  reservoir  are  fitted  up  seven  bath-rooms  for  the  use  of  the  enlisted  men,  which  are 
compulsorily  used  twice  a  week  in  summer  and  winter,  and  oftener  if  desired.  The  rooms  are 
warmed  in  winter,  and  hot  and  cold  water  is  supplied.  They  are  open  at  all  seasons  of  the  year 
and  at  all  hours.  During  the  summer  mouths  a  certain  proportion  of  the  men  prefer  swimming  in 
the  river. 

The  Jefferson  Barracks  National  Cemetery  adjoins  the  post  on  the  south.  It  is  laid  out  in 
rectangular  plots  which  are  assigned  to  soldiers  belonging  to  different  States,  colored  soldiers, 
prisoners  of  war,  and  children.  It  contains  '20  acres  and  10,894  graves. 

A  post  garden  and  a  hospital  garden  are  cultivated ;  the  former  by  the  labor  of  enlisted  men 
detailed  for  that  purpose;  the  latter  by  the  hospital  attendants.  The  former,  including  a  large 
portion  devoted  to  corn  and  potatoes,  embraces  nearly  25  acres,  and  furnishes  an  abundance  of  all 
kinds  of  vegetables  to  enlisted  men  and  officers.  The  latter,  of  near  two  acres  in  extent,  supplies 
the  hospital  with  plenty. 

Taking  for  a  standard  the  only  true  measure  of  the  salubrity  of  a  place,  viz.,  the  amount  of 
sickness  and  mortality,  this  is  a  healthy  locality.  During  the  twelve  months  ending  June  30, 1870, 
there  have  been  117  cases  of  disease  at  this  post,  in  a  mean  strength  of  134,  and  no  deaths,  or  a 
ratio  treated  of  .872  per  1,000  of  mean  strength.  Of  these  cases  2  (inguinal  hernia)  were  discharged 
on  surgeon's  certificate  of  disability ;  the  remainder  were  returned  to  duty ;  59  of  these  cases,  or 
50  per  cent.,  were  of  intermittent  fever,  and  of  these  59,  39,  or  66  per  cent.,  occurred  in  the  months 
of  August  and  September.  Venereal  diseases  constituted  over  10  per  cent,  of  all  diseases. 

The  duties  of  the  engineer  soldiers  at  this  post  are  very  similar  to  those  of  infantry  soldiers, 
and  their  standard  of  mental  attainments  the  same.  Many  of  those  in  the  company,  when  I  first 
served  here,  and  of  (hose  enlisted  in  the  past  three  years,  have  been  discharged  soldiers  from  other 
arms  of  the  service,  and  no  discrimination  as  to  educational  requirements  has  been  displayed  in 


284: 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


accepting  candidates.  Some  of  them  are  unable  to  write  their  own  names.  (Since  writing  the 
foregoing  I  have  been  informed  by  the  commanding  officer  of  this  post  that  all  candidates  for  enlist- 
ment unable  to  read  and  write  have  been  rejected  since  1808.)  The  men  regularly  mount  guard, 
police  the  post,  do  general  fatigue  work,  and  are  habitually  instructed  in  infantry  drill.  During 
the  past  year  miniature  earthworks. have  been  thrown  up,  siege  operations  imitated  on  a  small 
scale,  and  a  drill  taught  on  ponton-boats.  During  a  portion  of  the  year  certain  branches  have 
been  taught  at  an  evening  school,  but  I  have  failed  to  discover  any  enthusiasm  exhibited  by  the 
command  in  regard  to  tliis  privilege.  An  excellent  band  of  six  brass  instruments  has  been  formed 
among  the  enlisted  men  of  the  company,  and  their  well  selected  and  performed  music  is  no  incon- 
siderable element  in  the  social  enjoyment  of  the  post.- 

To  sum  up,  then,  for  the  past  year  this  has  been  and  is  a  healthy  post.  No  epidemics  have 
prevailed,  or  deaths  occurred;  the  enlisted  men  are  well  instructed  in  military  duty ;  enjoy  an 
abundance  of  good  food,  and  the  solicitous  care  of  their  officers;  are  subjected  to  no  hardships, 
excessive  labors,  or  punishments,  and  are  maintained  in  a  strict  state  of  discipline.  Their  quarters 
and  the  post  generally  are  kept  in  a  state  of  excellent  police,  and  proper  means  taken,  as  occasion 
requires,  to  preserve  the  good  sanitary  conditions  which  now  obtain. 

Statement  slioicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Jefferson  Barracks,  Mis- 
souri, for  the  years  1868  and  18G9. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Typhoid  fever. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Diphtheria. 

Venereal  diseases. 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrlial  afl'ec- 
tious.* 

| 

1 

<H 

O 

i 

1868 

127  5 

191 

1 

42 

39 

1 

25 

5 

1 

31 

i 

1869   

127 

120 

62 

15 

2 

4 

13 

1 

5 

•Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  LEAVENWORTH,  KANSAS. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  D.  L.  MAGRUDER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Leavenworth  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Missouri  River,  about  500  miles  above 
its  junction  with  the  Mississippi,  latitude  39°  20'  north,  longitude  from  Greenwich  94°  33'  30"  west. 
At  this  point  the  river  is  about  300  yards  wide,  Avith  deep  and  rapid  current.  The  reservation  has 
not  yet  been  declared.  The  amount  of  land  held  as  reserved  contains  about  6,840  acres. 

The  fort  is  situated  on  the  highest  point  of  the  undulating  prairie,  and  about  150  feet  above 
the  surface  of  the  river,  commanding  an  extensive  view  of  the  surrounding  country  in  all  direc- 
tions except  towards  the  west,  where  it  is  bounded  by  a  bluff  about  200  feet  in  height. 

The  soil  is  very  productive,  yielding  fine  crops  of  cereals  annually,  without  artificial  fertiliza- 
tion. The  surface  is  a  rich  mold,  under  which  is  a  sandy  loam  about  20  feet  in  depth,  lying  on  a 
stratum  of  magnesiau  limestone,  8  feet  in  thickness.  The  strata  beneath  the  limestone,  from  above 
downward,  are  clay,  20  feet;  blue  limestone,  2  feet;  blue  pipe  clay,  soapstone,  slate,  sand  con- 
glomerate, and  limestone  alternating  in  strata  until  a  depth  of  710  feet  is  reached,  when  a  vein  of 
bituminous  coal,  27  inches  in  thickness,  is  found.  A  company  has  sunk  a  twelve-foot  shaft  down 
to  this  vein,  immediately  upon  the  right  bank  of  the  Missouri  River,  at  the  extreme  southern 
limit  of  the  military  reserve.  This  company  has  been  granted  the  right,  by  Congress,  to  exclusive 
mining  privileges,  for  all  coal  or  other  minerals  underlying  the  whole  military  reservation,  on  both 
sides  of  the  river,  (about  8,000  acres  in  area.)  The  company  proposes  to  furnish  eoal  from  this 
vein  at  20  cents  the  bushel,  a  reduction  of  30  cents  upon  the  present  price  of  coal  in  Lea\  eiiworth 


FORT 

LEJ&ENWORTH 
KANSAS. 

Scate,  1000  Fe^i  to  1  inch. 


PLATE,N°  6. 


FOET  LEAVENWORTH,  KANSAS. 


285 


City.  About  fifty  feet  below  the  present  vein,  it  is  asserted  that  there  is  to  be  found  another  of 
similar  quality  nearly  four  feet  in  thickness,  which  it  is  said  this  company  intends  working  also. 
No  other  mineral  products  of  value  have  been  found  here. 

The  climate  is  variable  and  subject  to  sudden  changes  of  temperature,  but  appears  to  be  well 
adapted  to  the  production  of  large  crops  of  cereals,  roots,  and  grasses. 

Mean  temperature  for  the  year  18(59,  51.19°  F.;  extremes,  96°  F.  and  6°  F.;  total  rain-fall,  28.31 
inches;  snow-fall,  8.30  inches.  The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  south. 

The  post  was  established  in  May,  1827,  by  Colonel  Henry  Leavenworth,  commanding  a  detach- 
ment of  the  Third  United  States  Infantry.  At  first  it  was  extremely  unhealthy,  a  large  part  of  the 
command  being  prostrated  by  malarial  levers.  The  post  was  evacuated  in  May,  1829,  and  re- 
occupied  in  1830,  being  then  and  for  several  years  known  as  Cantonment  Leavenworth. 

The  post  was  originally  arranged  in  the  shape  of  the  letter  L,  but  now  occupies  three  sides  of 
a  parade,  495  by  490  feet. 

The  plan  is  shown  in  Plate  No.  C. 

The  barracks  for  enlisted  men  consist  of  three  two-story  frame  buildings,  with  porticoes  above 
and  below  on  the  eastern  front;  each  building  being 
intended  for  two  companies,  and  each  set  of  com- 
pany quarters  having  barrack,  orderly,  and  mess- 
rooms,  besides  kitchen  and  store-room.  Figure  35 
shows  the  general  arrangement  of  the  building. 

1,  first  floor;  2,  second  floor;  A  A,  laundresses' 
quarters,  19  by  15  feet;  B,  bed-rooms,  9J  by  13  feet; 
C  C,  halls,  C  by  15  feet ;  D  D,  dining-rooms,  31£  by 
39  feet;  E  E,  kitchens,  18  by  20 £  feet ;  F  F,  store- 
rooms, 10  by  18  feet ;  H  H,  sergeants'  rooms,  13.J  by 
16|  feet;  I  I,  dormitories,  52  by  39  feet;  K  K, 
porches.  Height  of  rooms — first  floor,  10  feet;  sec- 
ond floor,  11  feet. 

The  only  means  of  ventilation  in  the  dormi- 
tories are  fireplaces,  windows,  and  doors.  On  the 
20th  of  June,  1870,  the  number  of  men  sleeping  in  Figure  35.— Scale,  45  feet  to  l  inch, 

each  room  was  as  follows:  In  No.  1,  115;  No.  2,  62 ;  No.  3,  71;  No.  4,  72 ;  No.  5,  41,  and  No.  6,  38, 
the  allowance  of  air  space  varying  from  193  to  586  cubic  feet  per  man.  Small  detachments  of 
recruits  are  constantly  arriving,  and  occasionally  large  numbers  are  sent  off.  In  the  winter  a 
strong  barrack  odor  is  present,  day  and  night.  In  summer,  when  doors  and  windows  are  left  open, 
this  is  not  perceptible. 

There  are  twenty-five  sets  of  laundresses'  quarters,  twelve  of  which  are  in  the  men's  barracks  and 
the  remainder  in  frame  cottages,  or  rather  shanties,  which  are  badly  ventilated,  cold  in  winter  and 
hot  in  summer.  The  north  side  of  the  parade  is  occupied  exclusively  by  officers'  quarters,  consist- 
ing of  fourteen  sets,  as  follows:  One  large  two-story  frame  building,  (commonly  called  "Syracuse 
Cottage,")  contains  four  sets  of  captains'  quarters;  two  log  cottages,  one  and  a  half  stories  high, 
with  basement,  each  containing  two  sets  of  captains'  quarters ;  one  large  two-story  double  brick 
house,  occupied  usually  by  the  commanding  officer;  one  two-story  frame  Cincinnati  cottage,  one 
room  deep;  and  lastly,  two  frame  cottages,  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  with  basement,  containing 
two  sets  of  captains'  quarters  each.  On  the  east  side  of  the  parade  is  a  long  block  built  of  stone, 
one  story  and  a  half  high,  with  basement,  which  contains  two  sets  of  field  officers'  quarters.  Near 
it  and  on  the  same  side  are  two  Syracuse  cottages,  similar  in  all  respects  to  that  on  the  north  side 
of  the  parade,  each  containing  four  sets  of  quarters ;  next  to  the  last  mentioned  is  a  large  brick 
building,  two  stories  high,  partitioned  and  divided  into  twelve  sets  of  officers'  quarters,  and  beyond 
this  a  similar  building  intended  for  quarters  for  enlisted  men,  but  which  is  now  divided  off  into 
offices,  above  and  below.  This  building  was  used  for  office  purposes,  at  the  time  headquarters  of 
the  Department  of  the  Missouri  were  at  this  post.  Outbuildings  are  attached  to  all  the  officers' 
quarters,  and  there  is  a  cistern  in  the  rear  of  each  set.  None  of  them  have  water-closets  or  bath- 
rooms. 


K 


286 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  guard-house  is  a  massive  structure  of  stone,  two  stories  high,  the  arrangement  of  which 
is  shown  in  Figure  30. 

1,  ground  floor ;  A,  general  prison-room,  46f  by  20  by  8f  feet ;  B,  porch,  45  by  12  feet ;  H,  prison- 
room,  46§  by  20  by  8|  feet ;  2,  second  story ;  B,  porch ;  D,  room  for  officer  of  the  guard ;  E,  cells, 

7  by  4f  by  11^  feet ;  F,  hall,  50  by  4|  feet ; 
H,  prison-room,  23  by  23  by  11  ^  feet ;  H, 
prison-room,  15£  by  141  by  11T7^  feet ;  K, 
guard-room,  23  by  23  by  11T7^  feet. 

There  are  no  means  of  ventilation  other 
than  small  windows  and  grated  doors. 
The  cells  have  no  ventilation  except  by  the 
doors. 

The  post  hospital  is  a  two-story  brick 
building,  the  plan  of  which  is  shown  by 
Figure  37 . 

1,  flrstfloor;  2,  second  floor ;  A,  wards, 
each  24J  by  20  feet;  D,  dispensary,  17  by 
20  feet ;  M  M,  mess-rooms,  20  by  12,  and  25 
by  27  feet,  respectively;  K,  kitchen,  16  by 
20  feet ;  O,  office,  9  by  11  feet ;  S,  store- 
room ;  X,  pantry. 

The  wards  contain  thirty-three  beds, 
giving  410  cublic  feet  air  space  to  each. 
Earth-closets  have  been  sent  to  this  hos- 
pital. 

The  post  is  well  supplied  with  good 
water.  A  steam  pump  is  located  upon  the 
river  bank  which  throws  the  water  into  a 
reservoir  that  is  higher  than  any  point  in 


I 

2 

.MJ 
'IT" 

F 

H 

H 

K 

" 

IB 

'     's      '     '  
K       1  I      D 

1     X      I 

L 

1  :  j 

H: 


A 


! 


A 


iHiii'iii':;." 


Figure  37.— Scale,  47-}  feet  to 
inch. 


Figure  36.— Scale,  36  feet  to 

inch. 

the  garrison.  Under-ground  pipes  then  conduct  the  water  to  the  stables,  where  drinking  troughs 
have  been  erected,  and  to  the  yards  of  the  quarters  of  two  or  three  of  the  officers.  A  water-wagon 
supplies  all  places  where  the  pipes  do  not  reach. 

Each  of  the  officers'  quarters,  as  well  as  each  barrack  for  the  enlisted  men,  is  supplied  with  a 
good  cistern,  which  furnishes,  in  ordinary  seasons,  most  excellent  drinking  water  throughout  the 
year.  There  are  at  the  post  two  steam  fire-engines,  one  under  the  control  of  the  depot  quarter- 
master, and  one  at  the  United  States  arsenal. 

The  drainage  of  the  post  is  very  good ;  natural  declivities  conduct  the  water  off  in  all  directions 
'from  the  garrison,  and  no  sewerage  has  been  required.  The  sinks  throughout  the  garrison  consist 
of  vaults  dug  in  the  rear  of  all  the  habitable  buildings,  which,  when  they  become  too  foul,  are  filed 
up  and  new  ones  dug.  Disinfectants  are  used  regularly  in  all  of  these,  particularly  in  the  sum- 
mer months,  to  keep  up  a  constant  acid  reaction.  All  refuse  at  the  post  is  carted  about  a  mile  from 
the  garrison  and  thrown  into  the  Missouri  River. 

The  post  garden  has  been  cultivated  by  detailed  soldiers,  but  during  the  year  1869  nothing 
was  done  in  the  way  of  raising  vegetables.  The  hospital  garden  is  cultivated  by  convalescents 
and  occasional  details  from  the  companies,  and  furnishes  vegetables  to  the  hospital  in  abundance. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good.  Malarial  diseases  prevail  in  the  fall,  but 
they  are  not  of  a  congestive  or  malignant  type,  and  yield  readily  to  treatment. 


FORT  RILEY,  KANSAS.  287 

Statement  shoicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Leavemcorth,  Kan- 
sas, for  the  years  1868  and  1809. 


"1 

1     . 
§  -g 

E 
a 

-d 
S   If- 

i 

a 

1 

- 

Years. 

i 

a 

2  * 

[3 

if 

f   •• 

3 

"3 

B 

b 

f 

z 

a 

3 

K      = 

^       - 

fc  - 

1 
o 

C8    ^ 

a 

a 

<s> 

J2 

o 

*g 

- 

S 

^ 

S 

n 

H 

^  ; 

« 

£ 

* 

1868  

501 

763 

156 

99 

22 

75 

37 

3 

177 

3 

1869 

362.  16 

520 

167 

91 

'21 

32 

14 

4 

53 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  RILEY,  KANSAS. 

INFORMATION   FURNISHED   BY  SURGEON   GENERAL,   J.  K.  IURNES   AND  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  G.  M. 
STERNBERG  AND  L.  Y.  LORING,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Eiley  is  situated  on  a  high  plateau  of  prairie  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Kansas  River,  im- 
mediately below  the  confluence  of  the  Smoky  llill  and  Republican  Forks,  latitude  39°  north,  longi- 
tude 90°  30'  west ;  elevation  above  the  sea  about  1,300  feet ;  above  the  bottom  land  on  the  east 
between  50  and  CO  feet.  From  300  to  COO  yards  to  the  northwest  is  a  ridge  of  secondary  or  rotten 
limestone  bluffs,  from  150  to  200  feet  high,  from  which  the  post  is  separated  by  a  small  ravine 
•which  serves  as  a  drain.  To  the  south  and  southwest  the  plateau  slopes  rapidly  toward  the  Kan- 
sas River.  On  this  slope  runs  the  Kansas  Pacific  railroad. 

The  valley  of  the  Kansas  at  this  point  is  nearly  three  miles  wide,  the  distance  from  the  river 
to  the  foot  of  the  plateau  on  which  the  post  is  built  being  about  2,500  yards.  The  soil  of  the  bot- 
toms is  a  pale  yellow  loam,  and  very  fertile. 

The  post  was  established  in  the  spring  of  1852,  and  was  at  first  known  as  Camp  Center,  it 
being  very  nearly  the  geographical  center  of  the  United  States,  but  was  finally  called  by  its  pres- 
ent name  after  General  B.  C.  Riley,  United  States  Army. 

The  mean  temperature  for  the  past  14  years  has  been  54.49°  F. ;  hottest  day  July  18, 1859, 
109°  F. ;  coldest  day  January  13,  18G2,  29°  F.  Average  difference  between  wet  and  dry  bulbs 
4.98°.  Average  rain-fall  from  October  1  to  April  1,  5.G9  inches;  average  rain-fall  from  April  1  to 
September  31,  17.83  inches.  The  climate,  although  subject  to  great  and  s.udden  variations  in  tem- 
perature, is  healthy.  In  summer  cool  and  pleasant  nights  are  the  rule,  and  owing  to  the  dryness 
of  the  atmosphere  the  heat  is  not  oppressive.  The  winter  months  are  pleasant,  except  during  the 
prevalence  of  a  norther,  and  there  is  little  snow-fall.  The  month  of  March  and  the  fall  months  are 
windy  and  disagreeable. 

The  principal  wild  animals  in  the  vicinity  are  the  deer,  antelope,  gray  wolf,  coyote,  wild  cat, 
beaver,  rabbit,  jack  rabbit,  otter,  raccoon,  weasel,  skunk,  gopher,  and  black  and  red  squirrels. 

The  birds  are  prairie  chickens,  ducks,  snipe,  doves,  blackbirds,  plover,  mocking  bird,  hawks, 
catbird,  meadow  lark,  blue  jay,  snowbird,  woodpecker,  and  martens. 

The.  fish  are  catfish,  buffalo,  whitefish,  gar,  and  sunfish. 

The  post  is  built  around  a  parallelogram  553  by  GOO  feet.  The  barracks  for  enlisted  men  con- 
sist of  six  two-story  buildings  of  hammered  magnesian  limestone,  each  intended  for  one  company, 
and  measuring  88  by  40  feet,  with  piazzas  in  front  and  rear  for  both  stories.  The  first  floor  is  sub- 
divided into  rooms  for  kitchen,  dining-room,  orderly-room,  &c.  The  second  floor  consists  of  one 
room  85  by  37  feet,  and  11  feet  9  inches  high,  lighted  and  ventilated  by  six  windows  on  each  side, 
each  G  feet  G  inches  by  3  feet  8  inches.  At  each  end  of  the  dormitory  is  a  fireplace,  which,  how- 
ever, is  not  used,  stoves  having  been  substituted.  Each  dormitory  contains  37,740  cubic  feet, 
which  gives  539  cubic,  feet  to  each  man  on  an  average  occupancy  of  70.  The  latrines  are  from  100 
to  300  feet  distant,  and  have  walled  vaults  about  20  feet  in  depth. 


288 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


A 


B 


The  guard-house  is  a  two-story  stone  building,  43  by  20  feet,  and  totally  un suited  for  its  pur- 
pose. Its  arrangement  is  shown  in  Figure  38. 

The  quarters  for  married  soldiers  consist  of  nine  log  huts,  two  frame  cottages,  and  one  two-story 
frame  building.  The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  six  buildings  of  hammered  stone,  two  stories  in 
height,  and  measuring  60  by  40  feet,  five  being  intended  for  two  sets  of  quarters  each,  the  sixth 
for  the  commanding  officer.  All  of  them  have  a  piazza  in  front  and  rear  for  the  lower  story.  The 
kitchens  are  separate  buildings  in  the  rear,  each  with  a  good  cellar  underneath.  All  the  quarters 
are  well  finished. 

A,  first  floor;  I,  cells, 

3  by  7  feet ;  2,  cell,  7  by 

7^  feet ;  3,  prison,  16  by 

7  feet    ;  B,  second  floor ; 

1,   guard-room,  14  by  17 

feet;  2,  guard-room,  16J 

by  25£  feet ;  3,  porch,  10 

feet  wide. 

A    broad     stairway 

leads  to  the  porch  in  the 

second   story,  the  porch 

being  covered  by  an  ex- 
tension of  the  roof  of  the 

building.     The    commis- 
sary  and    quartermaster 

store-houses  are  two  frame 

buildings,  one  story  high^ 
The  north 


Figure  38.— Scale,  18  feet  to  l  inch. 

having  basements  or  cellars  about  two  thirds  their  extent. 
end  of  each  building  is  subdivided  into  several  rooms  designed  for  offices 
and  sleeping  apartments.  The  remaining  portion  constitutes  one  large 
room  for  storage  purposes.  The  cellars  are  commodious,  being  well  adapted 
for  vegetables,  &c'.  Each  building  is  supplied  v,  ith  a  hoist.  The  offices 
and  other  small  rooms  are  plastered  and  whitened.  On  the  top  of  the 
roof  of  the  quartermaster's  building  is  suspended  a  bell  in  a  belfry,  by 
which  the  employe's  are  directed  to  go  to  and  return  from  work.  The 
ordnance  building  is  a  one-story  stone  building,  117  by  18  feet. 

The  magazine  attached  to  the  post  is  a  brick  structure,  16  feet  square 
and  one  story  high,  with  a  rock  foundation. 

The  hospital  is  a  large  building  of  inagnesian  limestone,  situated  336 
feet  east  of  the  middle  of  the  east  side  of  the  garrison,  and  fronting 
toward  the  north.  It  is  located  on  a  point  of  land  included  between  two 
ravines — one  beginning  at  a  point  243  feet  to  the  northwest,  and  the  other 
at  a  point  110  feet  to  the  southwest  of  the  building,  and  both  extending 
east  toward  the  Kansas  River.  It  consists  of  a  main  building  and  wing, 
and  the  arrangement  is  shown  by  Figure  39. 

1,  ground  floor ;  2,  iipper  floor ;  A,  wards ;  D,  dispensary,  20  by  17| 
feet;  O,  oflBce,  18  by  21§  feet;  S,  store-room,  17§  by  21§  feet;  B,  bath- 
room, 17f  by  21|  feet;  K,  kitchen,  18^  by  19f  feet;  M,  mess-hall,  17£ 


K 

ej       ± 

^••^•••MH 

M 

A 

A 

P 

twff 

B 

A 

l"       ' 

S 

D 

1             1 

0 

Z 

by  2L|  feet ;  P,  porch  ;  Z,  covered  porch, 
wing,  11  feet  10  inches. 


2. 
Figure  39. 

Height  of  room  in  the  main  building  12  feet ;  in  the 
The  rooms  in  the  second  story  are  9  feet  10  inches  high. 


The  ward  occupying  the  ground  floor  of  the  main  building  measures  20  by  17f  feet;  those  in 
the  wings  are  each  21|  by  17-f  feet  in  size.  The  upper  story  rooms  are  17f  by  20  feet.  The  rooms 
in  the  second  story  of  the  main  building  are  used  as  wards,  two  having  a  cubic  capacity  of  3,744 
feet  each,  the  other  two  each  3,364  feet.  The  windows  to  the  rooms  on  the  first  floor  are  each  3 
feet  8  inches  wide,  and  6  feet  G  inches  high,  having  twenty -four  panes,  and  are  3  feet  2  inches  from 
the  floor.  The  windows  on  the  second  floor  are  each  3  feet  8  inches  by  4  feet  6  inches — having  six- 
teen panes,  and  are  2  feet  5  inches  from  the  floor.  All  of  the  windows  have  green  shutters.  Each 


FORT  KILEY,  KANSAS. 


289 


of  thie  eight  rooms  comprising  the  main  building  has  a  fireplace,  mantelpiece,  and  closet,  case- 
mates to  the  doors  and  windows,  and  washboards,  the  wood-work  being  grained. 

Above  the  second  story  is  an  attic  extending  the  length  of  the  building,  unfinished,  with  a 
square  hole  opening  into  the  hall  and  four  apertures  in  the  main  wall  at  each  end  of  the  building. 
The  hall  has  a  door  at  either  end,  forming  entrance  and  exit.  The  hall  on  the  second  floor  has  a 
window  at  either  end.  In  front  of  the  hospital  is  a  porch,  one  story  high  and  ten  feet  wide,  which 
extends  the  length  of  the  building.  It  is  raised  from  the  ground  about  two  feet  and  a  half;  has  a 
shingle  roof,  which  is  supported  by  six  wooden  columns  with  banisters  between. 

The  kitchen  is  a  separate  building,  which  is  connected  with  the  wing  by  a  covered  porch,  ten 
feet  wide,  extending  the  length  of  the  latter.  The  walls  of  the  cellar  form  the  foundation  of  the 
kitchen,  which  is  well  supplied  with  closets,  cooking-range,  &c. 

The  various  rooms  and  halls  of  the  hospital  and  the  ceilings  of  the  porches  are  plastered,  and  in 
some  instances  whitewashed.  The  floors  are  of  yellow  pine,  and  the  wood-work  generally  is  of  pine. 

A  stone  building,  12  by  14  feet  and  1C  feet  high,  is  situated  115  feet  east  of  the  hospital,  and 
is  well  adapted  for  a  post-mortem  room.  It  has  one  small  window  and  a  door.  The  privy  is  a  build- 
ing similar  in  extent,  and  situated  22  feet  south  and  92  feet  due  east  of  the  kitchen..  It  is  divided 
into  two  unequal  sections,  each  having  one  door  and  one  window  and  a  seat.  The  vault  under- 
neath corresponds  in  area  to  that  of  the  building,  and  is  about  18  feet  deep,  with  stone  walls,  but 
has  no  conducting  shaft. 

There  are  five  stables  built  of  stone,  each  256  by  39  feet,  running  north  and  south,  and  par- 
allel to  each  other.  They  are  62  feet  apart,  and  contain  over  100  stalls  each. 

Beading  rooms  and  libraries  are  attached  to  the  post.     They  contain  over  700  volumes. 

The  water  supply  is  from  19  cisterns,  5  wells,  and  from  the  river  by  means  of  water-wagons. 
The  cisterns  are  about  30  feet  deep  by  12  feet  in  diameter,  and  have  stone  bottoms  with  cement 
walls.  They  receive  the  water  from  the  various  buildings,  there  being  one  to  each  barrack  and  to 
each  double  set  of  officers'  quarters.  They  have  no  filterers,  but  the  water  is  of  good  quality. 
The  wells  have  an  average  depth  of  58  feet.  The  water  is  alkaline  and  of  poor  quality.  The 
wells  are  in  bad  repair,  and  the  water  is  seldom  used.  The  water  from  the  river,  when  the  latter 
is  high,  is  soft  and  of  good  quality,  when  it  is  allowed  to  settle ;  but  when  the  river  is  low  it  con- 
tains many  impurities,  and  is  very  disagreeable. 

There  is  no  system  of  artificial  drainage.  The  elevation  and  slope  of  the  grounds,  and  the 
numerous  small  ravines  and  gullies  giving  very  good  facilities  for  natural  drainage. 

It  has  been  the  custom  of  the  men  to  bathe  in  the  river,  where  they  are  exposed  to  the  sun's 
heat  by  day  and  to  miasmatic  influences  in  the  morning  or  evening.  It  has  been  recommended 
that  arrangements  be  made  to  allow  the  men  to  bathe  near  their  quarters,  but  as  yet  nothing  has 
been  done  in  this  respect.  • 

Each  company  cultivates  a  garden,  which  supplies  the  garrison  with  vegetables.  The  hospital 
garden  has  been  a  failure  for  the  last  two  years.  Several  cows  are  kept  for  the  garrison,  and  one 
for  the  hospital.  Each  company  has  its  library. 

The  surrounding  country  is  being  rapidly  settled.  Junction  City,  a  flourishing  town,  lies  three 
miles  to  the  west.  The  nearest  Indians  are  the  Pottawattomies,  who  are  on  a  reservation  and  are 
becoming  civilized. 

Statement  slwicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  white  troops  at  Fort  Riley, 

Kansas,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


JS 

.2      . 

J« 

1 

• 

| 

S 

'     X 

i 

Tc 

H 

8 

48 

d 

I 

*  , 

2 

Years, 

i 

a 
I 

£•3 

a 

3 

S  .M 

l^1 

=2 
'3 
1 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrh(i>a 
dysente 

Tonsillitis. 

Diphtheria 

Epidemic  c 

Venereal  d 

Kheuniatisi 

Phtllisis. 

t'iitiu-rluil 
tions. 

No.  of  deatl 

1868,  (nine  months)  

100.  77 

115 

1 

14 

16 

3 

9 

, 

20 

1869  (eleven  months). 

244.  63 

529 

94 

143 

14 

1 

5 

24 

15 

60 

1 

37 


*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  plenrisy. 


290 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  side,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort  Riley, 

Kansas,  for  the  year  1868. 


g 

3! 

•a 

1 

B 

rg 

£>     , 

a  •* 

E 

a 

§ 

. 

I. 

TO 

•g 

JU 

11 

<8 

£ 

i 

« 

§ 

1 

Year. 

. 

.1 

3 

i  1 

^  s 

1 

i 

=3 

00 

1 

1  '-i 

-a 

1 

!  3 

P 

"3 
3 

SI 

p 

X 

1 

1 

B 

02 

6 
1 

i 

1 

o 
o 

1868  (four  months)    

490.5 

291 

38 

29 

26 

22 

24 

11 

i 

57 

f) 

1  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneunjonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  BARKER,  KANSAS. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  B.  E.  FRYER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Barker  is  situated  on  the  open  prairie  in  a  reservation  of  sixteen  square  miles,  latitude 
38°  45'  north,  longitude  98°  15'  west  from  Greenwich,  and  height  above  sea  level  1,856  feet.  A 
mile  south,  and  flowing  through  a  part  of  the  reserve,  is  the  Smoky  Hill  River,  with  a  general 
course  here  of  south-southeast.  This  river  receives  water  from  several  small  creeks  in  the  vicinity, 
those  discharging  into  it  from  the  north  draining  large  tracts  of  country,  its  banks  in  many 
places  are  quite  high  and  everywhere  steep,  and  about  one  hundred  feet  apart,  while  its  sandy  bed 
is  rarely  occupied  by  water  for  more  than  one-quarter  of  its  breadth,  \utli  an  average  depth  of 
about  two  and  a  half  feet,  although  at  times  the  stream  rises  very  suddenly  and  rapidly,  coming 
up  as  much  as  six  or  eight  feet  in  as  many  hours,  and  often  subsiding  almost  as  quickly.  During 
these  risings,  which  often  occur  from  heavy  rains  west  and  north,  the  water  brings  down,  mixed 
with  it,  enough  mud  to  produce  a  good  deal  of  turbidity ;  at  other  times  it  is  clear,  though  holding 
in  solution  salts  (principally  chlorides)  in  quantities  large  enough  to  preclude  its  use  for  drinking 
purposes,  although  horses  and  cattle  seem  very  fond  of  taking  it,  and  apparently  suffer  in  no  way 
from  so  doing.  The  Smoky  Hill  River,  as  is  the  case  with  all  the  smaller  creeks  and  streams,  is 
fringed  with  a  growth  of  timber,  not  generally  extending  more  than  twenty  yards  from  its  banks. 
Trees  are  seen  here  in  no  other  place  than  on  the  water-courses. 

Forty  miles  south  is  the  Arkansas  River,  on  which  are  Fort  Zarah,  (lately  abandoned,)  distant 
42  miles;  Fort  Lamed,  southwest  75,  and  Fort  Dodge,  130  miles.  Tributaries  to  the  Arkansas 
drain  the  country  south  of  here  to  within  ten  miles  of  the  Smoky  Hill  River.  The  Saline  and 
Solomon  Rivers,  which  are  northward  twenty  and  sixty  miles  respectively,  flow  through  wide  and 
beautiful  valleys,  which  are  rapidly  being  filled  up  by  settlers. 

The  Kansas  Pacific  railway  runs  through  the  reserve  about  three  hundred  yards  north  of  the 
post,  and  all  regular  trains  east  and  west  stop  at  the  depot,  which  is  but  one-third  of  a  mile  north- 
east of  the  garrison.  The  following  important  stations  are  on  the  line  of  the  Kansas  Pacific  rail- 
road eastward:  Topeka,  152  miles  •  distant ;  Fort  Riley,  93  miles;  Junction  City,  90  miles,  and 
Saline,  36  miles.  Fort  Hays  is  65  and  Fort  Wallace  180  miles  west.  The  travel  on  the  railroad 
has  been  somewhat  interrupted  in  the  winter  by  snow  filling  the  cuttings,  and  by  the  washing 
away  of  the  tracks  and  bridges  by  floods  in  the  summer,  though  the  delay  has  never  been  very  long 
from  these  causes.  The  Indians  tore  up  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  track  in  the  summer  of  1869, 
forty  miles  west,  but  this  damage  was  soon  repaired.  A  mail  is  due  here  every  evening  from  the 
west  and  each  morning  from  the  east.  Letters  reach  headquarters  of  the  department  in  thirty-six 
hours. 

No  official  record  can  be  found  at  the  post  showing  the  date  of  its  establishment,  or  anything 
relating  to  its  earlier  garrison.  It  is  said  to  have  been  commenced  in  1864  by  Iowa  volunteers,  who, 
it  is  thought,  did  duty  here  until  the  fall  of  1865,  when  relieved  by  part  of  the  Thirteenth  United 
States  Infantry. 


FORT  BARKER,  KANSAS.  291 

The  site  of  the  post  was,  until  January,  1867,  a  mile  southwest  of  the  present  buildings,  on 
the  north  bank  of  the  Smoky  Uill  River,  at  the  crossing  of  the  old  Santa  Fe  stage  road,  and  up  to 
November,  1866,  was  known  as  Fort  Ellsworth.  General  Orders  No.  22  of  Department  Headquar- 
ters, dated  November  17, 1866,  directed  a  change  of  name  to  that  of  Fort  Marker.  In  December, 
1866,  a  location  for  the  new  post  of  Fort  Harker  (named  after  and  in  honor  of  General  Charles  G. 
Harker,  killed  during  the  rebellion)  was  selected,  and  a  move  made  to  it  as  soon  as  the  buildings 
were  ready  for  the  men,  several  of  the  officers  living  still  at  the  old  post  and  going  to  and  fro  to 
duty  for  some  time,  until  their  new  quarters  were  ready  for  occupation. 

The  principal  buildings  composing  the  post  are  located  near  the  center  of  the  reserve,  and  are 
arranged  on  the  sides  of  a  rectangle  252  by  120  yards.  The  parade  ground  inclosed  by  the  build- 
ings is  well  laid  out,  and  divided  by  graveled  walks,  and  margined  by  a  broad  roadway.  Trees 
have  been  planted,  and  are  growing  well. 

The  surface  of  the  reservation  and  vicinity  is  generally  rolling  prairie,  diversified  on  the  south- 
ern and  southeastern  borders  by  bluffs  which  overhang  the  banks  of  the  Smoky  River.  Grass 
grows  here  luxuriantly.  On  the  higher  prairie  the  "  buffalo"  grass  only  is  found.  On  the  low  lands 
the  "  blue  "  variety  reaches  often  a  height  of  six  feet. 

The/object  of  establishing  the  post  appears  to  have  been  to  furnish  a  point  from  which  opera- 
tions could  be  carried  on  against  the  Indians,  who  were  very  troublesome  daring  the  greater  part 
of  the  rebellion.  The  Kansas  Pacific  railway  had  been  commenced,  was  advancing  west,  and  re- 
quired protection  for  its  working  parties.  Part  of  the  duty  of  the  present  garrison  of  the  post  and 
of  Fort  Hayes  is  to  guard  several  of  the  more  unprotected  stations  on  the  railroad  west  of  here. 

After  a  move  to  the  new  site  had  been  completed  a  depot  of  the  Quartermaster's  and  Commis- 
sary Departments  was  established  here,  and  two  large  store-houses  were  erected  close  to  the  rail- 
road track  for  their  use.  From  these  depots,  during  the  greater  part  of  the  years  1867  and  1868, 
all  the  posts  on  the  Arkansas,  and  many  in  Colorado  and  New  Mexico,  were  supplied. 

On  the  28th  of  Jane,  1867,  epidemic  cholera  appeared,  the  first  case  occurring  in  the  person  of 
a  herder  and  butcher  working  for  the  beef  contractor.  Several  cases  quickly  followed  in  the  gar- 
rison. No  new  cases  occurred  after  the  middle  of  August,  the  disease  being  stamped  out  by  the 
efforts  of  the  several  medical  officers  on  duty  here  at  the  time,  and  whose  reports,  published  in 
Circular  No.  1  of  1868,  from  the  Sargeon  General's  office,  give  a  full  history  of  the  epidemic.  It  is 
estimated  that  two  hundred  persons  died  at  the  post  ami  in  the  vicinity. 

Cholera  has  not  since  shown  itself.  It  was  feared,  however,  that  possibly  the  disease  would 
recur  in  the  warm  weather  of  the  following  year,  (1868;)  that,  away  from  its  original  habitat,  it 
might  have  formed,  as  it  is  believed  to  have  done  elsewhere,  the  elements  necessary,  as  regards 
atmospheric  and  telluric  conditions,  to  an  endemic  abode  here,  or  that  it  might,  as  was  doubtless 
the  case  in  1867,  be  brought  from  places  east,  and  every  effort  was  directed  to  keep  the  post,  and 
its  garrison  in  the  best  sanitary  condition  to  prevent  it.  The  closest  attention  to  cleanliness  was 
given,  a  thorough  state  of  police  kept  up,  every  sink  in  the  garrison,  both  of  officers  and  men,  was 
disinfected  daily  just  before  sunset,  and  the  food  of  the  men  regularly  inspected. 

The  geological  formation  of  this  vicinity  belongs  to  the  cretaceous  period,  the  strike  of  the  strata 
extending  from  northeast  to  southwest,  from  above  the  Republican  River,  to  below  Fort  Zarah  on  the 
Arkansas.  The  formation  is  rather  monotonous,  its  rocks  consisting  for  the  most  part  of  red  sandstone, 
often  very  compact,  and  containing  iron  in  large  quantities,  large  beds  of  loose  sand,  conglomerate 
limestone,  both  of  the  shelly  and  compact  varieties,  and  clay.  Coal  in  variable  quantities  has  been 
found,  and  also  a  fine  variety  of  potter's  clay.  Fossils  are  not  very  numerous.  A  few  teeth  of  sharks 
and  sauriaus,  and  some  vertebrae  of  fish,  have  been  found  about  20  miles  west  on  the  river.  The 
limestone  beds  contain  inoceramus  and  gryphae.  Leaf  impressions,  (all  exogenous,)  in  a  good 
state  of  preservation  are  somewhat  numerous  in  the  red  sandstone.  About  sixty  species  have 
been  collected,  principally  of  the  oak,  tulip  tree,  willow,  poplar,  and  sassafras,  all  directly  allied  to 
existing  species  of  our  forest  trees.  Several  of  the  species  found  are  believed  to  be  new. 

The  soil  here  is  a  rich  sandy  loam,  averaging  from  two  to  three  feet  thick,  and  is  very  fertile. 
It  is  underlaid  by  a  bed  of  sand,  varying  from  4  to  12  feet. 

The  following  gives  a  moderately  complete  flora  of  this  vicinity.     Several  species,  believed  to 


292 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


be  new,  remain  to  be  described,  and  from  some  of  them  it  will  probably  be  necessary  to  construct 
new  genera.    The  edible  plants  and  those  bearing  edible  fruit  in  the  list  are  marked.* 


TREES. 

Ulmiii  amcricana,  (white  elm.) 
Ulmuifulva,  (slippery  elm.) 
Poi>nlus  monilifera,  (cotton  wood.) 
Frajcinus  americana,  (white  ash.) 
Juglaiis  niyra,*  (black  walnut.) 
Quercus  alba,  (white  oak.) 
Quercus  castanea,  (chesuut  oak.) 
Negundo  aceroides,  (box  elder.) 
Cercis  canadensis,  (red  birch.) 
Gymnocladus  plati/carpa,  (coffee  tree.) 
Salix  lucinda,  (shining  willow.) 
Salix  discolor,  (glaucous  willow.) 
Mortis  rubra,"  (mulberry.) 
Prumis  cliicaw,*  (white  plum.) 

SHRUBS  AND  V1SKS. 

Ilubus  canadenn'm*  (dewberry.) 
Kubus  occidentaUs*  (black  raspberry.) 
Kibes  Kirtellum,*  (wild  gooseberry.) 
liibesia  aureum,*  (buffalo  currant.) 
Sambiicus  occidentalis,*  (common  elder.) 
Prumin  rirginiana,*  (choke  cherry.) 
Villa  cordifola*  (frost  grape.) 
Rhm  glabra,  (smootli  sumac.) 
Cepatanthits  occideniaUs,  (button  Imsh.) 


Anemone  caroliniana,  (wind  flower.) 
Delphinium  azureum,  (azure  larkspur.) 
Argemone  mejcicana,  (prickly  poppy.) 
Sinapis  nigra,  (black  mustard.) 
Viola  cucullata,  (common  violet.) 
Portulaca  oleracea,  (common  purslane.) 
Malra  paparera. 
Callirhoe  alcaoides. 


Oxalin  violated,  (violet  wood  sorrel.) 

Oxalis  gtrleta,  (yellow  wood  sorrel.) 

Psoralea  floribnnda. 

Astragalus  mexicaHU*,*  (prairie  pea.) 

Lathi/rus paliislns,  (marsh  vetchling.) 

Baptiniii  australes,  (blue  false  indigo.)   . 

Baptisia  leucantha. 

Baptixia  leucopTtaxt. 

Tephrosia  virginiana,  (goats'  rue.) 

Teptironia  liispidnla. 

Schrankia  uncinata,  (sensitive  briar.) 

Rosa  liirinda,  (dwarf  rose.) 

Oenothera  sinuata. 

Opuntia  missouriensis,*  (prickly  pear.) 

Heliaiithus,  (a  species  of  wild  sunflower.) 

Senecio  vulgaru,  (common  groundsel.) 

Trojclmon  cuspidatum. 

Hymen  opappus,  (a  species  of.) 

Penstemou  digitalis. 

Penstfmon  piibescens. 

Penstemon  grandijlorus. 

Verbena,  (a  species  of.) 

Lippia  innl(tlora. 

Lltliospermum  hirlum,  (hairy  puccon.) 

Sida,  (a  uew  species.) 

Litkospcrmnm  longijtorum. 

Onosmodeiun,  (a  species  of.) 

Ascelpias  cornuti,  (common  milkweed.) 

Ascelpias  tuberosa,  (butterfly  weed.) 

Scilla  fraseri,  (wild  hyacinth.) 

.Ilium  alriutum. 

Alium,  (species  not  described.) 

Ti'adescantia  virginiana,  (spiderwort.) 

Tradescantia,  (species  not  described.) 

Yucca  filamentosa,  (Adam's  needle.) 

Clienopoditim  album,  (lambs'  quarters.) 

Calystcyia  lepitem,  (hedge  biudwood.) 


The  animals  of  the  vicinity  are  as  follows :  The  silver  or  prairie  mole,  American  wild  cat,  gray 
wolf,  prairie  wolf  or  coyote,  prairie  fox,  common  skunk,  American  badger,  raccoon,  western  fox, 
squirrel,  stripped  gopher,  prairie  dog,  American  heaver,  white-haired  or  Canada  porcupine,  prairie 
hare,  gray  rabbit,  American  elk,  prong-horn  antelope,  and  buffalo. 

Birds. — Turkey  buzzard,  duck  hawk,  prairie  falcon,  sparrow  hawk,  blue-backed  hawk,  red- 
headed woodpecker,  night  hawk,  belted  kingfisher,  cow  bird,  meadow  lark,  common  crow,  wild 
turkey,  (probably  two  species,)  pinnated  grouse  or  prairie  chicken,  quail,  sand-hill  crane,  killdeer, 
English  or  Wilson's  snipe,  brown-fronted  goose,  Canada,  or  wild  goose,  mallard  duck,  green- 
winged  teal,  and  blue-winged  teal. 

Reptiles. — Snapping  turtle,  horned  toad,  black  snake,  prairie  rattlesnake,  harlequin  snake, 
(rare,)  salamander. 

One  or  two  species  of  the  catfish  are  found  in  the  river. 

The  mean  temperature,  as  obtained  from  three  years'  observations  is  51.36°  F. ;  highest  point 
reached  by  the  thermometer  during  that  time,  102°  F.,  on  the  6th  of  August,  1869 ;  lowest  7° 
below  zero,  on  the  22d  of  December,  1869.  The  greatest  variation  in  twenty-four  hours  took  place 
between  the  loth  and  16th  of  January,  1870,  when  the  mercury  fell  from  35°  to  zero.  These 
sudden  changes  in  temperature  are  not  very  frequent. 

Average  annual  rain-fall  for  three  years,  14 \  inches ;  average  number  of  days'  rain,  35;  66 
per  cent,  of  which  fell  in  the  early  spring  and  summer  months.  Though  the  average  fall  is  low 
and  the  majority  of  rains  light,  large  quantities  of  water,  at  times,  fall  in  short  periods.  In 


FORT  HAKKEK,  KANSAS.  293 

June,  1869,  three  inches  of  rain  fell  in  four  hours.  Snow-storms  are  of  short  duration  and  rare 
occurrence.  Hail-storms  are  rare,  but  when  they  do  happen  the  hail-stones  are  remarkable  for 
size.  In  June,  1868,  hail-stones  fell  2J  inches  in  diameter,  and  none  of  a  less  diameter  than  half 
an  inch  have  ever  been  seen. 

The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  south  and  southwest,  and  north  and  northwest,  and  they 
generally  give  dry  weather;  the  north  and  northeast  winds  at  all  seasons  bring  rain  or  snow. 

The  following  shows  the  direction  of  the  wind  in  one  hundred  and  six  rains: 

N.          NE.          E.  SE.  S.          SW.         W.         NW. 

1C.  17.  12.  14.  14.  9.  6.  18. 

No  accurate  observations  have  been  made  as  to  the  force  or  velocity  of  the  winds.  A  good 
anemometer  would,  it  is  believed,  show  a  very  high  average.  The  atmosphere  is  remarkably  dry 
and  bracing.  Meat  cut  in  slices  and  hung  in  the  wind  can  be  cured  at  almost  any  season.  Fogs 
are  very  rare,  and  occur  only  in  autumn.  The  winters  here,  though  occasionally  severe,  seldom 
last  long,  the  cold  weather  rarely  beginning  until  January,  and  often  ending  in  six  or  eight  weeks. 
The  summer,  which  may  be  said  to  begin  in  April,  continues  imtil  the  middle  or  end  of  October. 
The  heat  is  seldom  oppressive,  being  rendered  more  endurable  by  the  winds. 

There  are  four  sets  of  quarters  or  barracks  at  the  post,  two  of  balloon  frame,  boarded  and  bat- 
tened, and  the  others  of  logs.  Each  set  of  quarters  is  intended  to  accommodate  one  company,  and  has 
its  kitchen,  mess-room,  &c.,  in  the  rear.  The  frame  barracks  were  built  in  the  fall  of  1868,.are  at  the 
west  end  of  the  garrison,  and  are  unlike  in  plan.  The  barrack  building  proper  is  117  by  22§  feet, 
9J  feet  high  to  eaves,  and  16£  feet  to  ridge,  and  is  divided  through  its  middle  by  a  first  sergeant's 
room,  14  feet  by  8  feet  10  inches,  and  an  entry  into  two  dormitories,  each  54£  by  20f  feet.  Each 
dormitory  has  six  windows,  (two  on  the  sides  opposite  each  other,  and  two  at  each  of  the  ends,)  5 
by  3  feet,  and  three  doors,  C  by  3  feet.  These  dimensions  are  all  from  internal  measurements.  The 
dormitories,  entry,  and  sergeants'  room  are  lathed  and  plastered  up  to  the  eaves;  above  which  they 
are  open  to  the  roof,  which  is  well  shingled.  Through  the  peak  of  the  roof  an  opening,  3  feet  9 
inches  square,  has  been  made,  on  the  "  ridge  plan,"  for  ventilation.  A  brick  chimney,  with  an 
internal  diameter  of  12  inches,  also  pierces  the  roof  of  each  dormitory.  A  building  in  rear  of  the 
dormitory,  and  at  right  angles  to  it,  65  by  19£  feet,  is  divided  by  a  plank  partition  into  a  mess-room, 
45  by  19J  feet,  and  a  kitchen,  20  by  19J  feet,  both  having  a  height  of  9J  feet  to  eaves.  The  mess- 
room  has  six  windows,  5  by  3  feet,  three  on  a  side  and  opposite.  In  the  kitchen  are  two  windows. 
The  kitchen  and  mess-room  communicate  through  a  door,  6  by  3  feet.  The  mess  room  walls  are 
lathed  and  plastered.  The  lumber  in  these  buildings  is  white  pine.  The  sills  rest  on  brick  pillars 
2J  feet  above  ground,  which  gives  a  clear  open  space  for  the  circulation  of  air  beneath  the  floors. 
The  walls  are  lime-washed,  both  internally  and  externally. 

The  two  sets  of  log  quarters  were  built  in  the  spring  of  1867,  on  the  stockade  plan,  each  set 
having  its  own  mess-room  and  kitchen.  The  barrack-room  proper  of  these  quarters  is  99£  by  19§ 
feet,  and  9J  feet  high,  (the  roof  is  nearly  flat,)  giving  a  total  air  space  of  17,488  cubic  feet,  and  has 
five  windows  on  each  side  and  opposite,  4£  feet  by  2  feet  9  inches,  and  three  doors,  6£  by  2J  feet.  At 
the  east  end  is  an  orderly  sergeant's  room,  12J  by  19§  feet.  The  spaces  between  the  logs  are  filled 
with  plaster  on  both  sides,  and  lime-washed  inside  and  out.  The  roof  is  of  logs,  the  inner  ends  of 
them  resting  on  a  heavy  ridge  log,  supported  by  stout  posts ;  the  outer  on  the  wall,  though  carried 
four  feet  beyond  it.  Earth  nearly  a  foot  thick  covers  the  logs,  with  a  layer  of  hay  intervening  to 
prevent  the  finer  particles  of  the  earth  from  falling  through.  Four  chimneys,  with  internal 
diameters  of  12  inches,  pierce  the  roof.  A  log  building,  constructed  in  the  same  way,  in  the  rear, 
60  by  19  feet,  9J  feet  high,  is  divided  into  mess-room  and  kitchen  by  plank  partition.  The  floors  of 
all  the  log  buildings  at  the  post  are  one  inch  plank,  on  3  by  4  inch  scantling,  which  rests  upon  the 
ground. 

The  warming  of  the  barrack  buildings  is  by  stoves,  burning  wood,  the  pipes  entering  the 
chimneys  6£  feet  from  the  floor. 

Artificial  light  is  obtained  from  candles. 

The  ventilation  of  the  barracks  is  natural  arid  is  believed  to  be  sufficient,  as  the  continuous 
high  winds  move  with  velocity  great  enough  to  remove  and  renew  the  air  in  an  ordinary  building 
here,  with  sufficient  frequency  for  its  complete  purification.  The  barrack  dormitories  all  face  north 


294  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

and  south,  the  more  general  direction  of  prevailing  winds,  and,  the  windows  being  opposite,  give 
good  cross  ventilation,  as  during  three-fourths  of  the  year  these  can  be  left  open.  Even  in  the  cold 
weather,  which  would  require  a  closing  of  the  windows,  the  force  of  the  wind  is  sufficient  with  open- 
ings in  the  roof  and  with  the  chimneys  to  secure  a  continuous  and  frequent  change  of  the  air.  The 
accidental  openings,  such  as  spaces  between  window  frames  and  walls,  also  give  entrance  and  exit 
to  the  air. 

The  floor  of  the  log  barracks,  resting  as  it  does  almost  on  the  ground,  is,  of  course,  a  very 
objectionable  feature,  and  in  a  damp  climate  would  produce  marked  results,  but  in  this  dry  atmo- 
sphere its  effects  on  the  occupants  have  not  apparently  been  hurtful. 

Though  the  ventilation  of  the  barracks  is  believed  to  be  sufficient,  the  mode  of  effecting  it  is 
deemed  objectionable ;  the  whole  subject  seems  to  have  had  very  little  attention  given  it  in  the 
construction  of  the  barracks  at  the  post.  The  simpler  and  better  plan  of  the  ridge  openings  for 
summer,  with  shafts  .carrying  the  stove  pipes  for  winter,  might  readily  have  been  given  to  all  of 
these  buildings. 

The  average  air  space  per  man  in  the  frame  quarters  is  400  cubic  feet,  and  in  the  log  barracks 
350  cubic  feet. 

The  bunks,  which  are  similar  in  all  the  dormitories,  are  double  and  two-tiered.  This,  as  is 
well  known,  (aside  from  any  immoral  tendency,)  is  a  most  objectionable  form  of  bed.  All  barracks 
should  be  constructed  so  as  to  give  a  sufficient  area  of  floor  to  allow  a  separate  bed  to  each  man 
placed  on  it. 

The  bunks  are  provided  with  bedsacks  filled  with  hay,  (often  changed.)  The  blankets  furnished 
the  men  are  good  and  sufficient.  All  the  bedding  is  frequently  sunned  and  aired. 

There  are  no  separate  wash  or  bath-rooms  attached  to  the  men's  quarters.  The  means  for 
bathing  are  limited.  This  must  be  the  case  at  many  posts  at  which,  like  this,  water  has  to  be 
transported  in  water-wagons  from  the  source  of  supply  to  the  various  parts  of  the  garrison. 
A  recommendation  has  been  made  by  the  post  surgeon  that  a  bathing-house  for  the  enlisted  men 
be  put  up  near  the  spring  from  which  the  post  is  supplied,  where  abundance  of  water  can  be  let 
into  tubs  at  all  times,  while  the  elevation  of  the  suggested  site  is  sufficiently  great  to  furnish  the 
best  drainage  for  all  refuse  water  into  a  small  creek  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  The  order  for  the  erec- 
tion of  this  building  has  been  issued.  In  the  warm  weather  the  men  bathe  in  the  Smoky  River. 

All  the  company  quarters  have  sinks  150  yards  to  the  rear.  These  sinks  are  of  frame  over  a 
pit  ten  feet  deep  into  which  a  box  is  sunk ;  and  their  dimensions  are.  13  by  8  feet  and  8  feet 
high.  They  are  divided  by  a  partition  through  the  middle  so  as  to  give  a  double  row  of  seats. 
The  best  police  is  maintained,  and  disinfectants  are  used  daily  during  the  warm  season. 

The  company  kitchens  are  moderately  well  adapted  for  the  purpose.  Those  of  the  log  build- 
ings have  too  few  windows  to  light  and  ventilate  them  well. 

The  mess-rooms  of  the  frame  barracks  are  very  suitable  ;  those  of  the  log  quarters  have  the 
same  objections  as  the  log  kitchens. 

There  are  eight  buildings,  all  frame,  occupied  as  quarters  by  married  soldiers  and  laundresses. 
Several  of  these  buildings  were  put  up  as  work-shops  and  mess-houses  for  quartermaster's  em- 
ploye's. None  of  them  are  well  adapted  for  the  purpose  to  which  they  are  applied. 

Nine  buildings  at  the  post  are  used  as  quarters  for  officers.  Three  of  them  (one  story)  are 
built  of  red  sandstone.  The  largest  of  these  stone  buildings  contains  eight  rooms  and  a  kitchen, 
and  is  occupied  by  the  commanding  officer.  Each  of  the  other  two  stone  houses  contains  four 
rooms  and  a  kitchen.  The  remaining  six  sets  of  quarters  are  frame.  Three  of  them  are  two- 
storied  and  have  six  rooms;  the  others  contain  each  five  rooms  on  one  floor.  All  of  these  quarters 
are  well  plastered  and  painted,  and  are  moderately  comfortable  dwellings.  Each  building  is 
intended  to  accommodate  one  family,  or  one  mess,  there  being  but  one  kitchen  to  each;  in  conse- 
quence of  the  number  of  officers  at  the  post,  however,  in  several  instances  two  families  occupy  one 
house  and  mess  together.  Water  is  supplied  to  these  quarters  from  the  spring,  a  short  distance 
west  of  the  post,  by  wagons.  There  are  no  bath-rooms  proper  in  any  of  the  houses.  The  officers' 
quarters  are  all  heated  by  wood-burning  stoves. 

There  are  three  large  frame  store-houses  at  the  post,  one  each  for  quartermaster,  commissary, 
and  ordnance  stores.  The  quartermaster's  store-house  is  200  by  50  feet,  and  12  feet  high  to  eaves. 
It  is  substantially  constructed,  dry,  and  well  ventilated.  The  commissary  warehouse  is  150  by  50 
feet.  Both  buildings  are  close  to  a  side  track  of  the  railroad,  so  that  cars  can  be  unloaded  into 


FOET  HAEKEE,  KANSAS.  295 

them,  and  both  are  admirably  adapted  for  the  purpose  of  storing  large  amounts  of  supplies.  The 
ordnance  store-house,  45  by  19  feet,  and  10  feet  high,  is  100  yards  north  of  the  parade  ground. 

A  large  well  constructed  ice-house,  (frame,)  with  a  capacity  of  400  tons,  was  put  up  in  the  fall 
of  1867.  Ice  of  fair  quality  is  cut  from  Smoky  Hill  Eiver,  and  the  building  is  filled  every  winter. 
Liberal  issues  are  made  to  the  hospital,  companies,  and  to  officers,  daily  during  warm  weather,  by 
the  quartermaster  under  whose  charge  the  ice-house  is  placed. 

The  guard  house,  a  substantial  two-story  stone  building,  is  at  the  west  end  of  the  parade 
ground.  The  upper  floor  is  divided  into  two  large  rooms,  one  17J  by  12  feet,  and  9J  feet  high,  the 
other  13  by  17£  feet,  and  9£  feet  high,  and  six  small  cells,  each  7  by  3  feet,  and  9£  feet  high.  This 
floor,  which  is  reached  by  an  outside  staircase,  has  three  windows.  The  lower  story  is  divided  into 
three  rooms,  a  guard-room,  26  by  15  feet,  and  9  feet  high,  a  non-commissioned  officers' room,  13  by 
8£  feet,  and  a  small  tool-room.  The  guard-room  is  provided  with  three  windows.  The  ventilation 
of  the  cells  is  defective,  and  it  is  difficult  to  remedy  this  effectually  in  the  present  building  without 
giving  many  of  the  more  daring  prisoners  chances  to  escape.  Hygiene  is  not  incompatible  with 
security  in  guard-house  buildings,  and  it  is  thought  more  consideration  of  this  important  subject 
might  be  well  had  in  planning  them  and  in  their  construction. 

The  post  hospital,  a  substantial  building  of  dressed  sandstone,  200  yards  south  of  the  garrison, 
fronting  west,  is,  with  a  few  unimportant  exceptions,  built  after  the  plan  prescribed  by  the 
Surgeon  General  in  Circular  No.  4,  of  1867.  The  front  part  of  the  administration  building  is  one 
story  and  a  half  (attic)  high,  and  is  48£  by  38  feet,  with  a  height  of  34  feet.  The  lower  story,  14 
feet  high,  is  divided  by  a  hall,  7  feet  wide,  running  from  front  to  back,  and  a  cross  entry  connecting 
the  wards,  of  the  same  width,  into  dispensary,  18  by  15  feet;  steward's  room,  15  by  14£  feet;  two 
offices,  each  15  by  8  feet;  and  a  store-room  for  medicines,  &c.,  18  by  15  feet.  The  attic,  which  is 
reached  by  a  stairway,  3  feet  wide,  is  8  feet  high  to  eaves,  and  open  12  feet  to  ridge.  This  floor  is 
divided  by  a  hall,  9  feet  wide,  into  two  rooms,  one  20  by  20  feet,  used  as  a  dormitory  for  attendants, 
and  the  other,  15  by  14i  feet,  as  a  store-room  for  linen,  bedding,  clothing,  &c.  The  rear  portion  of 
the  central  building  is  of  one  story,  40  by  18  feet,  and  14  feet  high  to  eaves.  It  is  divided  into  a 
mess-room,  18  by  12  feet,  kitchen,  18  by  15£  feet,  and  commissary  store-room,  18  by  11J  feet.  These 
rooms  open  into  each  other,  and  are  reached  through  a  door  from  the  hall  iu  the  central  building. 

The  two  wings,  in  which  are  the  wards,  are  each  51  by  24  feet,  and  14  feet  high  to  ceiling,  and 
have  an  air  space  of  17,136  cubic  feet.  Each  ward  has  ten  windows,  7  by  3  feet.  Through  the 
ridge,  which  is  20  feet  above  the  ward  floor,  is  an  opening,  10  by  3  feet,  with  an  arrangement  of 
slats,  on  the  Venetian-blind  plan,  for  closing  in  cold  weather.  The  ward  in  the  south  wing  has  at 
its  southern  end  a  room  partitioned  off,  8  feet  square.  Each  ward  has  two  chimneys,  with  openings 
for  stove-pipes.  A  good  piazza,  9  feet  wide,  extends  the  whole  front  of  the  building.  The  roof  of 
the  iiospital  is  well  shingled. 

The  store-room  for  medicines  and  hospital  stores,  a  light,  dry  room,  is  back  of  the  office,  sepa- 
rated by  the  cross  entry.  It  is  well  provided  with  shelves  neatly  painted.  The  steward's  room  is 
in  rear  of  the  dispensary,  is  well  lighted  by  two  windows,  and  contains  a  good  closet. 

The  mess-room  is  well  furnished  with  tables  and  benches,  neatly  painted  and  varnished.  The 
mess  furniture,  such  as  knives,  forks,  spoons,  plates,  bowls,  &c.,  is  of  good  quality,  and  sufficient. 

The  kitchen  is  thoroughly  supplied  with  furniture  and  fixtures.  The  cooking  is  done  by  a  large 
wood-burning  stove. 

The  wards  are  each  furnished  with  twenty  beds,  with  an  average  air  space  per  bed  of  nearly 
900  cubic  feet.  Not  more  than  a  third  of  the  number  of  beds  are  ever  occupied,  however.  Bed 
ticket-frames  are  attached  to  all  the  beds,  and  iu  them  are  placed  cards  giving  the  occupant's  name, 
rank,  company,  and  regiment,  name  and  address  of  the  nearest  relative,  diagnosis,  with  treatment, 
result,  and  date ;  and  these  tickets  are  filed  away  at  the  patient's  discharge  from  the  hospital.  At 
every  bedside  is  a  small  table,  and  for  every  other  bed  a  chair  is  provided.  There  are  also  three 
comfortable  arm  rocking-chairs  in  use.  The  bed  linen,  which  is  ample,  is  changed  on  all  the  beds 
at  least  once  a  week,  and  as  much  ofteuer  as  may  be  required.  Most  of  the  mattresses  in  use  are 
hair.  The  windows  of  these  wards,  as  well  as  every  window  in  the  hospital,  are  fitted  with  a  good 
dark  green  rolling  curtain,  furnished  by  the  Medical  Department,  and  each  ward  is  provided  with 
a  good  clock.  The  ventilation  of  the  hospital  wards  is  effected  by  the  windows  and  ridge;  the 
former  can  be  kept  open  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  and  the  latter,  from  its  height  above 
the  ward  floor,  the  year  round,  without  lowering  the  temperature  too  much  for  health  and  comfort. 


296  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  nursing  of  the  sick  is  moderately  well  done  by  soldiers  detailed  in  hospital  from  companies  on 
duty  at  the  post.  A  corps  of  nurses  enlisted  for  the  purpose,  subject  to  no  other  duty,  and  assign- 
able by  the  Surgeon  General,  would  be  of  the  utmost  advantage.  The  walls  and  ceilings  of  the 
hospital  are  plastered,  though  the  mess-room,  kitchen,  and  commissary  store-room  only  are  com- 
pleted, by  having  the  hard-finish  coat  of  smooth  work.  The  wards,  hall,  &c.,  are,  unfortunately, 
only  rough-finished.  The  doors,  door-frames,  and  window-frames,  are  handsomely  grained  and  var- 
nished. The  doors  are  all  lettered  in  black  lettering,  indicating  the  rooms  within,  viz.,  ''Dispen- 
sary," "Post  Surgeon's  Office,*  "Store-room,"  "Ward,"  "Dining-hall,"  &c.  The  floors  of  the  hos- 
pital, which  are  four  feet  above  the  ground,  are  painted  a  dark  brown.  The  room  partitioned  oif 
from  the  south  ward  is  used  for  bathing  and  washing.  It  contains  a  good  tin  portable  bath-tub, 
furnished  by  the  Medical  Department.  Patients  who  are  able  to  do  so,  and  all  the  attendants,  are 
directed  to  bathe  at  least  twice  a  week.  A  second  bath-tub  is  kept  in  the  store-room,  for  use  in  giv- 
ing to  the  sick,  as  may  be  required,  a  warm  bath  at  the  bedside.  There  are  no  water-closets  in  the 
hospital  building;  earth-closets  have  been  sent  to  this  post.  The  sink  of  the  hospital  is  about  68 
yards  to  the  rear. 

The  dead-house  is  a  frame  building,  60  yards  to  the  rear  of  the  hospital.  It  is  34  by  12  feet, 
and  9  feet  high,  and  is  divided  into  two  rooms  of  equal  size,  a  dead-room  and  post-mortem  room, 
the  latter  well  lighted  by  two  windows  and  a  skylight.  Both  rooms  arc  furnished  with  tables,  &c. 

There  is  no  baggage-room  at  the  hospital.  The  baggage  brought  by  soldiers  when  about  to  be 
admitted  into  hospital  is  generally  limited  to  a  knapsack,  and  this,  with  such  other  articles  as  are 
occasionally  offered  for  storage,  is  labeled  with  the  owner's  name,  a  list  of  the  property  entered  in 
a  book  kept  for  the  purpose,  and  everything  belonging  to  the  patient  sent  to  an  appropriate  place 
in  the  store-room. 

The  hospital  is  wanned  by  wood  burnt  in  box  stoves.  One  large  stove  generally  heats  the 
ward  sufficiently,  though  two  can  be  used.  Until  the  general  order  from  the  War  Department  pro- 
hibiting burning  of  volatile  oils  at  posts,  kerosene  was  in  use.  Now  light  is  obtained  from  candles 
supplied  by  the  commissary. 

A  post  and  rail  fence  in  rear  of  the  hospital  incloses  a  space  169  by  150  feet,  in  which  is  a  good 
well,  forty  feet  deep,  from  which  the  water  used  in  the  hospital  is  obtained. 

Medical  stores  are  obtained  from  the  purveyor  in  St.  Louis,  a  year's  supply  at  a  time.  The 
quality  of  the  stores  sent  here  is  invariably  good,  and  they  are  always  well  packed.  The  year's 
allowance  is  generally  quite  sufficient,  and  but  occasionally  special  requisitions  for  a  few  articles 
have  to  be  made.  The  amount  of  medicines,  dressings,  and  hospital  stores  furnished  is  ample,  and 
the  articles  of  furniture,  including  that  for  wards,  the  mess-room,  and  kitchen,  which  are  sup- 
plied, give  everything  possibly  needed  in  the  working  of  the  hospital.  The  medical  supplies 
(exclusive  of  bedding)  are  stored  in  the  store-room,  which  is  light,  dry,  and  well  ventilated.  The 
bedding  not  in  use  is  put  away,  carefully  protected  against  moths,  in  the  attic  store-room,  which 
is  well  fitted  with  good  shelving. 

The  general  plan  of  the  hospital  is  excellent,  and  furnishes  few  grounds  for  criticism  or  sug- 
gestions for  improvements.  The  building  is  believed  to  be  one  of  the  best  of  the  kind  on  the  plains. 
The  ventilation  of  the  wards,  now  moderately  complete,  would  have  been  thoroughly  accomplished 
by  the  ridge  and  shaft  plan,  as  described  and  figured  in  Circular  No.  4,  of  1867,  from  the  Surgeon 
General's  Office.  As  it  is,  the  number  of  beds  in  each  ward  might  well  be  reduced  a  third.  The  plas- 
tering of  the  walls  and  ceiling  of  the  wards  should  have  been  completed  by  the  addition  of  a  smooth, 
hard-finish,  instead  of  being  left  at  the  rough  coat,  which  is  more  permeable  and  harder  to  whitewash. 
The  piazza  in  front  of  the  hospital  would  have  been  of  more  benefit  to  the  patients  had  a  door  been 
made  to  it  from  each  ward.  The  addition  of  a  small  ward,  which  could  be  darkened  when  necessary 
for  eye  cases,  is  desirable.  The  attic,  or  half-story,  in  the  administration  building  should  be  a  full 
story,  as  in  the  Surgeon  General's  plan.  A  wind-power  over  the  well  in  the  hospital  inclosure 
would,  at  a  small  expense,  furnish  abundant  water,  which  could  be  carried  through  the  hospital, 
and  give  a  good  supply  for  bath-rooms  and  water-closets. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  large,  frame  building,  36  by  14  feet,  and  14J  feet  high.  Within  a  year  a 
new  and  large  oven  has  been  built  capable  of  preparing  three  hundred  rations  of  bread  at  a  baking. 
As  a  rule,  the  bread  made  is  of  good  quality. 

There  is  no  general  laundry  at  the  post. 

The  building  used  for  a  chapel  was  formerly  the  ofiice  of  the  depot  quartermaster.    It  is  37  by 


FORT  IIARKER,  KANSAS.  297 

24  feet  and  19£  feet  high.  There  are  teu  windows,  53  by  39  inches,  which  well  light  the  room  nat- 
urally. It  is  furnished  with  benches,  chairs,  and  a  reading  table.  Service  is  held  twice  each 
Sunday  by  the  post  chaplain,  and  the  attendance  of  soldiers  is  fair.  In  the  west  end  of  the  build- 
ing is  the  post  quartermaster's  office,  and  in  the  east  is  the  post  library. 

There  is  no  school-house  at  the  post. 

Four  frame  buildings  used  as  stables  for  the  cavalry  are  at  the  west  end  of  the  parade  ground. 
They  are  each  175  by  39  feet,  and  20  feet  high,  and  contain  sixty  stalls  in  two  rows,  each  stall 
9  feet  long  and  4  feet  wide.  At  the  west  end  of  each  stable  two  rooms  are  partitioned  oif,  9  feet 
square,  for  forage,  &c.  These  buildings  are  well  roofed  with  shingles,  and  are  dry  and  well  ven- 
tilated. 

The  post  library  is  in  a  light  and  cheerful  room,  10  feet  square,  adjoining  the  chapel.  The 
books  are  well  arranged  upon  shelves,  and  classified.  There  are  now  170  volumes,  of  which  CO  are 
historical;  the  remaining  are  novels  by  the  best  authors,  with  a  few  poetical  works.  The  library 
is  under  the  charge  of  the  post  treasurer,  and  is  open  daily  from  9  o'clock  a.  in.  till  4  o'clock  p.  m. 

Water  for  the  post  is  obtained  almost  exclusively  from  two  springs,  a  hundred  yards  apart, 
three  hundred  yards  west  of  the  post.  These  springs  open  through  fine  gravel  underlaid  by  clay 
midway  up  a  bluff  of  sixty  feet  overhanging  the  small  creek  (Spring  Creek)  which  empties  into  the 
Smoky  River,  a  mile  from  the  garrison.  The  water  is  carried  from  the  spring  in  wooden  pipes  to 
water-tanks  below,  and  from  these  tanks  water-wagons  convey  it  to  barrels  placed  for  use  near  the 
barracks  and  quarters.  The  wagons  make  two  or  three  rounds  a  day  as  may  be  required.  The 
tanks,  pipes,  water-wagons,  and  water-barrels,  are  frequently  cleansed.  The  two  springs  will  aver- 
age a  yield  each  of  4,500  gallons  in  the  twenty-four  hours,  making  a  total  of  9,000  gallons  daily. 
In  the  hospital  yard  is  a  good  well,  and  three  sets  of  the  officers'  quarters  also  have  wells.  With 
these  exceptions  the  garrison  is  supplied  from  the  springs.  The  chemical  examination  has  not  been 
made  complete,  though  enough  so  for  all  practical  purposes,  and  the  result  shows  the  water  in  use 
here  to  be  good;  spring  water  neutral,  slightly  alkaline  after  boiling.  A  gallon  of  the  water 
decomposed  one-eighth  of  a  grain  of  permanganate  of  potash.  Carbonate  of  lime  in  minute  quan- 
tity, with  traces  of  chloride  of  sodium  and  lime,  was  discovered.  The  well  water  gave  similar  re- 
sults, with  the  exception  of  the  amount  of  contained  organic  matter  being  less,  one-twelfth  grain 
of  permanganate  of  potash  leaving  a  slight  tinge  after  a  twenty-four  hours'  mixture. 

The  drainage  of  the  post  is  entirely  surface,  though  from  the  elevation  it  is  as  complete  as 
natural  drainage  can  be.  The  slops,  garbage,  &c..  are  collected  in  barrels  daily,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  police  sergeant,  (a  permanent  detail,)  and  hauled  a  mile  from  the  post  and  buried.  Ma- 
nure from  the  stables  is  hauled  the  same  distance  and  burned. 

The  cemetery  is  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  southeast  of  the  post ;  it  is  290  feet  square,  and 
contains  183  graves.  With  but  few  exceptions  the  graves  are  filled  with  the  dead  of  cholera.  The 
ground  is  prettily  laid  out,  being  divided  by  broad  walks,  and  having  also  a  walk  on  each  of  the 
four  sides.  Trees  have  been  planted  and  are  growing  well.  A  good  post-and-plank  fence  surrounds 
the  cemetery. 

The  post  garden  is  to  the  north  of  the  garrison  one-half  a  mile,  and  contains  three  and  a  half 
acres.  It  is  under  the  charge  of  the  post  treasurer,  and  is  well  worked.  Last  year  a  large  amount 
of  vegetables  was  raised  and  distributed  to  the  companies,  band,  and  officers.  Some  seasons  are 
too  dry  for  growth,  but  generally  all  kinds  of  vegetables  do  well.  Two  enlisted  men  are  detailed  to 
work  in  the  post  garden. 

The  hospital  garden  is  to  the  southwest  of  the  post ;  about  three  and  one-fourth  acres  were 
fenced  in  in  the  spring  of  1868,  at  the  request  of  the  post  surgeon.  During  the  spring  of  1869  but 
little  was  done,  it  being  impossible  to  get  men  detailed  to  work,  the  term  of  enlistment  of  all  but 
eight  men  in  tDe  companies  here  having  expired.  Some  of  the  later  vegetables  planted  in  May 
did  well.  Radishes,  corn,  okra,  lettuce,  beans,  &c.,  yielded  abundantly.  This  spring  (1870)  a  gar- 
dener has  been  detailed,  and  the  garden  is  well  under  way,  and  it  is  hoped  that  a  sufficient  supply 
of  vegetables  for  the  year  will  be  obtained  from  it. 

There  are  eleven  milch  cows  here,  one  of  which  belongs  to  the  post  hospital ;  the  others  are 
owned  by  officers.    The  cows  cost  little  or  nothing  to  feed,  fine  grass  abounding  nine  months  of 
the  year.    Hay  can  be  had  for  about  $6  per  ton.    Cows  can  be  purchased  at  from  $40  to  $70  each. 
Few,  if  any,  horses  or  mules  can  be  bought  in  the  neighborhood. 
38 


298 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  commissary  department  here  is  liberally  supplied,  and  tbe  quality  of  the  stores  is  invari- 
ably good.  The  food  of  the  men  is  both  ample  and  sufficiently  varied.  Purchases  of  articles  not 
in  the  ration  are  made  in  liberal  quantity  of  the  post  commissary  and  of  farmers  near,  and  paid 
for  from  company  funds.  Extra  issues  of  vegetables,  pickles,  &c.,  are  made  on  the  recommenda- 
tion of  the  post  surgeon.  The  messes  of  the  men  are  well  cooked  and  served,  and  are  inspected 
regularly. 

But  very  little  cultivated  fruit  is  produced  near  the  post.  Wild  plums,  wild  grapes,  and  goose- 
berries grow  in  abundance,  and  can  be  purchased  cheaply  and  furnish  a  fair  substitute.  The  prices 
of  vegetables,  &c.,  will  be  reduced  as  the  country  becomes  more  thickly  settled  and  more  produce 
is  brought  in. 

The  furniture  of  the  barrack-rooms,  as  is  the  case  at  most  of  the  posts  on  the  plains,  is  very 
limited,  consisting  of  bunks,  benches,  and  arm-racks. 

Kitchen  and  mess-room  furniture  for  the  companies  is  very  ample  and  good.     The  furniture  in 
the  married  soldiers'  quarters  is  very  simple,  and  made  at  the  post.    That  in  the  officers'  quarters, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  articles  made  by  the  quartermaster,  is  brought  from  the  east.    With  the 
exception  of  mess  furniture,  none  can  be  procured  in  the  vicinity. 

The  inhabitants  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  are  principally  farmers,  who  are  hard-working, 
industrious  people ;  their  number  is  estimated  in  the  county  at  five  hundred.  Great  difficulty  is 
experienced  by  officers  here  in  obtaining  servants,  and  generally  it  is  necessary  to  send  to  the  East 
for  them. 

Notwithstanding  that  a  number  of  cases  of  malarious  fever  are  presented  for  treatment  here,  it 
is  believed  that  there  is  no  local  malarial  influence,  in  by  far  the  larger  number  of  cases  the  dis- 
ease being  one  of  recurrence  in  patients  elsewhere  primarily  affected,  and  in  the  few  cases  (a  very 
small  proportion)  which  show  a  first  attack,  it  is  thought  that  the  malarial  poisoning  can  be  traced 
to  unhealthy  regions  through  which  the  men  had  escorted  trains,  &c.  Lung  diseases  are  neither 
frequent  nor  severe.  Pneumonia  and  pleurisy  are  rare.  Mild  bronchial  inflammations  in  the  winter 
furnish  most  of  the  pulmonary  cases.  The  rarity  of  consumption  is  remarkable,  and  the  first  case 
has  yet  to  be  seen  in  which  this  disease  began  to  be  developed  here.  A  majority  of  cases  treated 
for  it,  in  whom  its  commencement  took  place  elsewhere,  have  been  much  improved.  The  cold  of 
the  winters  is  trying  for  cases  very  far  advanced,  though  the  summer  and  early  fall  have  their 
advantages  for  even  this  stage  of  the  disease,  the  one  great  remedy,  exercise  in  the  open  air,  being 
interfered  with  but  very  little  by  wet  weather.  Bowel  affections  are  not  now  numerous,  and  a 
majority  of  those  occurring  among  the  men  are  caused  by  great  indiscretion  in  eating  or  drinking, 
(crude  food,  and  poisonous  whisky  after  pay  day  are  frequent  causes,)  or  exposure  after  both.  Ty- 
phoid fever  is  almost  unknown,  no  case  of  it  having  appeared  since  July,  1867.  Severe  cases  of 
acute  rheumatism  are  very  uncommon,  and  in  the  majority  that  have  been  observed  the  attack  was 
not  the  first  one. 

Fort  Barker  is  used  as  a  base  by  troops  not  belonging  to  it  for  operations  in  the  field,  and 
many  sick  from  commands  in  the  vicinity  have  been  sent  in  here  at  various  times  for  treatment  or 
discharge.  The  sick-list  is  often  enlarged  in  this  way.  There  are  two  out  of  five  men  in  hospital 
at  the  present  time  (May,  1870)  who  belong  to  commands  which  have  never  been  at  the  post  nor 
attached  to  it. 

Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Harker,  Kansas,  white 

troops,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


B 

ri 

o 

1 

| 

J4 

E 

3   ^. 

s 

i 

1 

Years. 

,| 

S     f 
C    'S 

g 

JJ  -H 

JS| 

1 

iarrhoea 
dysenter 

msillitis. 

enereal  dis 

tienmatisi 

.2 
-+j 

<f 

S  ° 

l= 

I 
9 

-O 

o 
6 

* 

p 

ft 

H 

> 

AJ 

^  . 

5 

1868  

215  16 

255 

61 

72 

0 

16 

18 

2 

20 

i 

1869  

184.  66 

160 

41 

30 

2 

8 

12 

1 

24 

5 

'  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  anil  pleurisy. 


FORT  LABNED,  KANSAS.  299 


FORT  LARNED,  KANSAS. 

REPORTS  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON   W.   H.  FORWOOD,   UNITED    STATES    ARMY,  AND   ASSISTANT  SUR- 

(1KON  A.  A.  WOODHULL,  UNI'I'EI")   STATES  ARMY. 

* 

Fort  Lamed  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  Pawnee  Fork,  about  eight  miles  from  its  conflu- 
ence with  the  Arkansas  River,  latitude  38°  10'  north,  longitude  99°  Avest;  altitude  above  the  sea, 
1,932  feet.  The  occupancy  of  the  site  dates  from  September,  1859,  when  it  was  known  as  Camp 
Alert.  Buildings  were  erected  in  1860,  when  the  post  received  its  present  name  as  a  compliment 
to  Colonel  B.  F.  Lamed,  then  Paymaster  General.  The  object  of  the  post  was  the  protection  of 
the  Santa  F6"  trail.  The  buildings  were  at  first  constructed  of  adobe.  During  several  years  the 
agency  for  the  Cheyennes  and  Arapahoes  was  located  at  Fort  Lamed,  but  it  was  discontinued  in 
18G8,  and  as  all  the  Indians  formerly  roaming  in  this  vicinity  are  now  on  reservations  at  Camp 
Supply  and  Fort  Sill,  and  the  travel  by  this  post  is  now  diverted  by  the  railroad  on  the  north, 
it  is  now  of  little  importance.  Should  the  Arkansas  bottom  become  settled  it  will  be  of  value  as 
a  nucleus,  but  at  this  date  (March,  1870)  there  are  no  settlers,  Indians,  or  lines  of  travel  within 
its  influence.  Four  miles  square  are  held  as  reserved,  but  the  extent  of  the  reservation  has  not 
been  officially  declared.  The  post  is  bounded  on  the  north  and  west  by  the  creek ;  on  the  south  a 
flat  prairie  extends  six  miles  to  the  Arkansas  Eiver.  The  bottom  land  is  covered  with  good  grass, 
from  which  hay  is  obtained  for  the  post.  The  post  was  rebuilt  in  18(57,  the  buildings  being  of  sand- 
stone and  arranged  around  a  square,  the  quarters  for  enlisted  men  being  on  the  north.  There  are 
two  buildings,  each  containing  two  sets  of  company  quarters.  Three  of  the  four  squad-rooms  are 
40  feet  square  by  10  feet  high.  Between  the  ceilings  of  these  rooms  and  the  roof,  there  is  a  free 
space  containing  (in  each  building)  about  30,000  cubic  feet,  and  communicating  with  the  external 
air  by  a  series  of  openings  under  the  eaves  on  the  south  side,  said  openings  having  in  each  build- 
ing the  aggregate  area  of  30  square  feet.  Each  squad-room  communicates  with  this  loft  by  three 
rectangular  openings  in  the  middle  line  of  the  ceiling,  having  an  aggregate  area  of  2,652  square 
inches.  In  December,  1869,  the  air  space  per  man  in  these  dormitories  was  from  381  to  457  cubic 
feet.  In  October,  18C9,  the  post  surgeon  (Assistant  Surgeon  Woodhull,  United  States  Army)  called 
the  attention  of  the  commanding  officer  to  the  fact  that  the  ventilation  of  these  barracks  was  im- 
perfect, that  at  night  the  air  was  perceptibly  vitiated,  and  recommended  that  ventilating  shafts 
from  the  ceiling  to  the  ridge  of  the  roof  be  inserted,  and  that  openings  be  made  in  the  ceilings  on 
the  south  side  for  inlet  of  fresh  air,  having  a  sloping  shelf  underneath  to  protect  the  men  sleeping 
below  from  the  descending  current,  and  that  the  trap-doors  covering  the  openings  in  the  ceiling  be 
removed  from  the  control  of  the  men.  The  commanding  officer  approved  these  recommendations, 
but  as  the  post  quartermaster  did  not  concur  nothing  was  done.  Besides  the  dormitories  the  com- 
pany quarters  contain  mess  rooms,  kitchen,  orderly-room,  and  store-room. 

The  buildings  for  officers'  quarters  are  three  in  number,  built  of  sandstone,  one  story  high, 
shingled  roof,  with  a  broad  portico  in  front.  One  of  these  buildings  is  for  the  commanding  officer; 
it  contains  a  hall,  four  rooms,  each  14  by  16  feet,  a  kitchen,  19  by  16  feet,  and  a  servants'  room 
over  the  kitchen,  which  is  the  only  up-stairs  room  at  the  post.  Each  of  the  other  buildings  is  84 
by  33  feet,  and  contains  four  sets  of  quarters.  They  are  traversed  by  two  halls,  7  feet  wide,  each 
hall  being  common  to  two  sets  of  quarters,  so  that  each  building  is  supposed  to  accommodate  two 
captains  and  four  lieutenants.  The  captains'  quarters  are  in  the  ends,  and  consist  of  two  rooms, 
each  16  feet  wide  by  14.J  feet  deep,  and  12  feet  high,  and  a  kitchen,  19  by  10  feet,  from  which  opens 
a  servants'  room.  The  two  rooms  communicate  by  folding  doors,  and  the  kitchen  opens  into  the 
back  or  bed-room.  Under  the  kitchen  is  a  cellar  which,  within  the  past  year,  has  been  deepened 
and  floored,  and  been  thus  transformed  into  a  kitchen,  leaving  the  kitchen  proper  for  use  as  a 
dining-room.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  hall  two  lieutenants  are  presumed  to  live  in  one  room 
each,  without  kitchens.  At  this  writing  (February,  1870)  frame  additions  are  being  erected  to  the 
subalterns'  quarters,  which  will  give  to  each  two  lieutenants  three  other  rooms,  although  neither 
has  the  superficial  allowance  of  a  room  proper;  so  that  hereafter  two  lieutenants  will  have  be- 
tween them  a  kitchen,  a  dining-room,  and  a  servants'  room,  instead  of  none  as  at  present. 


300 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


In  the  rear  of  each  building  just  described  is  a  well,  not  in  use.  Water  is  drawn  in  a  wagon 
from  the  creek  and  poured  into  barrels  standing  in  the  yards.  There  are  no  water-closets  or  baths. 
Each  hall  opens  into  a  yard  common  to  all  the  occupants  of  that  side  of  the  building,  and  in  each 
yard  is  one  small  privy. 

The  hospital  is  an  old  adobe  building  erected  in  I860.  It  contains  four  rooms,  each  16  feet 
square,  by  8  feet  high,  two  of  which  are  used  as  wards,  each  containing  four  beds,  giving  a  little 
over  500  cubic  feet  air  space  per  bed.  The  building  was  improved  in  I860  by  a  shingle  roof,  which 
leaks,  and  in  1867  by  board  floors  in  the  wards  and  dispensary.  One  end  fell  in  a  storm  in  the 
spring  of  1869,  and  was  replaced  by  weather-boarding.  The  ceiling  is  of  old  canvas. 

The  following  letter  shows  its  condition  in  October,  1868 : 

SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  request  that  I  may  be  furnished  with  one  hospital  in  good  order,  for  the  use  of  the  sick 
at  this  post.  The  adobe  building  now  used  for  this  purpose  is  about  worn  out,  and  in  a  condition  which  renders  it 
liable  to  fall  down  on  the  sick  at  every  storm  that  comes.  It  has  already  given  way  in  one  wall,  and  has  been  propped 
up.  The  steward  has  spent  most  of  the  past  summer  in  patching  it  up  to  keep  out  the  dust  and  rain,  and  still  more 
exertion  will  be  required  this  winter  to  keep  out  the  snow.  It  has  been  frequently  inspected  by  the  post  commander, 
aud  by  other  officers,  and  pronounced  unlit  for  the  proper  treatment  of  the  sick,  and  this  unfitness  becomes  still  more 
apparent  by  comparison  with  the  new  aud  commodious  stone  buildings  occupied  as  store-rooms  and  offices,  and  with  the 
comfortable  houses  of  the  officers. 

It  was  a  custom  in  former  times  to  look  after  the  comfort  of  the  sick  as  one  of  the  first  things  in  building  a  post 
but  here  it  seems  to  have  been  left  to  the  last,  aud,  finally,  by  some  oversight,  neglected  altogether.  It  is  hoped  that 
these  just  grounds  of  complaint  may  be  speedily  removed,  by  giving  the  matter  that  prompt  attention  which  its  import- 
ance demands. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  H.  FOKWOOD, 
Bv't  Maj.  and  Ass't  Surg,  U.  S.  A.,  in  Charge. 

Similar  representations  and  requests  were  made  during  the  year  1869,  by  Assistant  Surgeon 
Woodhull,  United  States  Army,  but  without  result. 

The  quartermasters'  and  commissary  store-houses  are  stone  buildings  in  good  condition. 

The  water  supply  of  the  post  is  mainly  from  the  creek,  being  hauled  in  barrels.  There  are 
several  wells,  from  15  to  40  feet  deep,  but  the  water  in  most  of  them  is  sulphurous,  and  unfit  for 
use.  The  drainage  of  the  post  is  entirely  superficial,  and  not  good,  but  this  is  of  less  importance 
on  account  of  the  scanty  rain-fall. 

Owing  to  repeated  failures  in  previous  years,  no  garden  was  attempted  during  1869.  The 
causes  of  want  of  success  are  deficient  rains,  intense  heat,  poor  soil,  grasshoppers,  and  hail  storms. 

Limited  quantities  of  fresh  vegetables  are  brought  to  the  post  in  summer,  and  sold  at  high 
rates,  e.  g.,  potatoes,  $2  50  per  bushel;  tomatoes,  $1  per  peck,  &c. 

The  nearest  railroad  station  is  Fort  Hays,  50  miles  distant.  A  mail  is  received  once  a  week. 
The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of   white  troops  at    fort 

Lamed,  Kansas,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


if 

-d 

=5 

i 

3 

BJ 

S 
f* 

P 

1 

J 

4. 

| 

Years. 

I 

S       X 

d 

o» 

"s 

—    ~ 

;•§ 

| 

I 

S 

8 

»c 

3 

pS  ^ 

S 

"S  * 

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g 

p 

S 

1     - 

Iw 

« 

o  _~ 

^-    ~ 

it 

c 

s 

• 

eg 

1e 

£  - 

S 

o 

H 

02 

« 

O 

IZi 

1868  

165  5 

259 

25 

71 

. 

Q 

97 

1 

1869  

112  33 

89 

a 

13 

A 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FOKT  DODGE,  KANSAS. 


301 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort 

Larned,  Kansas,  for  the  year  1868. 


Year. 

•3 

! 

li 

§ 

S 

B 

<2 

g 

g 
ill 

c     3 

rf 

1 

j, 

2| 

J 

1 

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s 

f  ". 

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V 

I 

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1 

S 

« 

1 

OB 

6 

1 

1868 

83.33 

88 

8 

32 

4 

4 

g 

9 

1  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  DODGE,  KANSAS. 

INFORMATION   FUKNISHED   BY   ASSISTANT   SURGEONS  C.  S.  DE  GRAW  AND  W.  S.  TREMAINE,  UNITED 

STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Dodge  is  situated  ou  the  iiortli  bank  of  the  Arkansas  Eiver,  ou  the  old  Santa  Fe  trail, 
latitude  37°  50'  north,  longitude  100°  west.  It  is  at  the  foot  of  a  range  of  limestone  bluffs,  about 
75  feet  high,  on  a  low  piece  of  bottom  land,  consisting  of  blackish  clay  mixed  with  sand,  and  formed 
by  washings  from  the  bluffs.  The  width  of  this  strip  is  about  800  feet. 

The  position  is  weak  in  a  military  point  of  view,  being  commanded  by  the  bluffs,  and  liable  to 
surprise  ou  account  of  the  numerous  ravines  in  the  rear,  in  a  sanitary  point  of  view  the  location 
is  bad,  the  low  land  being  difficult  to  drain  and  flanked  by  a  creek  and  low  marshy  ground.  Ma- 
larial diseases  are  frequent  during  the  autumn  mouths.  A  much  better  location,  but  a  few  hundred 
yards  distant,  would  be  on  an  elevated  plateau,  with  good  natural  drainage  and  commanding  an 
extensive  view  of  the  surrounding  country.  The  meadow  lands  on  the  right  and  left  of  the  post 
and  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  here  about  500  yards  wide,  furnish  excellent  grazing.  The 
upland  in  the  vicinity  is  covered  with  buffalo  grass.  No  timber  is  found  within  fifteen  miles. 
Buffalo,  antelope,  deer,  and  rabbits  abound,  and  wild  ducks  in  large  numbers  frequent  the  river 
and  adjacent  ponds.  The  climate  is  dry,  there  having  been  14  rainy  days,  with  a.total  rain-fall  of 
8.2  inches  during  1809.  The  average  temperature  is  about  56°  F. 

The  post  was  established  in  1864  by  General  G.  M.  Dodge,  United  States  volunteers,  the  site 
being  an  old  camping  ground  for  trains  going  to  New  Mexico — what  is  known  as  the  "dry  route" 
from  Larned  strikiug  the  Arkansas  at  this  point.  It  is  between  the  two  principal  points  at  which 
the  Indians  cross  the  Arkansas — one  at  Cimarron,  twenty-five  miles  west;  the  other  at  Mulberry 
Creek,  fifteen  miles  east. 

From  the  prevailing  high  winds  in  this  vicinity  it  was  very  difficult  to  quarter  the  troops  in 
tents,  and  from  the  occupancy  of  the  post  to  October,  1867,  when  one  of  the  present  barracks  was 
completed  and  occupied,  the  troops  were  quartered  in  "dug-outs"  along  the  river  bank,  which  is 
from  eight  to  twelve  feet  above  the  water.  A  "dug-out"  consisted  of  a  cellar  near  the  edge  of  the 
bank,  10  by  12  feet  and  4  or  5  feet  deep,  roofed  over  with  poles,  gunny  bags,  brush,  and  earth, 
about  two  feet  above  the  ground,  with  one  door,  a  hole  for  a  window,  and  a  sod  chimney  and  fire- 
place. Banks  of  earth  were  left  for  bunks.  There  were  seventy  of  these,  from  two  to  four  men 
being  quartered  in  each.  The  officers'  quarters  and  the  hospital  were  good  buildings,  roofed  with 
earth.  During  the  summer  of  1866  some  lumber  was  obtained,  and  the  condition  of  the  "dug- 
outs"' was  materially  improved,  the  roofs  were  raised,  wooden  bunks  constructed,  and  the  sides 
and  roof  lined  with  pieces  of  condemned  tents.  In  1867  the  post  was  visited  by  epidemic  cholera. 
During  this  year  a  stone  quarry  having  been  opened  about  five  miles  from  the  post,  quarters, 
store-houses,  &c.,  were  erected. 

During  the  prevalence  of  Indian  hostilities,  in  the  winter  of  1868-'69,  the  post  was  an  import- 
ant base  of  operations.  The  barracks  for  enlisted  men  consist  of  three  buildings — two  of  stone,  one 
of  adobe,  each  130  by  30  feet,  and  9  feet  high  in  the  clear,  with  an  L,  50  by  30  feet,  containing  the 


302 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


dining-room  and  kitchen.  The  dormitory,  118  feet  long,  contains  22  double  two-tier  bunks,  allow- 
ing 362  cubic  feet  per  man.  Ventilation  is  effected  by  opposite  windows  and  doors;  heating  by 
wood  stoves.  In  the  rear  is  a  well,  and  attached  to  the  kitchen  is  a  wooden  shed,  with  trough  for 
washing.  The  latrines  are  about  30  yards  distant.  Laundresses  and  married  soldiers  live  in  dug- 
outs and  sod  buildings  along  the  river  bank.  The  commanding  officer's  quarters  is  a  stone  build- 
ing, one  and  a  half  stories  high,  and  arranged  for  a  field  officer;  it  consists  of  a  central  hall,  with 
two  rooms  on  each  side,  18  by  18  by  10  feet,  a  kitchen  in  L,  and  four  attic  rooms.  The  lower 
rooms  are  heated  by  fireplaces,  and  lighted  and  ventilated  by  two  windows  each. 

Quarters  for  the  other  officers  of  the  command  are  insufficient  in  number,  several  being  as  yet 
in  an  unfinished  state.  An  adobe  cottage,  one  story  high,  is  divided  by  a  partition  wall  into  two 
dwellings,  each  containing  two  rooms,  17  by  17  by  9  feet,  a  hall,  a  kitchen,  and  two  attic  rooms. 
One  dwelling  is  occupied  by  two  families,  ten  persons  in  all ;  the  other  dwelling  accommodates  one 
family,  consisting  of  six  persons.  Each  room  is  warmed  by  a  fireplace,  and  lighted  and  ventilated 
by  two  windows.  The  material  of  which  this  house  is  constructed  is  poorly  adapted  for  a  build- 
ing of  a  permanent  character,  exposed  to  the  severe  storms  prevalent  in  this  locality.  The 
walls  are  much  washed  away,  and  to  prevent  the  destruction  of  the  building  it  will  have  to  be 
weather-boarded  at  an  early  date.  A  one-story  stone  building,  containing  four  rooms,  18  by  18  by 
10  feet,  one  kitchen,  and  four  attic  rooms,  is  occupied  by  four  officers.  A  small  frame  building, 
containing  three  rooms,  15  by  15  by  8  feet,  aifords  quarters  for  three  officers.  Two  small  shanties 
of  the  negro  cabin  order  are  quarters  for  one  captain  and  two  lieutenants,  one  of  the  latter  having  a 
family  of  four  persons.  These  comprise  the  quarters  of  the  officers,  ladies,  children,  and  servants ; 
thirty  individuals  to  be  sheltered  from  the  weather  in  eight  rooms,  18  by  18  feet  each;  by  dint  of 
crowding  into  attics,  closets,  and  shanties,  the  difficult  problem  is  solved;  but,  of  course,  health, 
comfort,  and  convenience  are  not  taken  into  consideration. 

The  store-houses,  two  in  number,  located  on  the  west  side  of  the  parade,  are  built  of  sand- 
stone, 130  by  30  feet  each,  and  separated  by  a  wooden  shed,  110  by  27  feet,  which  is  used  as  a 
forage  house.  At  the  north  end  of  each  building  two  rooms  are  partitioned  off  as  offices,  one  for 
post  headquarters.  The  nearest  depots  of  supply  are  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  367  miles 
distant;  the  route  is  by  rail  from  Leavenworth  City  to  Hays  City,  thence  by  wagons.  Eight 
months'  supply  of  subsistence  is  usually  kept  on  hand. 

On  the  same  side  of  the  parade,  and  placed  between  the  store- 
houses and  the  hospital,  is  the  guard-house,  a  temporary  wooden  shed, 
18  by  24  feet,  in  very  bad  condition  and  poorly  adapted  to  the  pur- 
poses for  which  it  is  used.  Its  cubic  capacity  is  4,860  feet;  stoves 
are  used  for  warming;  windows  afford  light  and  ventilation.  Its 
average  occupancy  is  18. 

The  hospital,  located  at  the  northwest  corner  of  the  parade,  is 
built  of  stone,  one  story  high,  and  finished  and  occupied  in  February, 
1868.  The  arrangement  of  the  hospital  is  bad,  as  will  be  seen  by 
reference  to  Figure  40. 

A,  ward,  26 by  43  feet;  B,  wash-room,  6$ by  7 feet;  D,  dispensary, 
15J  by  16 J  feet;  K,  kitchen,  10  by  18  feet;  M,  dining-room,  10 £  by 
17  feet;  N,  bed-room,  10  by  15J  feet;  O,  office,  15J  by  16£  feet;  S, 
store-room,  10  by  15J  feet. 

The  ward  is  a  passage-way  between  the  dispensary  and  steward's 
room  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  kitchen,  dining,  and  attendants'  rooms 
on  the  other,  thus  separating  the  administration.  The  building  is 
heated  by  stoves,  and  lighted  by  candles  and  lard-oil  lamps.  The 
ward,  containing  12  beds,  is  plastered  and  hard-finished,  lighted  and 
ventilated  by  nine  windows  on  opposite  sides;  no  other  means  of 
securing  ventilation  is  provided,  and  the  top  sash  of  the  windows  is 
Figure  40.— Scale,  31i  feet  to  l  inch,  not  made  to  lower;  the  air  space  per  bed,  however,  is  ample,  being 
1,040  cubic  feet.  The  wash  room  adjoining  contains  a  bath-tub  and  basins.  Situated  about  75 
feet  to  the  west  is  a  frame  building,  40  by  24  by  9  feet,  not  plastered  nor  ceiled,  and  occupied  as  a 
ward  for  colored  troops,  with  a  portion  partitioned  off  for  a  store-room.  The  ward  contains  five 


A 


FORT  DODGE,  KANSAS.  303 

beds,  with  784  cubic  feet  of  air  space  to  each.    The  sinks  are  about  30  yards  distant  from  the  main 
building. 

The  post  bakery,  built  of  stone,  contains  two  ovens,  capable  of  baking  500  rations  of  bread 
per  diem. 

The  quartermaster's  corral  has  a  sod  wall,  8  feet  high,  on  the  north  side,  with  a  shed 
extending  its  entire  length  on  the  inner  side ;  the  other  sides  consist  of  a  postand-rail  fence.  At 
the  northeast  corner  is  a  forage-room  and  harness  room.  The  cavalry  corral,  464  feet  east  of  the 
cavalry  quarters,  is  an  inclosure  composed  of  a  sod  wall,  200  feet  long,  by  150  feet  wide,  and  8  feet 
high,  with  a  shed  roof  on  three  sides,  and  capacity  for  one  troop  of  cavalry  horses. 

The  post  library  is  kept  at  the  adjutant's  office,  and  comprises  225  Volumes,  principally  the 
works  of  celebrated  novelists  of  the  day. 

The  water  supply  is  obtained  for  drinking  purposes  from  wells,  and  for  washing  and  extin- 
guishing fires  from  the  Arkansas  River;  for  the  latter  purpose,  buckets  and  axes  are  kept  in  the 
barracks  and  store-houses.  The  supply  from  the  wells  is  plentiful,  and  of  excellent  quality. 

The  drainage  of  the  post  is  effected  by  a  drain  from  each  of  the  company  quarters,  discharging 
into  a  larger  drain  which  empties  into  the  river.  Slops  and  refuse  are  carted  into  the  river  below 
the  post,  and  carried  off  by  the  current.  During  the  summer  months  the  men  bathe  in  the  river, 
but  in  winter  there  are  no  facilities. 

An  attempt  has  been  made  to  cultivate  a  garden  for  the  post  hospital,  which  has  proven  a 
partial  success.  Radishes  and  string  beans  have  been  raised;  the  tomatoes,  melons,  and  potatoes 
are  looking  well.  It  is  believed  that  if  a  systematic  and  determined  effort  was  made  to  cultivate  a 
post  garden  it  would  be  successful,  as  the  soil  is  rich  and  fertile  near  the  river.  The  difficulties 
to  be  overcome  are  the  natural  dryness  of  climate  and  the  attacks  of  insects  and  grasshoppers. 
Watering  the  plants  with  a  diluted  solution  of  coal-oil  has  proved  most  successful  in  meeting 
the  latter  difficulty. 

The  furniture  of  officers'  quarters  consists  principally  of  plain  bedsteads,  tables,  and  chairs,  made 
at  the  post.  The  cost  of  transportation  from  St.  Louis  or  Leavenworth  makes  it  difficult  to  obtain 
other  furniture  except  at  a  very  great  expense. 

Mail  communication  is  had  once  a  week  with  Hays  City,  on  the  Kansas  Pacific  railroad,  dis- 
tant 90  miles,  the  mail  taking  three  days  to  go  and  three  days  to  return.  A  letter  requires  five 
days  to  go  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  The  mail  is  regular,  except  occasionally,  during  the  winter 
months;  temporary  interruptions  are  liable  to  occur  from  snow-storms. 

The  nearest  Indians  are  the  Arapahoes  and  Cheyennes — now  on  the  war  path.  There  are  no 
settlements  of  any  importance  nearer  than  Hays  City. 

An  examination  of  the  sick  reports  of  the  post  for  the  years  1866-'67  shows  but  little  differ- 
ence in  the  proportion  and  variety  of  the  diseases  treated;  and  while  this  could  hardly  be 
said  to  be  a  malarious  country,  yet  the  greater  number  of  cases  is  seen  to  be  from  diarrhosa, 
dysentery,  or  intermittents.  In  the  winter  months  diseases  of  the  respiratory  organs  abound. 
Cholera  was  brought  to  the  post  July  9th,  18G7,  by  a  detachment  of  colored  troops,  en  route  to  New 
Mexico.  The  first  case  appeared  among  the  troops  July  21st,  and  the  disease  raged  until  the  31st 
day  of  that  month,  when  it  disappeared  as  suddenly  as  it  commenced.  This  is  the  onjy  epidemic 
that  has  been  at,  the  post.  The  prevailing  diseases  during  the  summer  mouths  are  diarrhea  and 
dysentery,  but  the  general  health  of  the  post  has  been  good.  Nearly  every  patient  in  the  hospital 
has  come  from  outside'  sources,  being  left  by  transient  troops  en  route  to  and  from  Camp  Supply, 
Indian  Territory,  and  among  them  are  several  cases  of  scurvy.  The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post 
has  been  generally  good.  Earnest  attention  is  paid  in  the  way  of  disinfection,  chloride  of  lime  and 
carbolic  acid  being  used,  and  every  available  means  taken  to  insure  the  health  of  the  garrison. 


304 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Dodge,  Kansas,  for  the 

years  1865,  1866,  1867. 


fe 

»d 

- 

(O 

, 

9 

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s  y 

Si 

X 

(H 

B 

& 

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5  o 

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a 

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Years. 

c 

£ 

41 

Go 

a 

1 

3  " 

g 

•2  -3 
| 

g 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrhoea 
dysente 

Tonsillitis. 

Diphtheria 

Epidemic  c 

Venereal  di 

C 

o 
cc 

Rheumatis 

Catarrhal 
tions. 

No.  of  deat 

1865  1866,  and  1867  

201.  43 

759 

i 

125 

259 

2 

1 

7 

27 

57 

17 

74 

20 

Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  side,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort .  Dodge,  Kansas,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


f. 

k 

B 

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i 

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Years. 

1 

cc 

i 

o 

P  '8 
*1 

0    _S 

41 

rd 

'S 

| 

t^ 

alarial  fe 

iarrhoea 
dysente 

onsillitis. 

1 

,9 

& 

enereal  d 

lieumatis 

X 

'x 

!3 
29 

^H         X 

-    a 

,C     0 

&  S 

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1868 

232.  83 

350 

1 

25 

166 

9 

27 

16 

2 

13 

2 

1869 

129.  41 

164 

30 

40 

5 

2 

6 

8 

16 

3 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  HAYS,  KANSAS. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  A.  F.  MECHEM,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Hays,  in  the  central  part  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  latitude  38°  59'  north,  longitude  99° 
west  from  Greenwich,  2,107  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  is  located  on  a  slightly  elevated  piece 
of  ground  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  Big  Creek,  a  branch  of  the  Smoky  Hill  Fork  of  the  Kansas 
River;  10  miles  north  of  the  Sinoky  Hill  Fork,  and  15  miles  south  of  the  Saline  River,  another 
branch  of  the  Kansas. 

The  nearest  mountains  are  from  200  to  250  miles  distant  in  a  westerly  direction.  The  nearest 
post,  Fort  Lamed,  is  41  miles  southeast ;  Fort  Dodge,  about  80  miles  south ;  Fort  Harker,  69 
miles  east  on  the  Kansas  Pacific  railroad,  and  Fort  Wallace,  near  the  same  road,  127  miles  west. 

Hays  City,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  post,  is  the  nearest  station  of  the  Kansas 
Pacific  railroad. 

Old  Fort  Hays,  on  Big  Creek,  15  miles  east  of  this  post,  was  established  in  the  autumn  of  1866 
to  protect  the  employes  of  the  Kansas  Pacific  Railroad  Company  from  the  attacks  of  Indians,  and 
at  first  was  named  Fort  Fletcher,  in  honor  of  ex-Governor  Fletcher,  of  Missouri ;  but  afterward, 
in  the  winter  of  1866-'67,  the  name  was  changed  to  Fort  Hays,  in  honor  of  Major  General  Isaac  G. 
Hays,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness.  During  the  summer  of  1867,  it  became 
necessary  to  abandon  the  site  first  chosen  on  account  of  a  destructive  overflow  of  Big  Creek  at  that 
point.  The  present  site  of  Fort  Hays  was  selected  by  Brevet  Major  General  Gibbs,  United  States 
Army,  major  Seventh  United  States  Cavalry,  June  22,  1867,  by  authority  of  Major  General  Han- 
cock, commanding  the  Department  of  the  Missouri. 

The  reservation  is  irregularly  triangular,  extreme  length  6  miles,  extreme  breadth  3J  miles, 
and  contains  about  7,500  acres.  This  tract  of  land  and  country  in  the  immediate  vicinity  are  sit- 
uated in  a  shallow  basin  surrounded  by  a  low  limestone  ridge,  the  distance  from  the  post  to  the 
ridge  varying  from  2  to  5  miles.  The  surface  of  the  reservation  is  gently  undulating,  and  is  tra- 


FOKT  HATS,  KANSAS.  305 

versed  by  numerous  gullies  running  from  the  ridge  to  the  creek,  which  convey  the  surface  drainage 
of  the  reservation  and  the  ground  about  the  post. 

The  geological  formation  includes  a  series  of  groups  constituting  the  secondary  mountain  for- 
mation of  the  cretaceous  system.  This  formation  occurs  at  greater  or  less  depths  on  the  reserva- 
tion, but  crops  out  throughout  the  whole  extent  of  the  ridge  which  surrounds  the  post.  Bivalve 
fossil  shells  are  very  abundant  in  these  rocks. 

Overlying  the  cretaceous  strata  from  above  downward,  we  have  dark,  sandy  loam,  fine  silicious 
loam  of  a  buff  color,  yellow  clay,  and  hard  marly  clay.  Selenite,  breccia,  and  conglomerates  are 
found  thinly  scattered  over  the  ground  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post.  The  soil  is  tolerably  fertile  in 
the  bottoms,  but  unproductive,  not  so  much  for  want  of  rain  as  on  account  of  the  dry  scorching 
winds  which  sweep  the  plains  during  the  summer  season. 

The  trees  grow  almost  exclusively  along  the  banks  of  the  streams,  as  there  are  but  few  other 
localities  which  are  protected  from  the  annual  fires  which  sweep  the  plains.  A  few  elms  have  been 
found  in  the  ravines  and  cedars  on  the  cliffs.  The  elm  surpasses  all  other  trees,  both  in  beauty  and 
number,  on  the  bank  of  the  creek  near  the  post. 

The  wild  animals  found  near  the  post  are  three  varieties  of  the  common  bat,  the  American 
wild  cat,  gray  wolf,  coyote,  long-tailed  weasel,  common  mink,  American  badger,  raccoons,  skunk, 
American  otter,  American  beaver,  striped  gopher,  prairie  dog,  wood  rats,  yellow  haired  porcupine, 
common  American  hare,  prairie  hare,  jackass  rabbit,  American  elk,  antelope,  two  varieties  of  the 
genus  cervus,  and  the  American  buffalo. 

The  birds  are  the  turkey  buzzard,  duck-hawks,  pigeon-hawk,  sparrow-hawk,  great  horned  owl, 
screech  owl,  burrowing  owl,  sapsucker,  black  woodcock,  red-headed  woodpecker,  red-shafted  nicker, 
whippoorwill,  nighthawk,  belted  kingfisher,  bee  martin,  robin,  cliff  swallow,  mocking  bird,  red  bird, 
cowbird,  red- winged  blackbird,  western  lark,  crow  blackbird,  crow,  blue  jay,  Carolina  dove,  wild  tur- 
key, dusky  grouse,  prairie  chicken,  sand-hill  crane,  killdeer,  wild  goose,  long-billed  curlew,  blue- 
winged  teal,  mallard. 

The  fish  found  in  Big  Creek,  near  the  post,  belong  principally  to  the  Cyprinidte  or  carp  family; 
the  common  shiner,  (Leuciscus  americanus ;)  brook,  minnow,  (Leuciscm  atronacus;)  chub  suckers, 
( Catostomi.)  Besides  these  are  the  catfish  or  common  horned  pout.  The  crustaceans  are  repre- 
sented by  the  craw-fish,  and  the  mollusks  by  the  Unio  or  fresh-water  clam,  both  found  in  the 
creek.  There  are  but  few  streams  in  this  region.  Big  Creek,  the  only  one  within  ten  miles,  is  a 
clear  running  stream,  from  10  to  20  feet  wide,  with  gravelly  bottom  and  good  fall.  Four  wells, 
from  30  to  50  feet  deep,  were  dug  at  different  points  about  the  post  in  July  and  August,  1867,  and 
walled  with  limestone.  No  springs  have  been  found  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  nearest  ponds,  about 
two  miles  distant,  are  near  the  creek,  containing  water  only  for  a  short  time  after  heavy  rains. 

The  climate  is  hot  and  dry  in  summer,  and  cold  in  winter ;  very  changeable ;  strong  winds  pre- 
vail the  greater  part  of  the  year ;  mean  temperature  for  18G9,  52.89°;  hygrometrical,  48.92°;  extreme 
heat,  108°,  2  p.  m.  July  12th,  1869 ;  extreme  heat  (hygrometrical)  99°,  same  date ;  extreme  cold  5°  below 
zero,  9  p.  m.,  December  23d.  Kain-fall  for  1869, 18^  inches;  greatest  amount  in  any  one  month  during 
the  year  4,%  inches  in  June.  The  rain-fall  was  heavier  in  1869  than  had  ever  been  remarked  before  in 
this  section  of  country.  Six  days  of  snow  during  the  same  year ;  greatest  fall  in  the  months  of  Feb- 
ruary and  December.  The  prevailing  winds  for  the  greater  part  of  the  year  are  from  the  south;  in 
the  fall  and  winter  northerly  winds  prevail.  The  winds  are  dry  and  scorching  in  the  summer  and 
early  fall,  cold  and  piercing  in  the  winter  and  early  spring.  The  barracks,  for  four  companies,  con- 
sist of  four  frame  buildings  erected  in  the  winter  of  1867-'6S,  by  citizen  carpenters  in  the  employ 
of  the  quartermaster.  These  buildings  are  temporarily  constructed  of  pine  lumber,  with  single- 
cased  wooden  walls,  boards  nailed  on  vertically,  and  the  joints  battened.  They  are  not  ceiled  or 
plastered.  Each  barrack  is  118  feet  long  by  24  feet  wide,  10  feet  high  from  floor  to  eaves,  and  6  feet 
from  eaves  to  ridge ;  divided  into  two  dormitories,  55  by  24  feet  and  42  by  24  feet,  respectively. 
Firs't  sergeant's  room,  13  by  13  feet ;  store-room,  11  by  13  feet ;  hall  between  the  dormitories,  6  by  24 
feet ;  capacity  of  the  dormitories,  22,152  cubic  feet.  The  dormitories  and  first  sergeant's  room  are 
warmed  by  wood-burning  stoves,  and  ventilated  by  means  of  opposite  windows  and  louvres  in  sum- 
mer. The  strong  winds  prevailing  in  the  fall,  winter,  and  spring  thoroughly  ventilate  the  buildings 
at  those  seasons  by  passing  through  the  walls  and  roof.  The  average  occupancy  of  the  barracks 
39 


306  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

allows  frora'500  to  600  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  The  beds  are  double-tier  wooden  bunks, 
two  men  sleeping  together  in  each  tier,  four  men  in  each  bunk.  There  is  a  drawer  for  each  occu- 
pant under  the  lower  berth,  and  an  arm-rack  and  shelf  at  the  foot  of  the  bunk,  the  whole  arrange- 
ment being  very  objectionable.  The  bedding  consists  of  bedsacks,  washed  and  filled  with  fresh 
straw  monthly,  and  two  blankets  to  each  man.  At  present  there  are  no  wash  or  bath-rootns,  but 
it  is  proposed  to  build  additions  to  the  mess-rooms  for  that  purpose.  The  sinks  are  in  rear  of  and 
lower  than  the  barracks,  about  50  yards  distant,  and  consist  of  pits  covered  with  small  frame 
buildings.  These  sinks  are  moved  occasionally,  and  the  excreta  in  the  pits  thickly  covered  with 
dry  earth.  In  rear  of  each  barrack  is  a  frame  building,  66  by  20  feet,  containing  the  mess-room,  46 
by  20  feet,  and  kitchen,  20  by  20  feet;  height  from  floor  to  eaves  10  feet,  from  eaves  to  ridge  of  roof 
6  feet. 

The  married  soldiers'  quarters  consist  of  four  frame  buildings  of  the  same  character  as  the 
barracks,  each  building  containing  four  sets  of  quarters  of  two  rooms  each,  the  rooms  being  12  feet 
square.  Some  of  the  quarters  have  temporary  sheds  in  the  rear  which  are  used  as  kitchens. 
There  are  nine  buildings  at  this  post  used  as  officers'  quarters.  They  are  tolerably  well  constructed 
of  unseasoned  pine  lumber,  which  having  shrunk  since  the  erection  of  the  buildings,  allows  the 
rain  and  snow  to  drive  in,  particularly  when  accompanied  by  high  winds.  All  the  officers'  quar- 
ters are  plainly  finished,  weather- boarded  frame  buildings,  painted  on  the  outside.  The  interior 
walls  and  ceilings  were  at  first  hard-finished,  but  have  since  been  lime-washed.  Seven  of  the  build- 
ings are  one  story  and  a  half  high,  with  porches  in  front,  the  remaining  two  being  one  story  high 
without  porches. 

In  the  commanding  officer's  quarters  there  are  four  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  each  15  by  13  feet,  and 
a  kitchen  17-  by  13  feet,  with  a  hall,  31  feet  by  8  feet  4  inches,  running  from  front  to  rear.  The  four 
attic  rooms  are  used  for  servants,  dormitories,  &c. 

The  other  one-story  and  a  half  buildings  have  two  rooms  in  front,  each  15  feet  square,  with  a 
hall  between  running  from  the  front  door  to  the  dining-room,  which  is  13  by  15  feet.  In  rear  of 
the  dining-room  is  the  kitchen,  15  by  16  feet — height  to  ceiling  in  all  the  rooms  10  feet.  There  are 
two  attic  rooms  over  the  front  rooms. 

The  one-story  buildings  have  each  four  rooms  on  the  first  floor;  in  one,  two  rooms  are  14  by  9 
feet;  the  dining-room,  16  by  14  feet;  kitchen,  14  by  14  feet — height  to  ceiling  10  feet.  In  the  other 
two  rooms,  one  15  feet  square,  and  one  8  by  11  feet — height  to  ceiling  8  feet;  two  other  rooms,  13 
by  11  feet— height  to  ceiling  7£  feet;  kitchen,  15  by  10  feet. 

The  quarters  are  conveniently  arranged  for  one  family,  or  two  or  more  officers  without  families; 
but  when  it  becomes  necessary  for  more  than  one  family  to  live  in  a  single  set  of  quarters,  it  has 
been  found  exceedingly  inconvenient.  To  obviate  this  in  some  measure  temporary  shed-rooms  have 
been  erected  in  the  rear  of  front  rooms  of  some  of  the  quarters. 

In  the  story  and  a  half  buildings,  and  chaplain's  quarters,  the  front  rooms  are  heated  by  means 

of  wood  fires  in  fireplaces,  the  other  rooms  by  means  of  wood-burning  stoves.     They  are  ventilated 

by  means  of  the  fireplaces,  and  the  wind  passing  through  opeuings  about  the  windows  and  doors. 

The  water  for  officers' use  is  brought  from  the  creek  in  a  water-wagon  and  emptied  into  barrels 

placed  near  the  quarters.    There  are  no  bath-rooms. 

The  quartermaster's  store-houses  consist  of  three,  one-story,  frame  buildings,  each  96  by  24  feet, 
built  parallel  to  each  other,  at  an  interval  of  10  feet,  all  joined  the  whole  length  by  narrow  roofs, 
•with  less  pitch  than  the  main  roofs.  The  quartermaster's  offices,  &c.,  are  in  a  one-story  frame 
building,  96  by  24  feet. 

The  commissary  office  and  store-house  are  in  a  one-story  frame  building,  150  by  34  feet.  These 
buildings  are  in  rear  of  the  company  barracks,  outside  of  the  parade  ground  and  diagonally  in  front 
of  the  officers'  quarters,  on  sloping  ground,  lower  than  the  officers'  quarters  or  soldiers'  barracks. 
The  guard-house  is  a  stockade  building  with  shingle  roof,  located  about  seventy-five  yards  in  rear 
of  the  officers'  quarters.  It  is  50  by  20  feet,  and  contains  two  cells,  one  7  by  21  feet,  height  10  feet ; 
the  other  11  feet  6  inches  by  21  feet,  height  8  feet;  the  guard-room,  27  by  20  feet,  height  to  ridge  of  the 
roof  13  feet ;  cubic  capacity  of  the  cells  3,402  cubic  feet — wanned  in  winter  by  a  wood-burning  stove 
in  the  guard-room ;  imperfectly  ventilated  by  windows.  It  is  not  well  fitted  for  the  purpose  intended. 
The  hospital  is  from  50  to  75  yards  from  the  nearest  barrack  and  quarters.  It  is  a  one-story 


FOKT  HAYS,  KANSAS. 


307 


K.M 


frame  building,  built  of  pine  lumber,  with  jointed  weather-boarding,  constructed  in  St.  Louis, 
Missouri,  shipped  to  this  post,  and  erected  in  November,  1807. 

There  are  two  main  buildings,  40  by  24  feet,  with  porches  in  front  and  at  one  end.    The  plan  of 
the  hospital  is  shown  by  Figure 

41.     A,  wards;  D,  dispensary ;  H,  ^ 

passage-way;  K  M,  kitchen  and 
dining-room;  O,  office;  P,  porch; 
S,  store-rooms. 

One  building  is  occupied  en- 
tirely by  a  ward,  40  by  24  feet ;  in 
the  other  is  a  ward,  28  by  24  feet. 
Surgeon's  office,  12  by  9  feet ;  dis- 
pensary, 12  by  7  feet,  with  a  hall 
between  the  office  and  dispensary, 
12  by  8  feet.  In  the  rear  of  the 
large  ward  is  a  wing  of  the  build- 
ing, 24  by  12  feet,  used  as  a  kitchen 
and  dining-room. 


Figure  41.— Scale,  23  feet  to  1  inch. 

In  rear  of  the  other  ward  are  two  store-rooms,  each  12  by  12  feet.    The  two  main 
buildings  are  joined  by  a  passage-way,  14  by  12  feet. 

The  plan  of  the  building  is  deficient  in  many  respects.  There  are  no  wash-rooms,  bath-rooms, 
nor  mess-rooms,  and  the  storage-room  is  insufficient.  The  wards,  office,  and  kitchen,  which  serves 
the  double  purpose  of  kitchen  and  mess-room,  are  heated  by  wood-burning  stoves,  lighted  and  ven- 
tilated by  means  of  windows,  louvres,  and  a  modification  of  McKinnell's  circular  tube. 

The  cubic  capacity  of  the  wards,  including  the  louvres  and  the  passage  between  the  office  and 
dispensary,  is  18,072  cubic  feet.  This,  with  eighteen  beds,  will  give  as  the  air  space  per  man  1,004 
cubic  feet ;  the  occupancy  has,  however,  never  exceeded  fifteen.  The  average  occupancy  has  been 
seven.  The  bath-room  is  in  the  end  of  the  laundry  building,  and  there  is  no  lavatory  connected 
with  it.  The  sink  is  50  yards  in  rear  of  the  hospital,  consisting  of  a  pit  covered  with  a  frame  shed. 
The  dead-house  is  a  frame  building,  about  30  yards  in  rear  of  the  main  building,  15  by  11  feet  6 
inches.  The  baggage  of  the  patients  is  stored  in  the  bafh-room. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  stockade  building,  plastered  with  mud,  roofed  with  shingles,  and  contains 
a  well-constructed  brick  oven. 

There  is  no  post  laundry,  chapel,  nor  school-house.  The  quartermaster's  stables  are  located 
lower  than  the  quarters  and  barracks,  about  75  yards  northeast  of  the  nearest  barracks.  There  are 
four  frame  buildings,  each  175  by  28  feet,  roughly  weather-boarded,  shingle-roofed,  with  ridge 
ventilation;  or  it  may  be  considered  as  one  frame  building,  175  by  112  feet,  with  a  double  "  M" 
shingle  roof,  partitioned  so  as  to  form  four  parallel  stables,  the  aisles  between  the  stables  having  a 
gradual  slope  the  whole  length  of  the  building,  so  that  the  stables  are  dry  and  well  drained  under 
all  circumstances.  This  building  is  inclosed  by  a  stockade  corral,  250  by  225  feet  and  10  feet  high. 

The  quartermaster's  workshops  and  the  quarters  of  quartermaster's  employes  are  adjacent  to 
and  just  outside  the  corral. 

The  cavalry  stables  are  about  100  yards  west  of  the  nearest  barrack,  on  a  gentle  slope,  lower 
than  the  post  dwellings,  and  consist  of  a  main  building,  1 10  by  24  feet,  with  wings  at  the  ends, 
each  86  by  24  feet.  This  building  has  stockade  walls,  plastered  outside  and  inside,  shingle- 
roofed,  with  louvre  ventilation.  The  post  library  is  kept  in  the  adjutant's  office,  the  post  chaplain 
acting  as  librarian.  Books  are  given  out  every  Saturday.  Number  of  volumes  about  200,  princi- 
pally history  and  novels. 

The  most  of  the  water  used  at  the  post  is  brought  from  the  creek  in  a  water-wagon.  Besides 
this  source  of  supply  there  are  four  wells,  one  near  the  quartermaster's  corral,  one  near  the  bar- 
racks, one  in  the  hospital  yard,  and  another  in  rear  of  the  officers'  quarters.  The  supply  of  water 
is  practically  unlimited,  as  there  is  water  in  all  the  wells,  and  there  is  brought  from  the  creek  to 
the  post  between  1,500  and  2,000  gallons  daily.  The  water  from  the  creek  ordinarily  deposits  very 
little  organic  sediment.  After  heavy  rains  the  oxidizable  organic  matter  is  much  increased,  but  not 


308  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

to  such  a  degree  as  to  produce  any  injurious  effects.    The  water  is  impregnated  to  a  limited  extent 
with  lime  and  magnesia,  in  combination  with  carbonic  and  sulphuric  acids. 

The  natural  drainage  is  excellent,  the  post  being  so  located  on  a  slight  elevation  that  the  drain- 
age in  every  direction  is  from  the  site  of  the  post. 

There  are  no  artificial  drains  or  sewers.  The  slops  and  offal  of  the  post  are  transported  every 
morning  to  a  point  about  two  miles  down  the  creek.  The  excreta  is  disinfected  as  often  as  neces- 
sary, and  covered  thickly  with  earth  whenever  the  sinks  are  moved.  The  post  is  very  deficient  in 
bathing  arrangements,  tbere  being  at  present  no  bath-rooms  in  any  building  at  the  post,  except  the 
one  mentioned  at  the  hospital.  Men  bathe  in  the  creek  in  the  summer  season. 

The  cemetery  is  badly  located  between  two  ravines,  which  carry  the  drainage  into  the  creek 
above  the  place  where  the  water  is  procured  for  the  post.  This  fact  has  been  brought  to  the  notice 
of  the  commanding  officer,  and  it  has  been  recommended  to  change  the  site  to  some  point  below 
the  post,  where  all  burials  in  future  shall  be  made.  Area  of  cemetery,  133,464  square  feet,  or  a 
little  more  than  three  acres.  Number  of  graves,  86. 

A  hospital  garden  was  cultivated  last  season,  but  the  plants  were  destroyed  by  insects.  Another 
attempt  to  cultivate  a  small  garden  is  being  made  this  season.  There  are  no  post  or  officers'  gardens. 

Of  the  component  parts  of  the  soldier's  ration,  the  flour,  made  of  a  mixture  of  spring  and 
winter  wheat,  is  of  average  quality.  The  fresh  beef,  for  some  time  during  the  winter,  was  very 
inferior  5  at  present  good  fresh  beef  of  merchantable  standard  is  furnished.  Hard  bread,  very  old 
and  musty ;  salt  pork,  average ;  occasionally  rusty  pieces  are  found.  Much  of  the  bacon  is  infe- 
rior ;  other  articles  of  the  ration  from  good  to  middling. 

The  articles  in  the  list  of  subsistence  stores  are  inferior  with  very  few  exceptions,  so  inferior 
that  they  would  not  be  considered  merchantable  by  experienced  purchasers.  Similar  stores  kept 
for  sale  at  the  trader's  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  at  Hays  City  are  very  much  superior  in 
quality.  Whether  this  inferiority  depends  upon  defective  storage,  long  keeping  in  store,  or  the 
inexperience  and  carelessness  of  the  purchaser,  the  fault  can  certainly  be  remedied.  At  this  post 
all  are  comparatively  independent  of  the  commissary  department,  being  able  to  purchase  from  the 
stores  in  the  vicinity. 

Besides  the  articles  on  the  list,  there  can  be  procured  from  the  post-trader  and  the  stores  in 
Hays  City  fresh  vegetables,  such  as  cabbage,  onions,  asparagus,  lettuce,  and  such  fruit  as  apples, 
pears,  peaches,  oranges,  and  grapes.  Vegetables  and  fruits  are  comparatively  dear  on  account  of 
transportation  from  a  distance. 

The  furniture  of  the  barracks  is  sufficient  in  quantity,  but  of  very  poor  quality,  the  bunks,  for 
instance,  being  of  the  meanest  possible  description. 

The  medical  supph'es  for  the  post  are  obtained  from  the  assistant  medical  purveyor  of  the 
United  States  Army  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  every  six  months. 

There  is  an  uninterrupted  communication  with  Hays  City,  the  nearest  station  on  the  Kansas 
Pacific  railroad.  The  railroad  communication  between  this  place  and  Leavenworth  and  other 
cities  of  Eastern  Kansas  is  at  times  interrupted  by  snow  during  the  winter  season,  (last  winter  the 
interruption,  however,  lasting  but  one  day.)  The  mail  communication  is  daily  from  the  East,  and 
from  the  West  as  far  as  Denver,  Colorado.  The  mail  is  daily  to  and  from  Fort  Wallace,  weekly  to 
and  from  Camp  Supply,  Fort  Dodge,  and  Fort  Larned.  Length  of  time  for  a  letter  to  go  to 
department  headquarters,  36  hours.  * 

The  only  settlement  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  is  Hays  City ;  population  about  150,  consist- 
ing principally  of  whites  and  a  few  negroes.  The  inhabitants  of  this  town  are  mostly  store- 
keepers, saloon  and  restaurant-keepers,  and  a  few  employes  of  the  Kansas  Pacific  railroad.  There 
are  some  loafers  and  desperadoes,  but  the  majority  of  the  inhabitants  are  peaceable,  good  citizens. 
The  nearest  Indians  are  the  Sioux,  Cheyeunes,  Arapahoes,  and  Kiowas.  These  tribes  have  fre- 
quently waged  war  with  the  whites,  but  are  not  now  openly  hostile. 

The  prevalent  diseases  at  the  post  for  the  year  ending  December  31, 1869,  were  acute  diarrhoea, 
attributable  to  improprieties  of  eating  and  drinking,  and  pulmonary  complaints,  caused  by  frequent 
and  sudden  changes  of  weather.  Many  cases  of  intermittent  fever  have  been  treated,  but  no  case 
originated  at  the  post.  Changeable  weather  is  the  only  observed  local  cause  of  disease. 


FOKT  WALLACE,  KANSAS. 


309 


The  population  of  the  vicinity  of  the  post  is  200,  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  Hays  City  having 
left  during  the  latter  part  of  1809.  The  soldiers  have  been  drilled  very  little  during  the  past  year. 
Soldiers  not  on  duty  as  post  guards,  guarding  Hue  of  the  Kansas  Pacific  railrof«d,  or  escort  duty, 
are  generally  on  fatigue  duty,  such  as  policing  the  grounds  in  and  around  the  garrison,  loading 
and  unloading  quartermaster  and  commissary  stores  destined  for  Fort  Dodge,  Camp  Supply,  and 
troops  serving  in  the  field,  and  cutting  and  packing  ice  in  winter,  iV<-. 

Amusements  of  soldiers  consist  of  gymnasium,  ten-pin  alley  at  the  post- trader's,  and  some- 
times ball-playing. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  white  troops  at  Fort  Hays, 

Kansas,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troops  at  Fort 

Hays,  Kansas,  for  the  years  1868  and  1809. 


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*  Include  larjiigitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  WALLACE,  KANSAS. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON   M.  M.  SHEARER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Wallace  is  situated  on  the  south  fork  of  Smoky  Hill  Itiver,  three  miles  from  Pond  City,  the 
nearest  settlement;  latitude  38°  55'  north,  longitude  from  Greenwich  100°  50'  west.  Fourteen  square 
miles  are  held  reserved.  At  this  point  the  Smoky  Hill  is  a  comparatively  beautiful  stream  of  run- 
ning water,  due  to  one  of  its  tributaries,  which  joins  it  about  three  miles  west  of  the  fort ;  beyond 
that  point  the  river  consists  of  occasional  ponds  with  intervening  sand  beds,  through  which  the 
water  takes  a  subterranean  course.  To  the  north  the  plateau  ascends  gradually  for  several  hundred 
yards,  terminating  in  ravines  which  run  to  the  river,  east  of  the  post.  On  the  east,  south,  and 
west  it  descends  more  rapidly  to  the  stream,  which  is  about  300  yards  from  the  bluff  on  which  the 
fort  is  placed. 

The  soil  is  good,  but  unproductive,  for  want  of  water.  There  is  no  timber  within  sixty  miles. 
The  surrounding  country  is  rolling  prairie,  covered  with  buffalo  grass. 

Average  temperature  for  1868  and  1869,  50.69°  F. ;  extremes,  111°  F.  and  14°  F.  Eain-fall  for 
1869, 15.65  inches ;  snow-fall,  .55  inch. 


310  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  M1HTAEY  POSTS. 

The  wild  animals  iti  the  vicinity  are  prong-horned  antelope,  black-tailed  deer,  elk,  buffalo, 
wild  horse,  jumping  hare,  muskrat,  rabbit  and  jack  rabbit,  beaver,  otter,  wolves,  and  weasel. 

The  reptiles  are  rattlesnakes,  (very  numerous,)  copperhead,  (not  common,)  black  snake,  milk 
snake,  garter  snake,  ring  snake,  horned  and  common  toads. 

Birds — Wild  goose,  canvas-back  duck,  mallard,  teal,  widgeon,  spoonbill,  pintail,  black  diver, 
black  chin,  (Podiceps  minor,)  crane,  bittern,  coot,  plover,  three  varieties,  great,  little  yellow- 
legged,  and  golden  plover,  (all  quite  numerous,)  curlew,  kingfisher,  avocette,  robin,  finch,  sparrow, 
wren,  meadow  lark,  crow,  blackbird,  red-winged  blackbird,  golden-winged  blackbird,  cow  bunting, 
woodcock,  brown  thrush,  bee  martin,  or  king  bird,  bobolink,  woodpecker,  yellow  hammer,  wild 
turkey,  quail,  grouse. 

Two  of  the  barracks  are  constructed  of  adobe,  or  rather  of  a  marl,  which  can  be  easily  worked  with 
carpenters'  tools,  and  in  a  recent  state  is  of  a  light  pink  color.  It  grows  harder  and  darker  on  ex- 
posure, owing  to  the  presence  of  magnesium  and  iron.  These  buildings  measure  118  by  25  feet,  with 
a  height  of  11  feet  3  inches  to  the  eaves,  3  inches  to  the  ridge,  inside  measurement.  The  walls  are 
two  feet  in  thickness.  The  buildings  are  divided  into  soldiers'  quarters,  100  feet  in  length,  and 
two  small  rooms,  used  for  first  sergeants'  and  store-rooms,  giving  a  space  of  490  cubic  feet  to  each 
man  of  a  company  of  infantry  of  minimum  strength. 

The  buildings  are  placed  so  low  as  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  any  ventilation  beneath, 
though  they  are  ventilated  at  the  ridge. 

The  company  quarters  are  lighted  by  three  windows  upon  the  west  and  two  upon  the  east  side, 
each  window  being  arched,  7  feet  3  inches  in  height,  and  3  feet  in  width.  Additional  light  is 
obtained  by  means  of  a  glass  in  the  upper  part  of  each  door  in  the  building. 

The  barracks  are  warmed  with  stoves  provided  with  drums,  the  pipe  extending  the  length  of 
the  room. 

Each  dormitory  contains  forty  double  bunks  in  two  tiers,  intended  for  eighty  men. 

The  remaining  barracks  (of  wood)  are  a  little  wider  than  those  just  described,  and  are  simi- 
larly arranged.  These  quarters  are  unprovided  with  bath-rooms.  The  temporary  structures  used 
for  kitchen  and  mess-room  purposes  are  of  rough  boards,  battened,  roofed  with  tenting,  and  only 
in  part  floored.  Similar  material  is  used  in  most  of  the  temporary  structures  at  this  post.  The 
cheerlessness  of  these  accommodations  is  mitigated  by  a  rigid  system  of  cleanliness  and  white- 
washing. 

There  are  at  this  post  three  temporary  structures  occupied  by  the  families  of  non-commis- 
sioned officers.  Four  married  soldiers  occupy  hospital  tents,  framed  and  lined  inside,  all  contrib- 
uting forcibly  to  the  unfinished  and  temporary  aspect  presented  by  this  post. 

A  row  of  officers'  quarters  forms  the  limit  of  the  parade  to  the  north,  while  to  the  south  the 
guard-house  and  magazine  are  all  that  interfere  with  the  view  south  of  the  river.  The  officers' 
quarters  are  each  40  feet  in  length  by  20  feet  in  depth,  and  are  one  story  high.  They  are  con- 
structed of  rough  boards,  battened,  roofed  with  shingles,  and  provided  with  verandas  in  front.  A 
board  partition  divides  each  building  into  two  sets  of  quarters,  which  are  subdivided  into  three 
small  rooms  and  a  similar-sized  hall.  For  the  accommodation  of  married  officers,  similarly-con- 
structed kitchens  have  been  added  to  a  part  of  the  buildings,  and  lath  and  plaster  replace  the 
ordinary  lumber  ceiling  and  partitions.  These  quarters  have  been  greatly  improved  in  appearance 
by  the  construction  of  a  high  light  fence  of  boards  in  rear  and  pickets  in  front  of  each  building. 
New  large  and  permanent  outhouses  have  also  been  erected  for  the  use  of  the  occupants  of  these 
quarters. 

The  store-houses,  occupying  the  southwestern  portion  of  the  camp,  are  durable  buildings  of 
stone,  128  feet  in  length,  24  feet  in  width,  and  10  feet  to  the  eaves.  Both  are  provided  with  venti- 
lated cellars,  and  are  lighted  by  sky-lights.  The  grain-house  is  constructed  of  wood,  and  has  a 
capacity  of  15,000  bushels.  The  store-rooms  are  all  in  good  condition. 

The  post  guard-house  is  a  durable  structure  of  stone,  34  feet  front  by  31  feet  in  depth,  with  a 
veranda  in  front,  8  feet  in  width.  A  hall  passes  through  the  center  of  the  building,  and  is  lighted 
by  a  window  in  the  rear.  To  the  left  of  this  hall  is  a  sergeant's  room,  15  by  8J  feet,  and  five  cells, 
each  5  by  8J  feet.  To  the  right  of  the  hall  is  the  guard-room,  20  by  14  feet,  and  a  prisoners'  room, 
29  by  13  feet.  The  height  of  this  building  to  the  eaves  is  about  9  feet.  There  is  no  ventilation 


FOKT  WALLACE,  KANSAS.  311 

underneath,  though  it  is  ventilated  at  the  ridge.  For  the  original  garrison  at  this  post,  two  com- 
panies, this  guard-house  was  considered,  for  an  ordinarily  disciplined  command,  sufficient,  but  with 
the  increase  of  the  troops  it  has  been  almost  constantly  crowded. 

There  is  at  the  post,  perhaps,  no  structure  except  the  guard-house,  for  the  proper  construction  of 
which  so  much  contention  is  necessary  as  a  hospital.  This  building  has  received  the  denunciation 
of  officers  from  the  present  and  previous  post  commanders  to  the  Lieutenant  General,  and  has 
reached  its  present  unfinished  condition  at  a  slow  rate  of  progress.  The  necessities  of  the  service 
requiring  the  economy,  so  rigidly  enforced  during  the  latter  part  of  1867,  resulted  in  the  roofing  of 
the  building  before  the  wards  had  reached  to  within  three  feet  of  the  height  contemplated  in  the 
original  design,  and  the  central  administrative  building  was  curtailed  in  its  proportions  even  more 
than  that,  altering  it  essentially  in  its  internal  arrangements.  The  building,  however,  is  well 
built  of  the  stone  referred  to,  and  is  well  adapted  for  its  uses.  It  consists  of  a  central  building 
and  two  wings  as  wards,  with  a  back  building  to  the  central  part,  40  by  20  feet;  the  wings  are  48 
feet  in  length  by  24  in  width,  12  feet  to  the  eaves,  and  17  feet  to  the  ridge.  The  wards  extend  in  a 
north  and  south  direction,  and  are  lighted  by  four  windows  on  each  side,  and  one  window,  same 
size,  on  the  end  of  the  passage;  a  door  communicates  on  either  side  with  the  verandas.  These 
wards  are  well  ventilated  underneath  and  throughout  their  length  by  the  ordinary  ridge  ventila- 
tion. They  are  warmed  by  two  stoves  of  Minnesota  pattern,  large  size,  with  drums,  the  pipe  gain- 
ing exit  through  the  usual  shaft  ventilator.  The  windows  are  so  arranged  as  to  secure  ventilation 
at  the  top. 

In  the  absence  of  any  means  of  securing  a  flow  of  water,  no  closets  exist  in  connection  with 
the  wards,  though  the  bath-room  is  well  fitted  up.  The  wards  have  each  a  capacity  of  12  beds, 
with  an  air  space  of  1,116  cubic  feet  per  bed.  The  central  building  is  34  feet  front  by  44  feet  deep, 
and  is  divided  below  into  four  rooms,  used  respectively  as  surgery,  office,  steward's  room,  and  store- 
room. A  hall,  8  feet  wide,  with  staircase  leading  to  the  floor  above,  also  communicates  with 
the  rear  building ;  another  hall,  5  feet  wide,  communicates  with  the  -wards.  The  second  floor  is 
divided  and  occupied  by  stores  and  attendants ;  a  dead-house  is  also  obtained  in  this  part  of  the 
building;  the  utility  of  this  portion  of  the  hospital  is  compromised  by  the  low  ceilings.  The  back 
building  is  provided  with  a  cellar,  and  furnishes  the  dining-room,  kitchen,  and  laundry  ;  this  portion 
is  plastered,  as  is  the  central  building,  and  the  whole  whitewashed  throughout.  The  bakery  is  a 
new  and  excellent  structure,  well  furnished  with  appliances  and  facilities  for  the  proper  care  of 
flour,  and  has  a  capacity  for  the  baking  of  400  rations.  A  single  story  frame  building  standing  in 
the  center  of  the  eastern  side  of  the  parade  ground  is  occupied  as  chapel  and  adjutant's  office.  The 
stables  are  conveniently  located,  fitted  with  new  stalls,  gravelly  floor,  raised  walk  through  the  cen- 
ter, and  dormitory  windows  on  each  side.  The  library,  kept  in  the  adjutant's  office,  contains 
118  volumes,  consisting  of  works-ou  history  and  standard  light  literature. 

The  configuration  of  the  streain  at  this  point  has  been  somewhat  altered  by  the  construction 
of  a  dam  some  six  or  eight  feet  in  height  and  the  formation  of  a  pond,  from  which  is  obtained 
during  most  of  the  year  the  water  used  by  the  garrison  as  well  as  the  ice  laid  up  during  the  win- 
ter. The  post,  however,  is  supplied  with  a  well,  located  near  the  foot  of  the  bluff,  which  does  not 
extend  below  the  bed  of  the  stream,  and  furnishes  only  the  surface  drainage.  The  water  is  highly 
impregnated  with  minerals,  and  is  further  deteriorated  by  a  wooden  curb,  rendered  necessary 
by  the  variety  of  the  soil,  to  prevent  the  refilling  of  the  well.  An  attempt  has  been  made  to  secure 
water  for  the  garrison  by  means  of  a  well,  located  within  the  limits  of  the  post  proper.  After  pene- 
trating the  alluvium  and  drifts  of  the  cretaceous  in  this  region,  at  a  depth  of  36  feet,  the  un- 
derlying shale  was  reached,  through  which,  at  the  cost  of  great  labor,  the  excavation  proceeded 
for  fifty  additional  feet,  when,  by  the  advice  of  an  experienced  geologist,  the  effort  was  abandoned. 
The  appearance  of  petroleum  in  the  underlying  stratum  was  an  interesting  feature  observed. 

The  fort  being  constructed  on  a  gradual  slope  inclining  to  the  river,  no  artificial  drainage  is 
considered  necessary.  All  refuse  matter  from  kitchens  and  stables,  or  about  the  garrison,  is  con- 
veyed away  daily  in  wagons  kept  exclusively  for  that  purpose. 

The  Smoky  Kiver  flows  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  garrison.  In  the  summer  time  the 
enlisted  men  are  compelled  to  bathe  at  least  once  a  week.  In  winter  season  tubs  situated  in  small 


312 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


rooms  at  the  extremity  of  each  dormitory  are  used  for  the  cleansing  of  the  persons  of  enlisted  men. 
The  frequency  of  the  baths  is  likewise  in  this  case  compulsory. 

The  failure  of  the  post  garden  located  here  for  three  successive  summers  would  seem  to 
demonstrate  the  incapacity  of  the  soil  and  climate  or  the  want  of  practical  agricultural  knowledge 
on  the  part  of  the  garrison.  Not  the  least  discouraging  event  in  connection  with  the  garden  has 
been  the  yearly  destruction  by  insects  of  what  little  nature  had  allowed  to  grow.  The  tributaries, 
either  to  the  east  or  west,  offer  little  better  inducements  to  the  agriculturist. 

The  character  of  rations  obtained  from  the  post  commissary  is  unexceptionable,  with  an  abun- 
dant and  excellent  variety.  By  reason  of  exorbitant  prices  charged  for  extra  articles  of  food  by 
private  parties  shipping  them  from  Eastern  States,  extra  vegetables  are  purchased  from  the  com- 
missary of  subsistence,  for  the  use  of  the  men,  with  the  company  fund. 

The  nearest  quartermasters'  and  subsistence  depots  are  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas, 
402  miles  distant.  The  route  of  supply  is  by  the  Kansas  Pacific  railroad,  and  is  open  at  all 
seasons.  Twelve  months'  supply  is  usually  kept  on  hand.  Medical  supplies  are  obtained  from 
St.  Louis,  Missouri,  upon  requisition,  and  are  received  and  kept  in  good  condition.  The  means  of 
communication  between  the  post  and  the  nearest  town  or  settlement  is  by  stage.  A  mail  arrives 
at  the  post  daily  each  way,  east  and  west,  with  the  exception  of  one  day  in  the  week  for  each 
direction.  The  length  of  time  required  for  a  letter  to  reach  department  headquarters  at  St.  Louis 
is  thirty  hours. 

Five  ambulances — two  only  in  running  order — are  the  means  at  the  post  for  the  transportation 
of  sick.  Scouting  parties  or  detachments  sent  from  the  post  are  never  supplied,  and  it  is  believed 
lives  are  lost  in  consequence.  In  the  hospital  are  ten  stretchers  and  one  Tompkins  wheeled  litter. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country  consist  of  roving  bands  of  hostile  Indians,  as  the 
Arapahoes,  Cheyennes,  Sioux,  and  Kiowas.  Their  physical  condition  is  excellent. 

The  prevailing  disease  at  the  post  and  vicinity  is  rheumatism  in  all  its  varied  phases.  Pneu- 
monia has  prevailed  to  an  alarming  extent  among  the  citizens  working  on  the  railroad,  due  prob- 
ably to  exposure  and  poor  diet.  Colds,  inflammation  of  longs,  and  pleural,  nepatic,  and  intestinal 
derangements  are  diseases  of  local  origin,  though  the  prevailing  diseases  in  garrison  are  generally 
such  as  would  arise  from  error  in  diet,  cold,  and  sudden  changes. 

During  the  winter  and  spring  of  1869  a  large  proportion  of  the  sick  of  colored  troops  at  this 
post  were  cases  of  scurvy,  which  developed  itself  with  terrible  malignancy.  For  the  month  of  April, 
1869,  eighteen  cases  of  this  disease  appear  upon  the  hospital  register,  which  only  in  a  great  minority 
exhibits  the  number  affected  with  the  malady,  which  manifested  itself  in  many  to  a  degree  not 
requiring  their  being  relieved  from  duty,  though  the  modification  was  apparent  in  its  rendering  the 
patient  more  susceptible  to  diseases  arising  from  ordinary  causes  and  more  difficult  to  cure.  The 
manifest  cause  of  this  wide-spread  scorbutic  taint  is  to  be  found  in  the  hardships  and  privations  of 
arduous  winter  scouts,  which  were  frequent,  with  often  little  time  intervening  for  purposes  of 
recuperation,  and  a  constant  pork  diet. 

The  most  prolific  source  of  disease  among  white  troops  has  been  cold,  manifesting  itself  in 
bronchial  affections,  pulmonary  diseases,  and  inflammatory  diarrhoea.  Among  the  colored  troops 
who  have  yielded  to  disease  most  readily  have  been  those  from  the  South,  while  those  recruited  in 
the  North  have  withstood  the  effects  of  climate  and  exposure  equal  to  any  troops  in  the  garrison. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  ofsicl;  and  principal  diseases  of  ichite  troops  at  Fort  Wallace, 

Kansas,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Epidemic  catarrh. 

Venereal  diseases. 

>> 
> 
h 

1 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions.* 

No.  of  deaths. 

1868 

216 

258 

17 

90 

17 

10 

2 

17 

1 

42 

1 

1869  

187 

327 

47 

75 

12 

1 

14 

1 

20 

2 

66 

2 

•Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  LYON,  COLORADO  TERRITORY. 


813 


Statement  Mowing  mean  xtrenyth,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  of  colored  troopn  at  Fort 

Wallace,  Kanms,for  the  yearn  18(>8  and  18(!<). 


i 

1     . 

II 

j 

•S 

5   ^ 

j 

i 

Years. 

a    a 
ca 

<2 

s  -5 

.2 

•3 

.2                                .    x. 

*Z                 ;             ^    1 

i 

| 

» 

i 

,£  •£ 

'i 

^3     » 
—     > 

1 

g 

^                I                ll* 

•g 

1 

* 

s 

a 

5 

1 

-c             ja            - 

02                   W                   fe                v 

x 

, 

1868,  (five  months)  .  .  .      268.  4 

83 

13 

17 

5 

4 

4                            20 

1869,  (five  months)  .  .  .      194.  2 

134 

11 

20 

9 

5 

21               8               1             28 

1 

1 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  LYON,  COLORADO  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  H.  R.  T1LTON,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Lyon  is  situated  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Arkansas  River,  in  latitude  38°  5'  36"  north,  longi  - 
tude  west  from  Greenwich  103°  3'  30",  and  is  about  4,000  feet  above  the  sea-level.  The  reservation 
on  which  the  post  is  situated  has  not  been  declared.  A  little  over  nine  square  miles  is  held 
reserved. 

The  nearest  spurs  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  are  115  miles  west.  Fort  Wallace  is  11.5  miles  to 
the  northeast.  The.  town  of  Kit  Carson,  on  the  Kansas  Pacific  railroad,  is  55  miles  to  the  north- 
east. Los  Animos,  a  small  town  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  lies  one  mile  to  the  west. 

The  geological  formation  is  sandstone  of  the  lower  cretaceous  period.  Eight  miles  distant, 
limestones  of  a  later  period,  very  rich  in  fossils,  are  found.  Coal,  of  poor  quality,  has  been  discov- 
ered on  Rule  Creek,  ten  miles  from  the  post. 

Over  1,000  acres  are  under  cultivation  within  ten  miles  of  the  post.  The  land  is  irrigated  by  a 
small  canal  leading  from  Purgatory  River,  a  small  stream  emptying  into  the  Arkansas,  two  and  a 
half  miles  west  of  the  fort.  Large  crops  of  cereals,  vegetables,  and  melons  are  raised.  Wild 
plums,  currants,  and  gooseberries  grow  on  the  Purgatory  River  bottoms,  and  wild  grapes  are  found 
in  great  abundance  on  both  streams. 

The  following  animals  have  been  killed  or  seen  within  40  miles  of  the  post,  viz  :  Buffalo,  prong- 
horned  antelope,  elk,  black-tailed  deer,  white-tailed  deer,  American  panther,  wild  cat,  white,  gray 
and  dusky  wolves,  coyote,  cinnamon  bear,  fox,  weasel,  mink,  otter,  skunk,  badger,  raccoon,  gopher, 
prairie  dog,  beaver,  kangaroo  rat,  Norway  rat,  porcupine,  muskrat,  mule-rabbit,  sage  hare,  and 
wild  horse. 

Birds  seen  are  the  golden  eagle,  bald  eagle,  pigeon,  sparrow  and  fish  hawks,  prairie  falcon, 
great  horned  owl,  burrowing  owl,  woodpecker,  kingfisher,  robin,  bluebird,  mockingbird,  sky -lark, 
sparrow,  red-winged  blackbird,  meadow-lark,  raven,  magpie,  turtle-dove,  wild  turkey,  prairie 
chicken,  (rare  but  increasing,)  sand-hill  crane,  white  heron,  blue  heron,  killdeer,  plover,  wild  goose, 
and  ducks  of  several  kinds. 

The  climate  is  mild ;  the  nights  are  always  pleasant.  Average  temperature  49°  F. ;  extremes 
108°  F.,  and  22°  F.,  a  difference  of  50°  F.  between  the  morning  and  2  p.  in.,  has  been 
observed,  though  very  seldom.  The  average  humidity  is  56.25.  Annual  rain-tall  11  inches. 
Snows  are  seldom  more  than  three  inches  in  depth,  and  rapidly  disappear. . 

The  fort  is  located  on  a  sandstone  bluff,  the  highest  point  of  which  is  36  feet  above  the  river. 
There  is  a  stratum  of  sand  and  gravel,  more  or  less  impregnated  with  alkali,  overlying  the  sand- 
stone. A  low  bottom,  from  100  to  200  yards  wide,  separates  the  bluff  from  the  river.  This  is  over- 
flowed when  the  river  is  unusually  high,  and  is  very  objectionable,  but  no  place  within  the  limits 
designated  for  the  post  could  be  found  so  free  from  disadvantages  as  this  site.  The  bluff  is  2,000 
feet  wide,  and  1,500  feet  long,  with  a  face  of  sandstone  10  feet  high.  There  is  a  gradual  slope  from 
the  center  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff,  in  all  directions,  making  the  surface  drainage  excellent. 
40 


314  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  site  was  first  occupied  011  the  9th  day  of  June,  1867,  the  old  site,  20  miles  distant,  being 
abandoned  because  of  its  unhealthy  location  and  the  increasing  scarcity  of  wood.  Temporary 
store-houses  were  first  erected  for  the  commissary  and  quartermaster.  The  officers  and  men 
occupied  tents,  while  the  hospital  consisted  of  one  old  hospital  tent  for  a  dispensary,  a  canvas 
ward,  15  by  25  feet,  and  a  canvas  kitchen.  The  warehouses  were  completed  and  occupied  in 
December,  1867. 

The  arrangement  of  the  post  is  shown  in  Plate  No.  7. 

Three  sets  of  barracks  are  built  of  sandstone  ;  the  fourth  is  of  adobe.  They  are  covered  with 
good  shingle  roofs,  and  plastered  inside  with  hard-finished  walls.  The  outside  dimensions  are  100 
by  34  feet;  each  building  is  partitioned  into  a  squad-room,  mess-room,  office,  and  store-room.  The 
squad-rooms  measure  (inside)  66  by  31  feet,  and  are  12  feet  high.  They  have  two  ventilators, 
18  inches  square,  eight  windows,  and  two  outside  doors.  The  air  space  per  man,  allowing  50  men 
to  a  company,  is  492  cubic  feet.  The  bunks,  in  two  tiers  and  double,  accommodate  four  men  each. 
The  rooms  are  heated  by  wood-stoves,  and  the  chimneys,  being  at  the  ends,  necessitate  a  large 
amount  of  stove-pipe.  The  floors,  which  are  not  tight,  are  two  feet  above  the  ground,  and  there 
are  numerous  openings  in  the  outside  walls,  giving  free  circulation  of  air,  under  and  through  the 
buildings.  The  sinks  are  located  over  the  edge  of  the  bluff,  and  are  rebuilt  as  required,  from  time 
to  time. 

There  are  six  laundresses'  quarters,  wooden  buildings,  12  by  24  by  8  feet,  and  one  forage- 
master's  house  of  the  same  dimensions. 

The  commanding  officer's  quarters  are  46i  by  39,4  feet,  outside  measurement,  one  and  a  half 
stories  high,  with  a  kitchen  back,  16  by  17  feet,  one  story  high.  There  are  four  rooms  on  the 
first  floor,  18  feet  square  and  10  feet  high,  and  a  hall,  7  feet  wide;  on  the  second  floor  are  four 
rooms,  each  14  by  18  feet. 

There  are  in  course  of  erection  six  buildings,  each  containing  two  sets  of  captains'  quarters, 
which  will  be  54f  by  39i  feet,  one  story  and  a  half  high,  with  a  kitchen,  21  by  32  feet,  one  story 
high.  The  rooms  will  be  of  the  same  size  as  in  the  commanding  officer's  quarters.  Temporary 
quarters  for  officers  are  built  of  limes,  ne  and  mud,  with  board  roofs ;  seven  of  them  measure  22 
by  54  by  9  feet,  and  the  eighth  22  by  38  by  9  feet.  The  commissary's  and  quartermaster's  store- 
houses are  320  feet  apart,  built  of  sandstone,  and  are  each  42  by  100  feet,  outside  measurement 
with  basements  9  feet  deep,  and  an  upper  story,  12  feet  high.  The  forage-house  is  built  of  wood, 
40  by  140  by  12  feet,  and  well  ventilated.  Located  at  a  distance  from  the  garrison,  and  near  the 
edge  of  the  bluff,  is  the  magazine,  constructed  of  sandstone.  The  ice-house  is  made  of  logs  and 
poles,  in  the  side  of  the  bluff,  (under  ground,)  with  a  dirt  roof,  and  a  shingle  roof  above  that.  It 
is  45  by  46  by  10  feet,  outside  measurement,  and  has  a  capacity  of  about  389  tons  of  ice.  The 
blacksmiths,  wheelwrights,  and  saddlers  are  occupying  temporary  frame  buildings.  The  guard-house 
is  a  temporary  frame  building,  12  by  36  feet,  and  8  feet  high.  It  is  ventilated  by  latticed  windows 
and  warmed  by  a  stove.  The  building  contains  one  common  prison,  12  by  20  by  12  feet;  there  are, 
besides,  two  underground  cells  6  by  7f  by  6§  feet,  ventilator  9  inches  square,  for  those  undergoing 
solitary  confinement. 

The  building  now  occupied  as  hospital,  and  situated  in  the  center  of  the  post,  is  built  of  gray 
sandstone,  and  consists  of  a  main  building  45  feet  square,  and  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  with  a  ward 
and  wing  attached ;  the  other  ward  has  only  the  foundation  laid.  The  main  portion  consists  of  4  rooms, 
each  16  feet  8  inches  square,  and  11  feet  11  inches  high,  with  two  halls.  The  ward,  25  by  34  by  11  feet 
10  inches,  accommodates  12  patients,  giving  856  cubic  feet  of  air  space  to  each.  The  building  has 
large  windows  in  opposite  sides,  two  outside  doors,  half  sash,  with  transom  windows  over  them, 
and  nine  ventilators,  20  inches  in  diameter,  arranged  four  on  each  side  and  one  in  the  center  of  the 
ward,  through  which  the  stove-pipe  is  carried.  A  shaft  extends  from  each  side  of  the  ward  below 
the  floor,  and  opens  beneath  the  stove.  The  bath-room  adjoins  the  ward  at  one  end ;  the  back  build- 
ing is  divided  into  a  dining-room,  kitchen,  and  laundry ;  a  cellar  extends  beneath  the  kitchen.  A 
porch,  8  feet  wide,  extends  from  the  front  of  the  main  building  around  the  ward  to  the  diuing-room. 
All  the  doors  in  the  hospital  have  transom  windows,  and  the  walls  are  plastered  and  hard-finished. 
This  building  will  shortly  be  occupied  for  post  headquarters,  as  a  new  hospital  building  is  now  in 
process  of  erection,  and  will  be  completed  before  the  coming  winter.  Its  location  is  far  more 


FORT  LYON, 
(1()L()RAJ)0  TERRITORY 


Scale:  400fLtolJn. 


k     • 

^ 


ComyWarrJioa.se  QMWarthou.ic 


C3  Utjd.-am'tlu 

I         -,  I  li'ltrtturiqht  f:  Suci/rr 

cn 


PLATEN?   " 


FOUT  LYOX,  COLORADO  TKKrMTOItY.  315 

desirable,  being  placed  on  tlie  northeast  side  of  the  post.  The  material  used  is  green  sandstone.  The 
plan  is  similar  to  that  suggested  by  Circular  No.  4,  Surgeon  General's  Office,  1807,  with  the  follow- 
ing exceptions  :  The  administration  building  is  only  one  story  high  with  attic ;  the  front  wall  of  the 
main  building  and  wards  is  on  the  same  line,  and  the  back  wing  is  on  the  line  of  one  wall  of  the 
main  building.  The  roof  of  the  main  building  is  pitched  at  right  angles  to  that  of  the  wards, 
adding  much  to  the  appearance  of  the  whole.  A  covered  porch  extends  around  the  entire  building, 
except  the  wing  in  the  rear,  and  two  doors,  half  sash,  with  transom  windows  over  them,  open  from 
the  ward  upon  the  porch.  The  interior  of  the  building  is  12  feet  high  throughout.  The  arrange- 
ment and  dimension  of  rooms,  capacity,  &c.,  are  very  similar  to  those  proposed  in  Circular  No.  4, 
Surgeon  General's  Office,  1867.  The  wards,  of  which  only  one  is  being  built  for  the  present,  have 
four  small  rooms,  two  at  each  end,  for  water-closet,  bath  room,  wardmaster-room,  and  linen-room,  one 
of  them  to  be  used  as  a  dead-room  when  needed.  The  ward  will  contain  12  beds,  giving  808  cubic 
feet  to  each.  The  outside  doors  are  3  by  7  feet,  and  the  windows  are  2  feet  10  inches  by  6  feet ; 
all  the  doors  have  transom  windows,  15  inches  by  3  feet.  The  ventilation  is  secured  by  eight  iulet 
shafts  under  the  wards  opening  by  one  large  hole  under  the  stove,  and  nine  outlet  shafts,  20  inches  in 
diameter,  four  on  each  side  of  the  ward,  and  one  in  the  center  over  the  stove.  It  is  to  be  regretted 
that  the  walls  of  the  building  could  not  have  been  carried  up  to  the  height  of  14  feet,  but  the  funds 
are  limited.  A  large  amount  of  the  work  is  being  done  by  t  -ilisted  men. 

The  post  bakery  is  built  of  sandstone,  24  by  46  by  10  i  et,  and  divided  by  a  stone  partition 
which  separates  the  ovens  from  the  mixing  and  bread  rooms.  The  room  containing  the  two  ovens 
is  14  feet  5  inches  by  20  feet  3  inches.  When  the  bakery  was  built,  sandstone  was  used  for  the  floors 
of  the  ovens,  and  adobes  for  the  arches.  The  floors  soon  gave  out  and  the  arches  lost  several 
adobes,  rendering  the  ovens  unfit  for  use.  They  have  since  been  entirely  rebuilt  of  burned  brick, 
and  are  in  fine  condition. 

The  cavalry  stables  are  constructed  of  wood  and  designed  for  three  troops  of  horses.  They 
are  189  by  177  by  11  feet,  with  a  space  between  the  rows  of  stalls,  27  feet  wide.  The  quartermaster's 
stable  is  of  wood,  60  by  286  by  10  feet.  It  is  only  a  temporary  building,  and  will  eventually  be  re- 
moved to  a  site  corresponding  to  the  cavalry  stables. 

There  is  no  post  library. 

Water  is  obtained  from  the  Arkansas  Itiver,  and  is  carried  in  water-tanks  on  wagons,  and 
daily  distributed.  The  tanks  are  filled  by  a  stationary  pump.  The  Arkansas  water  is  very  pala- 
table at  all  times  of  the  year.  From  the  month  of  April  to  the  month  of  August  it  has  a  great  deal 
of  mineral  and  organic  matter,  in  consequence  of  the  rise  in  the  river,  and  affects  some  persons, 
causing  diarrhoea;  but  during  the  remainder  of  the  year  the  river  is  quite  clear,  and  its  water  is 
at  all  times  highly  appreciated  by  those  who  have  been  obliged  to  drink  from  streams  and  ponds 
on  the  prairies.  In  the  summer  of  1807  there  was  a  very  clear  and  cold  spring  of  water  between 
the  bluff  and  river,  in  the  bottom,  and  in  the  absence  of  ice  it  was  very  grateful,  but  as  the  river 
went  down  in  the  fall,  the  spring  gradually  failed,  showing  that  it  was  the  river  water,  filtered 
through  a  great  bed  of  sand.  In  the  summer  of  18.i8  tlie  spring  entirely  failed.  A  canal  could  be 
led  from  the  Arkansas  River,  and  water  be  introduced  into  the  post  to  supply  it  for  many  objects. 
By  going  five  or  six  miles  above  the  post,  there  would  be  sufficient  fall  to  carry  the  water  upon  the 
bluff  where  the  post  is  built.  Post  girdens  could  be  cultivated  by  this  means.  The  sinks  could 
be  built  over  a  branch  canal,  and  trees  made  to  grow  wherever  desired.  In  order  to  dig  the  ditch 
a  full  garrison  would  be  required,  and  the  men  detailed  on  the  ditch-digging  would,  in  all  proba- 
bility, tail  to  see  the  future  benefits  to  be  enjoyed  by  their  successors. 

There  are  no  sewers  in  the  post.    Tiie  surface  drainage,  as  before  mentioned,  is  excellent. 

This  section  of  the  country  was  formerly  occupied  by  the  Cheyennes  and  Arapauoes,  but  since 
the  Sand  Creek  tight,  in  1864,  their  visits  are  rare.  The  country  is  being  settled  by  Americans,  and 
the  number  of  acres  of  cultivated  land  is  rapidly  increasing. 

Mail  communication  is  by  the  stage,  which  runs  from  Kit  Carson  to  Santa  Fe",  six  times  a  week ; 
time  to  department  headquarters  from  six  to  seven  days. 

The  prevailing  diseases  at  the  post  are  mild  malarial  fevers  and  rheumatism.  Bowel  affections 
are  somewhat  prevalent  in  the  summer  months,  the  drinking  water  at  that  time  containing  consid- 
erable organic  matter. 


316 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Lyon,  Colorado  Ter- 
ritory, for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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1869               150.  66          23K 

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Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  REYNOLDS,  COLORADO  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  GEORGE  McC.  MILLER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Reynolds  is  situated  in  the  southern  part  of  Colorado  Territory,  in  Pueblo  County,  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  Arkansas  River,  latitude  38°  15'  north,  longitude  104°  12'  west  from  Greenwich ; 
elevation  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  about  4,800  feet.  The  reservation  on  which  the  post  is  situ- 
ated has  not  been  declared  by  the  President,  but  has  been  announced  in  General  Orders  No.  19, 
Headquarters  Department  of  the  Missouri,  dated  June  3,  1868,  as  including  a  little  over  22  square 
miles.  The  fort  is  nearly  east  of  the  town  of  Pueblo,  and  distant  18  miles  from  it.  It  is  distant 
about  80  miles  from  New  Fort  Lyon,  60  miles  from  Bent's  Old  Fort,  and  4  miles  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Huerfano  River,  a  tributary  of.  the  Arkansas.  Its  distance  from  the  nearest  point  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains  is  said  to  be  40  miles,  and  from  Pike's  Peak,  65  miles.  The  fort  commands  a  fine  view 
of  the  mountains.  Pike's  Peak  is  visible  in  the  northwest ;  the  Snowy  range,  Greenhorn  Mountain, 
and  Spanish  Peaks  in  the  southwest,  and  the  main  range  in  the  west. 

The  post  of  Fort  Reynolds  originated  in  a  transfer  of  the  garrison  of  the  previously  existing 
post  of  Pueblo,  Colorado  Territory,  which  was  evacuated  July  2,  1867.  The  site  of  Fort  Reynolds, 
previously  selected  by  Brevet  Major  General  R.  B.  Marcy,  Inspector  General  United  States  Army, 
was  occupied  by  the  garrison  July  3,  1867.  No  movements  of  any  consequence  having  taken  place 
from  the  post,  its  military  history  is  unimportant. 

The  fort  is  built  on  the  upland,  or  prairie,  about  60  feet  above  the  level  of  the  Arkansas  River. 
For  some  distance  the  prairie  slopes  abruptly  to  the  very  margin  of  the  river,  while  east  and  west 
of  this  point  it  is  separated  from  the  river  by  the  intervening  bottom,  sometimes  to  nearly  the 
extent  of  a  mile,  although  usually  the  breadth  of  this  portion  of  the  valley  is  considerably  less. 
Toward  the  southwest  the  prairie  extends  about  a  mile,  and  then  descends  abruptly  to  the  low- 
land bordering  the  Huerfauo  River.  In  a  westerly  and  northwesterly  direction  the  extent  of  the 
prairie  is  indefinite,  but  it  is  intersected  by  occasional  ravines  which  terminate  in  the  valley  of  the 
river.  The  general  direction  of  the  Arkansas  River,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post,  is  usually  consid- 
ered to  be  from  west  to  east.  The  river  is  very  tortuous  in  its  course,  making  many  very  sudden 
turns,  and  following  any  given  direction  for  but  a  short  distance.  By  this  means  the  valley  is  more 
thoroughly  watered  than  it  would  be  otherwise.  The  river  has  evidently  changed  its  course  very 
frequently,  many  of  its  old  beds  being  visible. 

The  soil,  both  of  the  prairie  and  bottom  laud,  is  argillaceous.  The  clay  is  dark  and  tenacious, 
and  is  of  the  kind  known  as  adobe  clay.  The  clayey  stratum  is  of  moderate  thickness.  At  a  dis- 
tance of  a  few  feet  from  the  surface  of  the  ground  sand  begins  to  preponderate,  and  at  depths  of 
18  or  20  feet  the  subsoil  is  almost  exclusively  arenaceous.  The  principal  geological  formation  in 
and  near  the  post  is  limestone.  A  kind  of  stone  frequently  met  with  consists  of  a  vast  number  of 
minute  flinty  pebbles,  held  together  by  a  sort  of  calcareous  cement.  Magnesian  limestone  is  found 
in  great  abundance  at  a  distance  of  eighteen  miles  from  the  fort,  and  in  and  near  the  fort,  on  the 
slopes  which  descend  from  the  upland  to  the  bottom  land,  quartz  and  feldspar  are  very  abundant. 


FORT  REYNOLDS,  COLORADO  TERRITORY.  317 

Almost  all  the  land  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  is  under  cultivation,  aud  is  well  watered  and  tim- 
bered ;  the  principal  crops  are  wheat,  corn,  and  oats.  The  cottonwood  grows  rather  abundantly 
in  the  river  valley,  and  is  the  only  tree  of  any  size.  Stunted  willows  are  occasionally  met  with 
along  the  river  bank  and  near  the  forsaken  channels  of  dried  up  streams.  The  sunflower  (Helian- 
thus  annum)  is  exceedingly  abundant  in  the  bottom-lands.  The  great  abundance  of  this  plant, 
taken  in  connection  with  the  remarkable  freedom  of  the  valley  from  miasmatic  diseases,  might  seem 
to  lend  some  countenance  to  the  idea  which  has  been  entertained,  that  the  plant  is  capable  in  some 
way  of  neutralizing  the  miasmatic  poison.  A  species  of  wild  hop  nourishes  on  the  prairie  slopes 
leading  downward  to  the  river.  On  the  margin  of  the  river  and  its  tributaries  a  species  of  toxi- 
codendron  grows  quite  abundantly.  It  attains  a  height  of  less  than  a  foot ;  its  leaves  are  of  a  deep 
green  in  the  summer,  and  of  a  rich  and  beautiful  crimson  in  the  fall.  In  its  appearance  it  closely 
resembles  the  common  poison  ivy  of  the  eastern  portions  of  the  country.  The  emanations  of  this 
vegetable  have  produced  a  few  cases  of  cutaneous  disease  among  the  soldiers,  particularly  erythema 
aud  a  pustular  affection,  having  the  characters  of  eethyina.  The  grease-weed,  as  it  is  called,  grows 
abundantly  in  the  bottom-land.  A  conspicuous  feature  of  the  upland  is  the  soap-weed  or  Spanish 
bayonet.  During  the  summer  the  valley  is  tilled  with  a  luxurious  growth  of  rich  green  grass,  but 
the  upland,  being  clothed  only  with  a-sparse  and  stunted  verdure,  presents  a  bare  and  sterile  aspect, 
very  different  from  that  which  meets  the  eye  on  the  prairies  of  Northern  Kansas. 

The  prairie  or  barking  wolf  is  occasionally  met  with  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post.  Other  animals 
are  the  common  skunk,  otter,  beaver,  and  the  prong-horned  antelope. 

The  climate  of  this  region  is  highly  salubrious,  and,  leaving  out  of  view  the  disagreeably  vio- 
lent winds  which  occasionally  occur,  may  be  even  pronounced  delightful.  Owing  to  its  considerable 
elevation  above  the  sea-level,  and  its  proximity  to  the  mountains,  the  district  enjoys  a  coolness  of 
temperature  much  greater  than  its  latitude  would  at  first  lead  one  to  anticipate.  The  mean  tem- 
perature for  the  summer  mouths  is  75.97°;  for  the  autumnal  months  50.60°.  The  vicissitudes  of 
temperature  are  considerable  here,  the  thermometer  not  uufrequently  having  a  range  of  50°  between 
the  hours  of  7  a.  m.  and  2  p.  in. 

The  atmosphere  of  the  post  is  dry.  Fogs  seldom  prevail.  The  amount  of  rain-fall  is  slight ; 
snow  seldom  falls  during  the  winter  mouths,  and  only  in  small  quantities.  The  amount  of  snow, 
however,  seems  to  be  relatively  greater  than  that  of  rain.  The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  west, 
east,  and  southeast.  The  morning  winds  are  usually  western ;  the  afternoon  winds  eastern  or 
southeastern,  and  the  night  winds  western  again.  During  the  warm  afternoons  of  summer-north 
winds  sometimes  suddenly  spring  up  and  blow  for  several  hours,  cooling  the  atmosphere  greatly 
and  rapidly.  A  remarkable  effect  of  a  south  wind  was  noticed  here  in  January,  1808.  On  a  cer- 
tain night  the  snow  covered  the  ground  to  the  depth  of  two  inches.  In  the  morning  following  not 
a  particle  of  snow  was  to  be  seen  upon  the  ground,  and  the  latter  was  quite  dry.  A  south  wind  had 
been  blowing  steadily  during  the  night,  aud  had  caused  the  rapid  evaporation  of  the  snow. 

The  prairie  is  a  rectangle  455  by  400  feet,  the  long  diameter  being  north  and  south.  Its  north- 
ern and  eastern  sides,  as  Avell  as  a  part  of  the  southern  side,  are  planted  with  young  cottonwood 
trees. 

The  barrack,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  parade,  is  an  adobe  structure,  with  shingle  roof,  143 
feet  long,  28  feet  4  inches  wide,  9  feet  8  inches  high  to  the  eaves,  and  18  feet  high  to  the  ridge,  with 
a  frame  veranda  in  front  running  its  whole  length.  This  building  was  originally  designed  for  one 
company,  though  sometimes  occupied  by  two.  It  is  divided  into  four  rooms ;  the  orderly  sergeant's 
room,  15  feet  6  inches  by  25  feet  9  inches,  the  dormitories,  two  in  number,  dimensions  each  50  feet  6 
inches  by  25  feet  9  inches,  aud  a  kitchen,  24  feet  by  25  feet  9  inches.  The  building  is  plastered  exter- 
nally and  internally  with  clay  having  mixed  with  it  a  small  proportion  of  lime.  It  is  warmed  by 
large  stoves,  and  the  ventilation  appears  to  be  sufficient.  The  natural  illumination  of  the  building 
is  bad.  In  the  dormitories  the  air  space  per  man  is  about  500  cubic  feet,  with  the  present  com- 
mand of  one  company.  Wooden  double  bunks  arranged  in  tiers  are  used. 

A  frame  building,  situated  62  feet  southeast  of  the  barrack,  is  used  as  a  combined  mess-room 
and  kitchen  by  the  company.  Small  frame  and  adobe  buildings,  situated  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  post,  are  used  as  quarters  for  married  soldiers  and  quartermasters'  employe's.  They  are  not 
sufficiently  well  lighted  and  ventilated. 


318  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  ranged  along  the  southern  side  of  the  parade,  and  consist  of  three 
separate  buildings.  The  principal  and  only  permanent  one  is  an  adobe  structure,  55  by  33  feet,  12 
feet  to  the  eaves  and  22  feet  to  the  gable,  being  one  story  and  a  half  high.  The  roof  is  shingled. 
Dormer  windows  are  in  the  upper  story.  The  house  is  not  plastered  externally,  though  it  is  plas 
tered,  whitewashed,  and  generally  well  finished  within.  The  building  contains  two  sets  of  quarters, 
each  comprising  a  hall  and  three  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  and  one  room  on  the  second.  A  frame 
building  also  used  as  quarters,  measures  17  feet  front,  '23  feet  deep,  8£  feet  high  to  the  eaves,  and 
13J  feet  to  the  ridge,  and  is  divided  into  two  rooms.  It  is  shingled,  well  lighted  and  ventilated, 
and  not  plastered  within. 

A  second  frame  building,  used  as  officers'  quarters,  measures  24  by  12  feet,  14  feet  high  to  the 
ridge,  and  8  feet  to  the  eaves,  and  contains  two  rooms.  The  walls  of  these  frame  quarters  and  of 
the  wooden  buildings  of  the  post  generally  are  constructed  of  upright  boards,  battened. 

The  quartermaster's  store-house  is  80  feet  8  inches  long  by  28  feet  wide,  with  a  height  to  the 
eaves  of  9£  feet,  and  to  the  gable  18  feet.  The  commissary  store-house  is  of  the  same  dimensions. 
These  buildings  are  built  of  adobes,  plastered  with  clay  outside,  and  have  shingled  roofs.  A  large 
ice-house  is  conveniently  located  near  the  bank  of  the  river. 

The  guard-house  is  32  by  24  feet,  9  feet  to  the  eaves,  and  18  feet  high.  A  small  building 
attached  to  the  northern  side  of  the  main  building  i*13i  feet  long  and  9  feet  10  inches  wide.  The 
guard-room  or  front  room  of  the  building  is,  by  inside  measurement,  21  feet  10  inches  by  12  feet  10 
inches.  Cell  No.  1  is  21  feet  10  inches  by  15  feet  10  inches.  The  height  of  these  rooms  agrees  very 
nearly  with  that  of  the  exterior  of  the  building.  Cell  No.  2,  which  is  contained  in  the  small  ap- 
pended building,  is  9  feet  10  inches  by  7  feet  10  inches  by  7  feet  2  inches.  The  guard  house,  includ- 
ing the  appended  portion,  is  an  adobe  building  with  shingled  roof,  and  well  floored.  Its  ventilation 
and  natural  illumination  are  imperfect.  It  is  warmed  by  stoves. 

The  main  building  of  the  hospital,  a  wooden  structure  of  the  shape  usually  characterized  by 
the  epithet  "  salt-box,"  is  41  by  14  feet.  Having  the  form  just  indicated,  its  roof  has  but  one  slope, 
which  is  backwards.  Its  height  in  front  is  11  feet  9  inches;  the  height  behind  is  8  feet  6  inches. 
Its  roof  is  of  boards  covered  with  paulins.  Its  walls  are  of  upright  boards,  battened,  and  are  marked 
by  numerous  crevices  and  knot-holes,  which,  however,  may  be  regarded  as  not  particularly  objec- 
tionable in  a  sanitary  point  of  view. 

The  building  is  divided  into  three  rooms,  which  are  used  respectively  as  ward,  store-room,  and 
dispensary.  It  is  warmed  by  stoves.  The  ventilation  is  fair.  The  mean  height  of  the  ward  is  8£ 
feet.  The  floor,  which  is  of  common  boards,  is  elevated  somewhat  above  t!ie  ground.  The  air- 
space of  the  ward  measures  1,708  cubic  feet,  which  would  allow  nearly  COO  cubic  feet  to  each  of  the 
three  beds  which  it  contains.  Each  bed  has  also  a  superficial  area  of  nearly  70  square  feet.  Thus, 
if  there  should  be  but  one  patient  in  the  ward,  which  is  about  the  average  occupancy,  he  and  the 
nurse  would  have  an  allowance  of  nearly  900  cubic  feet  of  air  space,  and  a  little  over  100  feet  of 
superficial  area.  The  ward  has  a  window  in  front  and  one  behind.  There  is  no  room  which  is  spe- 
cially used  as  a  lavatory  and  bath-room.  In  the  rear  of  the  main  building  is  a  hospital  tent,  framed 
and  floored,  which  is  used  as  quarters  for  the  hospital  steward  and  his  family.  Near  it  is  a  framed 
and  floored  wall  tent  used  as  laundry. 

The  bakery  is  a  frame  building,  with  adobe  ovens,  adequate  to  furnish  an  amount  of  bread 
sufficient  for  a  two-company  post. 

The  horse  corral  is  north  of  the  hospital,  and  distant  from  it  100  feet.  It  is  22C  feet  long  and 
70  feet  wide.  Along  the  northern  and  southern  sides  is  an  adobe  wall,  8  feet  high.  Its  eastern  and 
western  sides  are  closed  in  by  a  wooden  fence  of  the  same  height.  At  the  eastern  end  is  the  grain- 
house,  a  frame  building.  The  corral  is  furnished  wirh  covered  stalls  adequate  to  accommodate  80 
horses.  The  mule  corral  is  127  feet  long  and  95  feet  wide,  and  sin-rounded  by  a  wooden  fence. 

The  water-supply  to  Fort  Reynolds  is  obtained  from  the  Arkansas  River,  and  has  always 
seemed  to  be  sufficiently  good  and  wholesome  for  all  practical  purposes.  Scarcely  any  springs  are 
to  be  found  in  the  valley  or  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post.  The  very  few  that  are  found  are  situ- 
ated near  the  river,  and  are  derived  from  it,  by  percolation  through  the  earth,  and  their  water  dif- 
fers in  no  essential  respect  from  that  of  the  river,  and  has  no  advantages  over  it,  except  that  of  a 
somewhat  greater  clearness.  They  are  also  small  and  inconveniently  situated.  The  experiment  of 


FOKT  REYNOLDS,  COLORADO  TERRITORY.  319 

digging  wells  has  not  been  tried  on  the  soutberu  side  of  the  river,  at  least  within  a  distance  of 
several  iniles  from  the  post;  but  in  one  instance  it  has  been  tried,  with  satisfactory  results,  in  the 
portion  of  the  valley  on  the  northern  side  of  the  river. 

The  water  of  the -river  is  formed  chiefly  by  the  melting  of  the  snow  and  ice  on  the  mountains, 
and  during  the  latter  part  of  summer  and  early  part  of  autumn  is  more  apt  to  be  loaded  with  earthy 
matters  than  at  other  times.  It  is  usually  clear,  has  no  perceptible  odor  even  after  standing  a  long 
time  in  a  receptacle  of  any  kind,  and  is  free  from  any  well-defined  taste,  is  always  cool,  makes  an 
excellent  lather  with  soap,  and  is,  therefore,  soft  and  adapted  to  washing  purposes.  Even  when 
turbid,  if  allowed  to  stand  quietly  for  a  few  hours,  its  earthy  ingredients,  held  in  suspension  only  and 
not  dissolved,  subside  to  the  bottom  of  the  vessel.  Tbe  permanganate  of  potash  test  shows  this 
water  to  contain  an  exceedingly  small  proportion  of  organic  impurities.  Nitrate  of  silver  does  not 
throw  down  a  precipitate.  Alum,  however,  throws  down  a  precipitate  of  alumina,  and  this  is  the 
chief  impurity  of  the  water.  The  fort  is  supplied  by  means  of  water  wagons.  In  the  summer 
season  ice  is  furnished  to  the  garrison,  and  the  hospital  receives  a  liberal  supply. 

No  system  of  drainage  has  been  inaugurated  at  the  post,  the  fort  being  situated  in  a  region  of 
country  where  rain  and  snow  seldom  fall,  and  only  in  small  quantities.  The  clayey  soil  absorbs 
and  holds  the  small  amount  of  water  precipitated  from  the  atmosphere,  and  the  heat  of  the  sun 
readily  dissipates  it  by  evaporation.  The  ground  upon  which  the  fort  is  built,  being  very  level, 
would  be  poorly  adapted  for  natural  drainage  if  the  amount  of  rain-fall  was  considerable  and  the 
removal  of  surface  water  necessary. 

The  post  garden,  containing  somewhat  over  an  acre  of  ground,  is  cultivated  by  soldiers  and 
watered  from  a  neighboring  acequia.  A  great  variety  of  vegetables  is  raised,  and  under  favorable 
circumstances  the  yield  is  very  considerable. 

Until  recently  ten  cows  were  kept  at  the  post;  at  present  there  are  but  two,  which  are  personal 
property.  All  domestic  animals  can  be  easily  kept  by  officers. 

The  nearest  quartermaster  and  subsistence  depots  to  the  post  are  at  Fort  Harker,  Kansas,  429 
miles  distant.  The  route  of  supply  is  by  way  of  Fort  Lyon,  Colorado  Territory,  open  at  all  seasons. 
Transportation  is  generally  by  train.  Three  mails  from  the  States  are  received  at  the  fort  every 
week,  via  Denver,  Pueblo,  and  Booneville.  Three  other  mails  are  also  received  weekly  from  New 
Mexico,  and  from  the  military  post  as  far  east  as  Fort  Riley.  These  mails  are  liable,  in  winter,  to 
frequent  interruption  by  heavy  snows  occurring  between  Denver  and  Pueblo,  and  also  between 
Denver  and  Cheyenne.  When  there  is  no  unusual  delay,  it  takes  a  letter  six  or  seven  days  to  go 
to  department  headquarters. 

The  valleys  of  the  Arkansas  and  Huerfano  rivers,  the  only  portions  of  the  country  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  post  which  are  inhabited,  are  populated  by  white  settlers  from  the  eastern  parts  of 
the  United  States,  by  emigrants  from  Europe,  and  by  Mexicans.  The  settlers  are  an  industrious, 
thrifty,  intelligent,  and  generally  moral  class  of  people.  Their  time  and  exertions  are  devoted  to 
the  raising  of  stock  and  the  culture  of  the  soil.  They  water  their  lands  by  means  of  irrigation, 
use  scarcely  any  fertilizers,  and  raise  good  crops  of  grains  and  vegetables.  The  Mexicans,  as  a 
class,  are  filthy  and  indolent,  ignorant  and  immoral.  Very  few  of  them  can  read  and  write,  and 
their  minds  appear  to  be  in  the  most  torpid  condition  imaginable.  Physically  the  Mexicans  are 
quite  well  developed,  and  the  females  are  not  deficient  in  comeliness.  Sickness  does  not  seem  to 
prevail  much  among  them,  and,  so  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  venereal  diseases  do  not  appear  to 
exist  largely.  Such  complaints  of  various  kinds  as  arise  are  usually  treated  by  the  old  women, 
who  use  vegetable  remedies  almost  exclusively.  They  make  much  account  of  a  species  of  flag 
which  grows  on  the  bank  of  the  Huerfano  River,  and  from  which  they  prepare  decoctions,  using 
them  as  a  panacea.  Parturient  women  receive  an  excessive  amount  of  attention  from  these  female 
practitioners.  During  the  week  following  delivery  such  patients  are  fed  with  rich  food  and  are 
made  to  drink  large  quantities  of  hot  herb  teas.  Debility  seems  to  be  much  apprehended  in  such 
cases. 

There  are  no  Indians  inhabiting  the  neighborhood.  The  Utes,  a  large  and  warlike  but  friendly 
tribe,  live  in  the  mountains  and  occasionally  visit  the  post  in  parties  of  eight  or  ten. 

There  has  been  a  remarkably  small  number  of  cases  of  diarrhoea,  dysentery,  colic,  or  other 
intestinal  affections  to  treat  at  the  post,  and,  when  occurring,  they  have  been  traceable  in  most  cases 


320 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


to  errors  in  diet,  either  as  regards  its  quality  or  quantity,  and  generally  the  latter.     In  no  case  can 
it  be  perceived  that  the  water  used  at  the  post  was  in  fault. 

Constitutional  syphilis  is  the  only  disease  meriting  the  designation  of  "  prevalent."  Diseases 
of  a  local  origin  are  cutaneous  affections,  sometimes  in  the  form  of  eczema  and  sometimes  of 
ecthyma,  caused  by  a  poison-ivy  growing  in  the  valley.  Malarial  diseases  are  unknown,  and  pul- 
monary and  rheumatic  affections  are  of  infrequent  occurrence. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Reynolds,  Colorado 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


b 

K 

, 

f 

V 
Jl       . 

s' 

I 

i   , 

b 

i 

a 

S§ 

s 

1 

Years. 

1 

"oC 

75 
U 

E 

C     =0 

d 
5 

o  ^! 

^  5 

1 

Typhoid  fe 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrhoea 
dysente 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  di 

tit 

1 

Rheumatis 

Catarrhal 
tions. 

« 
i 

•S 

1868      . 

110.33 

154 

1 

2 

16 

11 

28 

1 

12 

18 

1869 

58  83 

91 

3 

13 

4 

5 

7 

18 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  GARLAND,  COLORADO  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  E.  McCLELLAN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Garland  is  located  in  Southern  Colorado,  on  the  lowest  bench  of  the  Sierra  Blanca 
Mountains,  distant  twenty  miles  east  from  the  Rio  Grande,  and  some  six  miles  below  the  site  of 
old  Fort  Massachusetts,  latitude  37°  22'  north,  longitude  105°  23'  west,  and  stands  at  an  elevation 
8,365  feet  above  the  sea.  It  occupies  the  northeastern  portion  of  the  San  Luis  Park,  and  what  is 
known  as  the  Beaubien  or  Gilpin  grant.  This  park,  which  has  been  described  as  the  "  bowl  of  a 
drained  primeval  sea,"  extends  from  the  Sierra  Madre  Mountains  in  the  east  to  the  San  Juan  or 
Miembres  Mountains  in  the  west,  from  the  Sierra  Blanca  in  the  north  to  the  chain  of  mountain  spurs 
which  forms  the  northern  boundary  of  the  Great  Taos  Valley  of  New  Mexico,  and  contains  an  area 
of  9,400  square  miles. 

The  San  Luis  is  the  southern  of  the  Colorado  parks;  through  it,  entering  at  the  northwest 
and  flowing  south,  runs  the  Rio  Grande  del  Norte,  while  from  its  mountain  boundaries  numerous 
streams  either  empty  their  waters  into  the  great  river  or  sink  and  become  lost  upon  its  plains. 
Throughout  the  park  isolated  volcanic  buttes  are  found,  resembling  islands  upon  the  surface  of  the 
sea. 

The  location  of  the  fort  commands  the  mouth  of  the  canons  of  the  Rio  de  los  Yutos  and  the 
Rio  del  Sangre  de  Christo.  The  roads  of  travel  are  through  these,  joining,  some  eight  miles  dis- 
tant, to  cross  the  mountains  at  the  Saiigre  de  Christo  Pass,  twenty -three  miles  northeast  of  the  post. 

Xo  record  can  be  found  at  this  post  which  throws  any  light  upon  the  early  history  of  Fort  Gar- 
land; but  from  a  rauchero  living  in  the  vicinity,  who  was  at  one  time  a  soldier  in  the  regiment  of 
mountain  rifles,  I  learn  that  "  Fort  Massachusetts,  which  had  been  built  in  1850,  in  the  canon  of 
the  Rio  de  los  Yutos,  was  abandoned  on  account  .of  its  unfavorable  position,  and  Fort  Garland  was 
established  in  1857." 

Fort  Garland  was  built  by  the  enlisted  men  of  Company  E,  Regiment  of  Mounted  Rifles,  com- 
manded by  Captain  (now  Lieutenant  Colonel)  Thomas  Duncan,  United  States  Army,  and  Company 
A,  Third  United  States  Infantry,  commanded  by  Captain  (the  late  Lieutenant  Colonel)  A.  W.  Bow- 
man, United  States  Army.  The  post  was  established  to  afford  protection  to  settlers  in  the  San 
Luis  Park  from  the  Apache  and  Ute  Indians,  and  to  command  the  Sangre  de  Christo  Pass,  at  that 
time  the  only  practicable  pass  to  the  Arkansas  Valley. 


FORT  GARLAND,  COLORADO  TERRITORY.  321 

In  the  mountain  boundaries  of  this  park  precious  metals  have  been  found,  and  future  "pros- 
pecting" will  undoubtedly  develop  them  in  abundance.  The  agricultural  interests  of  the  park  are 
not  great,  the  severity  of  the  winter  and  the  early  frosts  of  summer  preventing  large  crops.  Some 
corn,  wheat,  and  rye  are  raised,  but  full  crops  are  never  anticipated  with  certainty.  The  principal 
crops  are  oats,  potatoes,  and  some  of  the  hardier  vegetables.  The  majority  of  the  inhabitants  are 
engaged  in  pastoral  pursuits.  Horses,  horned  cattle,  and  sheep  are  raised  in  great  numbers. 

The  indigenous  trees  of  this  locality  are  the  yellow  pine,  the  pifion,  aspen,  cedar,  spruce,  and 
shrub  oak,  upon  the  mountains  and  foot-lulls ;  the  cottonwood  upon  the  streams.  With  the  exception 
of  the  pine,  none  of  these  woods  are  of  any  value  for  mechanical  purposes,  but  furnish  an  abund- 
ance of  valuable  fuel.  The  indigenous  plants  are  sage,  Spanish  bayonet  or  soap  plant,  hops,  flax, 
wild  onions,  wild  parsnips,  lambs'  quarters,  strawberry,  raspberry,  currant,  and  wild  cherry. 

The  wild  animals  of  this  vicinity  are — the  black,  cinnamon,  and  grizzly  bears ;  elk,  deer, 
antelope,  panther,  wild  cat,  gray  wolf  and  coyote,  and  mountain  sheep. 

In  the  fall  and  early  spring  all  varieties  of  wild  ducks,  geese,  swan,  and  crane  are  to  be  found 
upon  the  meadows  of  the  Rio  Grande,  with  an  occasional  snipe  and  Virginia  rail. 

The  bald  eagle,  with  varieties  of  the  vulture,  hawk,  and  owl  families;  and  the  raven  and  magpie, 
are  found  throughout  the  year;  robins,  doves,  blackbirds,  woodpeckers,  and  the  killdeer  through 
the  summer.  The  red-backed  and  the  broad-tailed  humming  bird  are  also  found  in  the  month  of 
July. 

The  streams  abound  in  trout,  beaver,  otter,  and  mink,  with  a  few  muskrats. 

The  climate  is  dry,  and  most  favorable  to  all  diseases  of  the  respiratory  and  digestive 
organs.  Average  mean  temperature  is  45.50°.  The  extremes  of  temperature  are  90°  and  20°; 
humidity,  82°  and  5°.  The  prevailing  winds  are  the  northeast  and  southwest.  The  spring  seasons 
are  very  short,  and  hard  frosts  occur  early  in  the  summer ;  in  one  year  as  early  as  the  month  of 
July.  Spring  cannot  be  said  to  occur  until  after  the  early  days  of  the  month  of  May  ;  it  is,  there- 
fore, the  shortest  of  the  four  seasons  in  this  climate.  There  is  early.frost  before  the  1st  of  Septem- 
ber, and  winter  is  not  fully  established  until  after  the  mouth  of  December. 

The  post  consists  of  a  parallelogram,  inclosing  a  parade  ground,  with  buildings  containing 
quarters  for  officers  and  men,  arranged  on  its  several  sides.  The  barracks  are  two  buildings,  one 
story  high,  built  of  adobe,  with  mud  roofs ;  each  is  119  feet  6  inches  by  33  feet  3  inches  and  15  feet  4 
inches  to  the  center  of  the  roof,  which  slopes  toward  the  parade.  The  interior,  plastered  with  mud 
and  whitewashed  with  lime,  contains  the  company  office  and  store-room,  20  feet  8  inches  by  33  feet  3 
inches ;  three  squad-rooms,  25  feet  by  33  feet  3  inches,  and  the  kitchen,  24  feet  G  inches  by  33  feet  3 
inches.  The  latter  is  also  used  as  a  mess-room.  Each  barrack  is  intended  to  accommodate  one 
company.  The  squad-rooms  are  wanned  by  stoves  and  by  open  fireplaces;  lighted  by  four  large 
windows,  two  at  either  end  of  the  room,  by  which  ventilation  is  also  secured.  The  air  space  per  man, 
at  the  present  rate  of  occupancy,  is  1,277  cubic  feet.  Double  wooden  bunks  are  furnished  with  the 
usual  bedding.  As  there  are  no  wash  or  bath-rooms — ablutions  are  made  in  the  squad-room  or  in 
the  open  air. 

The  sinks  are  wooden  buildings  placed  over  an  acequia,  through  which  a  large  volume  of  water 
constantly  flows,  carrying  debris  into  the  Rio  del  los  Yutos.  A  capacious  kitchen  and  mess-room 
for  each  barrack  is  furnished  with  a  large  cooking-stove  and  open  fireplace,  and  fully  meet  all 
demands. 

Quarters  for  married  soldiers  are  in  a  small  building  north  of  the  post,  containing  small  rooms, 
which  are  badly  ventilated  and  ill  lighted.- 

The  officers'  quarters  extend  along  the  north  side  of  the  parade,  are  seven  in  number,  and 
built  of  adobe.  The  rooms  are  ceiled  with  pine  boards,  covered  with  earth  after  the  old  Mexican 
custom ;  they  are  well  lighted  and  ventilated ;  have  large  open  fireplaces  and  board  flooring.  On 
the  south  side  of  the  parade  are  two  long  buildings  used  as  offices  and  store-rooms.  In  one  of  these 
is  the  guard-house,  which  is  badly  arranged,  being  cramped  as  to  space,  and  ill  ventilated.  The 
cells  in  its  rear  are  ventilated  only  by  a  small  opening  in  the  roof,  no  arrangements  for  floor  venti- 
lation existing.  The  guard-room  is  warmed  by  means  of  a  large  stove,  and  the  prison-room  by  an 
open  fireplace ;  there  are  no  means  provided  for  heating  the  cells,  and  in  winter  the  occupants 
suffer  from  extreme  cold. 
41 


322  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  hospital  building  is  situated  at  a  distance  north  of  the  post  and  to  the  left  and  rear  of  the 
officers'  quarters.  This  building  was  put  up  in  1866,  and  I  am  informed  by  individuals  who  were 
at  this  post  at  the  time,  that  the  adobes  used  were  not  properly  dried  before  the  Avails  were  built. 
The  meteorological  register  shows  the  season  in  which  the  work  was  performed  to  have  been  unusually 
wet  and  stormy.  The  beams  used  were  too  small  and  set  too  far  apart  to  bear  properly  the  weight 
of  the  roof.  When  the  walls  commenced  to  settle,  which  was  soon  after  the  completion  of  the 
building,  and  when  the  post  was  garrisoned  by  New  Mexican  volunteers,  no  care  seems  to  have 
been  taken  properly  to  repair  the  damage.  In  the  wards,  kitchen,  and  dining-room  the  majority  of 
the  beams  are  broken,  requiring  supports  to  be  placed  under  them,  and  in  the,  largest  ward  no  less 
than  five  of  these  supports  are  required.  The  rear  wall  of  the  plazita,  which  is  20  feet  in  height 
and  2  feet  in  thickness,  requires  support  to  be  placed  against  it  from  the  outside.  In  the  past  year 
such  repairs  to  the  building  as  were  absolutely  necessary  have  been  made.  On  the  mountains  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  post  pine  wood  can  be  obtained  iu  abundance,  from  which  shingle  coverings  for 
all  the  buildings  could  be  obtained  at  a  small  expense.  Of  the  two  wards,  each  containing  six  beds, 
the  larger  has  a  superficial  area  of  9^.22  feet  to  each  bed  and  an  air  space  of  1,069.44  feet  to  each 
bed ;  the  smaller  has  an  area  of  84.22  feet,  and  an  air  space  of  926.85  feet.  The  dispensary  is  well 
arranged  and  adapted  to  the  purpose.  Tliere  are  no  bath-rooms  or  tubs  in  the  hospital ;  a  small  room 
is  used  as  lavatory,  and  here  all  ablutions  are  performed.  A  small  wooden  building  standing  over 
a  deep  pit  is  the  hospital  water-closet;  its  drainage  is  good,  and  it  is  constantly  disinfected  by  lime. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  room,  21  feet  8  inches  by  29  feet  5  inches,  containing  two  ovens  built  of 
adobe,  having  a  capacity  of  100  rations  at  a  baking. 

On  the  west  side  of  the  post  and  directly  in  the  rear  of  the  barracks  is  a  long  building, 
divided  into  ten  apartments,  used  respectively  as  carpenter's  shop,  blacksmith's  shop,  store-room, 
laundry,  coal-rooms,  barber's  shop,  and  mess-room  for  non-commissioned  officers.  The  chapel  is  an 
apartment  in  the  building  on  the  south  side  of  the  post,  in  a  line  with  the  guard  house.  The 
adjutant's  office,  magazine,  biljiard-room,  and  the  opera  house  are  also  in  this  building. 

The  stables  are  situated  126  feet  due  east  from  the  post,  and  consist  of  three  long  corrals,  built 
of  adobe,  each  229J  by  44|  feet.  These  corrals  contain  long  sheds,  which  are  used  as  stables  for 
public  animals,  and  inclosed  stables  for  the  officers'  horses.  The  space  between  the  sheds  is  raised; 
the  floors  of  the  sheds  slope  from  within ;  out  in  rear  of  each  shed  is  a  wooden  drain  sunk  to  the 
level  of  the  ground,  and  empties  upon  a  gravel  bank  east  of  the  corral. 

The  post  library  consists  of  62  volumes,  of  not  much  value.  A  number  of  new  and  valuable 
books  are  expected  from  the  East. 

The  water  supply  is  most  excellent  in  qualify,  being  obtained  froin  the  Ute  Creek  by  an  acequia; 
it  flows  around  the  parade,  at  each  corner  of  which  is  a.  well.  The  water  is  pure  and  cold,  flowing 
from  the  rocky  sides  of  the  Sierra  Blanca,  over  a  rocky,  sandy  bed  directly  into  the  post.  There 
are  no  means  of  extinguishing  a  fire  at  the  post  beyond  that  of  buckets  and  ladders.  The  drainage 
of  the  post  is  naturally  perfect,  being  built  upon  a  large  gravel  bed,  which  has  little  or  no  covering, 
and  through  which  water  is  reached  only  at  a  great  depth.  There  is  no  artificial  sewerage  at  the 
post. 

On  the  Sangre  de  Christo  Creek  very  fine  bathing  and  swimming  arrangements  have  been 
established.  For  winter  bathing  no  arrangements  have  been  made. 

The  post  garden  consists  of  about  6  acres  of  ground,  one  half  of  which  is  devoted  to  enlisted 
men;  the  balance  to  officers  and  the  hospital.  They  are  cultivated  by  a  detail  from  the  garrison, 
and  all  garden  produce  that  requires  but  a  short  season  can  be  raised  here.  The  crop  of  last 
season  was  totally  destroyed  by  grasshoppers. 

As  no  furniture  can  be  obtained  for  the  barracks  and  quarters,  only  such  is  used  as  can  be  made 
at  the  post. 

Government  wagons  or  private  conveyance  are  the  only  means  of  communication  with  the 
Kansas  Pacific  railroad,  the  terminus  of  which  is  now  distant  from  the  post  some  210  miles.  For 
the  past  year  the  communications  have  been  constant;  in  winter  and  spring  it  is  liable  to  interrup- 
tions from  snow  on  the  Sangre  de  Christo  Pass,  and  in  summer  by  Indians  between  the  Arkansas 
River  and  the  railroad.  The  Arkansas  River  having  been  bridged  at  several  points,  floods  do  not 
now  obstruct  transportation.  The  receipt  of  official  mail  matter  at  the  post  has  been  much  delayed ; 


FORT  OAKLAND,  COLOKADO  TEKK1TOKY. 


323 


in  some  instances  communications  from  department  headquarters,  although  mailed  direct,  are  a 
month  or  six  weeks  in  reaching  this  place;  the  same  frequently  occurs  with  communications  from 
Washington. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country  are  Americans — strong  and  hardy  frontiermen — 
and  Mexicans.  The  population  of  this  park  is  estimated  at  about  5,85.'}  souls. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  for  the  past  year  has  been  satisfactory.  Tin-  prevailing  diseases 
have  been  syphilis,  gonorrhoea,  rheumatism,  dyspepsia,  intermittent  fever,  catarrhs,  diarrhoea,  and 
alcoholism.  The  causes  of  intermittent  fever  originated  in  Texas,  where  the  regiment  (Fifteenth  In- 
fantry) to  which  the  troops  of  this  garrison  belong  had  been  stationed  for  four  years.  Dyspepsia 
and  diarrhoea  were  caused  by  the  use  of  improper  articles  of  diet.  No  severe  pulmonary  diseases  oc- 
curred, as  there  was  reason  to  apprehend  from  the  great  change  of  climate  to  which  the  troops  had 
been  subjected,  llhcumatism  alone  can  be  attributed  to  climatic  influence;  as  yet  no  malarial  dis- 
eases have  been  known  to  originate  in  this  country.  In  my  experience  the  female  is  more  affected 
by  the  climate  influences  than  the  male  resident  of  this  country;  and  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  the 
great  altitude  above  the  level  of  the  sea  has  a  most  decided  influence  upon  the  uterine  system.  I 
find  that  female  residents  of  the  San  Luis  Park,  of  Colorado,  and  of  the  territory  in  its  immediate 
vicinity,  menstruate  from  two  to  three  years  later  than  those  of  the  same  races  living  upon  the  lower 
ranges.  It  is  by  no  means  uncommon  among  the  Mexican  and  Indian  girls  to  be  married  before 
they  have  menstruated;  and  one  instance  has  come  under  my  notice  in  which  a  female  was  married 
and  never  menstruated  until  after  the  birth  of  her  fourth  child. 

Hemorrhagic  labors  are  common.  Out  of  19  cases  delivered  under  my  care  since  August,  1868, 
14  were  complicated  by  post-partem  hemorrhage.  In  these  cases,  with  one  exception,  the  hemor- 
rhage occurred  on  delivery  of  the  placenta,  which  was  entire;  in  none  was  there  any  uterine  injury. 
The  exception  was  a  case  of  retained  placenta,  to  which  I  was  not  called  until  some  hours  had 
elapsed  from  the  birth  of  the  child.  Of  the  remaining  cases,  one  was  a  partial  placenta!  presenta- 
tion. The  others  were  natural  and  uncomplicated.  Life  was  lost  in  none.  In  10  of  the  cases  noted, 
the  females  were  of  American,  the  remaining  9  of  Mexican  birth."  Abortions,  miscarriages,  and 
menorrhagic  disorders  are  frequent. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Garland,  Colorado 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  PLATTE. 


POSTS  DESCRIBED. 


Omaha  Barracks,  Omaha,  Nebraska. 
Fort  Kearney,  Nebraska. 
Fort  McPhersou,  Nebraska. 
North  Platte  Station,  Nebraska. 
Fort  Sodgwiek,  Colorado  Territory. 
Fort  D.  A.  Russell,  Wyoming  Territory. 


Fort  Laramie,  Wyoming  Territory. 
Fort  Fetterman,  Wyoming  Territory. 
Fort  Sanders,  Wyoming  Territory. 
Fort  Fred  Steele,  Wyoming  Territory. 
Fort  Bridger,  Wyoming  Territory. 
Cnnip  Douglas,  Utah  Territory. 


SPECIAL  REPORT  OF   SURGEON  J.  B.  BKOWN,  UNITED   STATES   ARMY,  MEDICAL  DIRECTOR  DEPART- 
MENT OF  THE  PLATTE,  DATED  JULY  15,  1870. 


1.  Omaha  Barracks. 
'2.  Fort  Kearney. 

3.  Fort  McPherson. 

4.  Fort  Sedgwick. 

5.  Sidney  Barracks. 
(i.  North  Platte. 

7.  Fort  D.  A.  Russell. 


Permanent  posts  in  the  Department  of  the  Platte. 


8.  Fort  Fred  Steele. 

9.  Fort  Sanders. 

10.  Fort  Bridger. 

11.  Camp  Douglas. 

12.  Fort  Laramie. 

13.  Fort  Fettcrinaii. 


The  above  are  all  the  posts  in  this  department  which  have  buildings  specially  erected  for,  or 
occupied  as,  post  hospitals.  During  the  summer,  from  May  to  November  inclusive,  the  following 
points  are  occupied  as  temporary  stations  for  troops : 


Station. 


Garrison. 


Medical  attendant. 


Ra wling's  Springs,  Wyoming 

Cam}*  on  Little  Blue,  Nebraska 

Ogallalla,  Nebraska 

Medicine  Bow,  Wyoming 

Looking  Glass  Creek,  Nebraska 

Potter  Station,  Nebraska 

Plum  Creek,  Nebraska 

Lodge  Pole,  Nebraska 

Chug  Water,  Wyoming 

Hillsdale,  Wyoming 

Pine  Bluff,  Wyoming 

Sherman,  Wyoming 


One 
One 
One 
One 
One 
One 
One 
One 
One 
One 
One 
One 


company  cavalry 

company  cavalry 

company  cavalry 

company  cavalry 

company  cavalry 

company  cavalry,  det.  of  infantry . . . 
company  cavalry,  det.  of  infantry... 
company  cavalry,  det.  of  infantry. .. 

company  cavalry 

company  cavalry 

company  cavalry,  det.  of  infantry. .. 
company  cavalry 


Post  surgeon  at  Fort  Steele. 
Acting  Assistant  Surgeon  Tower. 
Post  Surgeon  at  North  Platte. 
Acting  Assistant  Surgeon  La  Barde. 
Acting  Assistant  Surgeon  Hogg. 
Post  surgeon  at  Sidney  Barracks. 
Post  surgeon  at  North  Platte. 
Post  surgeon  at  Sidney  Barracks. 
Post  surgeon  at  Fort  Russell. 
Post  surgeon  at  Fort  Russell. 
Post  surgeon  at  Fort  Russell. 
Post  surgeon  at  Fort  Russell. 


These  detached  stations  being  for  the  most  part  on  the  railroad,  their  sick  are  sent  by  rail  to 
the  nearest  post  hospital,  if  there  are  any  cases  requiring  protracted  treatment,  temporary  accom- 
modations with  hospital  tents  being  provided  for  those  least  accessible,  Resident  medical 
attendants  are  stationed  at  three  of  the  above  temporary  posts. 

Description  of  permanent  post  hospitals. — Good  descriptions  of  these  hospitals  have  been  given  in 
the  sanitary  reports  of  December  31,  1868  and  1869,  but  as  I  have  visited  and  personally  inspected 
each  hospital  in  this  department,  I  can  give  perhaps  impressions  derived  from  a  different  point 


PERMANENT  POSTS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  PLATTE.  325 

of  view,  ami  also  the  advantage  of  conclusions  drawn  from  comparison  with  each  other,  or  with 
the  authorized  post  hospital  plan  of  Circular  No.  4,  of  18C7.  I  will  therefore  give  a  brief  descrip- 
tion of  each  of  the  post  hospitals,  mentioning  particularly  such  points  as  seem  to  me  to  have  been 
omitted  in  the  special  reports,  and  such  modifications  and  alterations  as  have  been  made  by  way 
of  improvement  since  the  latest  reports. 

No.  1.  Post  hospital,  Omaha  Barracks. — The  contract  for  the  building  of  this  post  was  made  by 
the  chief  quartermaster  of  this  department,  and  called  for  the  completion  of  the  buildings  by 
November  20,  1868.  On  the  31st  December,  1868,  the  post  surgeon  reports,  "  the  hospital  is  unfin- 
ished, and  will  not  be  ready'/or  occupancy  for  one  and  a  half  months."  On  the  27th  January,  18C9, 
the  medical  director,  Lieutenant  Colonel  R.  H.  Alexander,  United  States  Army,  advised  the  Sur- 
geon General  that  the  hospital  would  be  "ready  in  a  few  weeks."  The  post  surgeon,  in  the  sani- 
tary report  of  July  31,  1869,  makes  the  statement  that  the  hospital  was  not  sufficiently  finished  to 
be  occupied  until  the  1st  of  March,  1869.  It  is  not  finished  even  up  to  the  present  date.  1  have 
before  me  a  large  file  of  copies  of  letters  from  the  post  surgeon  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
post,  to  the  assistant  adjutant  general  of  the  department,  and  to  the  medical  director,  applying 
for  work  to  be  done  upon  the  hospital,  which  he  represents  to  be  essential  to  the  care  of  the  sick, 
and  necessary  to  complete  the  hospital  according  to  the  plan.  Some  of  this  work  has  been  done, 
and  some  still  remains  unattended  to.  The  hospital  at  Omaha  Barracks  is  built  after  the  plan  pre- 
scribed by  Circular  No.  4,  of  1867.  The  ground  floor,  however,  by  some  neglect,  was  not  "elevated 
18  inches  above  the  ground,  with  free  ventilation  beneath  it  in  summer-time." 

The  experience  of  one  winter  proved  that  the  wards  could  not  be  properly  warmed  by  the 
stove.  Several  expedients,  and  different  arrangements  of  stoves,  were  tried  by  the  post  surgeon 
without  success.  A  ceiling  of  lath  aud  plaster  for  the  wards,  with  openings  for  communication 
with  the  ridge,  was  recommended  by  me  last  fall,  and  the  recommendation  having  been  promptly 
carried  out,  no  difficulty  was  found  in  warming  the  ward  last  winter.  The  present  post  surgeon 
and  commanding  officer  of  the  post  have  recommended  that  the  wards  be  furnished  with  shutters 
to  exclude  the  sun  and  dust.  I  have  not  approved  this  recommendation  for  the  reason  that  snn 
and  dust  cannot  be  entirely  excluded  without  excluding  air,  and  have  advised,  in  addition  to  the 
curtains  now  in  use,  outside  Venetian  awnings,  and  appropriate  measures  to  diminish  the  amount 
of  dust  near  the  hospital.  The  veranda,  which  is  not  allowed  in  this  latitude,  would  obviate  all 
inconvenience. 

No.  2.  Fort  Kearney,  Nebraska. — The  post  hospital  is  a  one-story  frame  building,  originally 
built  and  used  for  company  quarters,  the  regular  post  hospital  having  been  destroyed  by  fire.  It 
has  three  small  wards,  poorly  ventilated,  and  is  altogether  badly  suited  for  hospital  use.  All 
attempts  to  improve  the  condition  of  this  hospital  have  been  answered  by  the  statement  that  the 
post  would  soon  be  abandoned.  Since  July,  1869,  some  repairs  have  been  made  by  the  post  com- 
mander which  were  evidently  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  the  supplies  and  the  shelter  of  the 
sick. 

At  this  post  I  found  in  use,  and  still  perfect,  notwithstanding  extraordinarily  hard  usage,  the 
old-style  iron  bedstead.  They  are  in  complete  repair,  and  having  been  newly  repainted,  are  in 
every  respect  as  good  as  when  issued  fifteen  years  ago. 

No.  3.  Fort  McPherson,  Nebraska. — The  post  hospital  is  a  log  building,  chinked  and  plastered, 
with  shingle  roof;  has  two  wards  with  capacity  for  twenty-four  beds ;  air  space,  518£  cubic  feet  per 
bed.  The  average  occupation  of  beds  is  12.  This  building  is  comparatively  convenient  and  com- 
fortable, and  is  kept  in  good  repair. 

No.  4.  Fort  Sedgwlck. — The  post  hospital  is  an  adobe  building.  Its  size  is  ample.  I  found, 
however,  very  little  room  available  for  th^  use  of  the  sick,  but  one  ward,  having  a  capacity  for  ten 
beds,  being  in  use;  the  other  was  occupied  by  the  post  surgeon  as  quarters.  Improvements  have 
been  made  within  the  past  year  by  which  the  ward-room  has  been  doubled,  and  most  of  the  other 
inconveniences  removed. 

No.  5.  Sidney  Barracks — No.  6.  North  Platte — Are  posts  in  embryo.  They  have  temporary  ac- 
commodations for  sick,  which  answer  for  present  purposes.  No  permanent  buildings  of  any  kind 
have  been  erected  at  either  station.  Sidney  has  a  frame  building  in  use  as  hospital,  wicn  accom- 


326  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

moclatiou  for  12  patients.  It  is  thought  that  in  time  the  post  of  Fort  Sedgwick  may  be  removed 
to  Sidnev . 

No.  7.  Fort  D.  A.  Russell,  Wyoming  Territory. — This  hospital  is  built  after  the  plan  prescribed 
by  Circular  No.  4,  1867,  with  the  following  variations :  The  hall  of  main  building  is  6£  feet  instead 
of  5  feet  in  width,  for  the  shelter  of  men  attending  sick-call — no  veranda  being  authorized.  A  sky- 
light was  added  to  light  the  stairs  and  upper  hall ;  the  space  above  the  front  hall  was  therefore 
available  to  be  inclosed  and  used  as  a  closet  for  linen.  The  next  variation  from  the  plan  was  made 
by  the  quartermaster,  and  was  productive  of  much  discomfort,  and  perhaps  suffering,  to  the  inmates 
of  the  wards,  which,  instead  of  being  plastered,  were  sheathed  with  flooring  matched,  but  the  im- 
perfectly seasoned  lumber  soon  opened  at  the  joints,  and  admitted  cold  air,  snow,  and  rain  to  such 
an  extent  that  the  post  surgeon,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Alden,  United  States  Army,  made  an  official 
report,  and  asked  for  repairs.  After  long  delay,  tarred-paper  lining  and  ceiling  to  one  ward  was 
finally  provided,  but  it  required  the  official  statement  of  the  post  surgeon  that  for  two  winters  tin- 
ward  had  been  insufficiently  warmed,  with  cases  of  pneumonia  and  acute  rheumatism  under  treat- 
ment. 

No.  8.  Fort  Sanders,  Wyoming  Territory. — The  frame-work  of  a  two-story  log  building,  35  by  30 
feet,  each  story  10  feet  in  height,  with  a  one  story  attachment,  13  by  23  feet,  intended  for  offices, 
store-rooms,  sleeping-rooms  for  attendants,  and  kitchen,  was  commenced  and  more  than  half  fin- 
ished in  the  latter  part  of  1868.  It  remains  still  half  finished  at  the  present  date,  want  of  lumber 
and  of  mechanics  having  prevented  any  attempt  at  completion.  The  long  log  structure  now  used 
as  ward,  dispensary,  store-rooms,  &c.,  is  badly  contrived  for  the  purpose,  and  would  be  inadequate 
for  a  larger  command.  The  post  surgeon,  by  persistent  applications,  has  brought  it  through  the 
following  progressive  stages:  Bechinking  the  cracks,  patching  with  old  canvas,  and  finally,  by 
lath  and  plastering,  it  has  been  made  comfortable  for  the  sick,  and  will  answer  a  temporary  pur- 
pose till  the  command  is  increased,  when  the  chronic  correspondence  will  have  to  be  reopened  rel- 
ative to  the  completion  of  the  two  years'  half-finished  administration  building,  which  has  become 
a  conspicuous  landmark  on  the  Laramie  Plains. 

The  officers'  quarters  at  this  post  have  had  verandas  added,  and  have  been  put  into  most  com- 
fortable condition.  General  J.  H.  Potter,  in  command  of  the  post  last  year,  assured  me  that  he 
would  have  work  immediately  recommenced  upon  tfie  hospital,  but  he  was  soon  afterward  assigned 
to  special  duty  out  of  this  department,  and  the  work  remains  untouched. 

No.  9.  Fort  Fred  Steele,  Wyoming  Territory. — When  this  post  was  ordered  built,  the  medical 
director  of  this  department,  Lieutenant  Colonel  E.  H.  Alexander,  United  States  Army,  submitted 
the  plan  of  hospital  required  by  Circular  No.  4  to  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  recommend- 
ing that  it  be  built  accordingly,  but,  for  some  reason  not  known  to  me,  the  recommendation  was  not 
carried  out,  and  the  post  was  completed  Avithout  any  provision  for  a  hospital  building.  The  post 
surgeon,  Assistant  Surgeou-J.  K.  Corson,  United  States  Army,  in  his  sanitary  report  of  December 
31, 1868,  states  that  the  sick  were  treated  in  hospital  tents  on  frames;  these  at  a  post  when  the 
thermometer  shows  a  range  from  90°  to  — 21°,  could  scarcely  be  considered  comfortable.  A  set  of 
unoccupied  company  quarters  was  therefore  fitted  up  as  a  temporary  hospital,  and  it  is  still  occu- 
pied as  such.  I  found  on  a  recent  inspection  of  this  post  hospital,  that  while  every  other  building 
at  the  post  had  been  completed,  the  "  temporary  hospital"  had  not  even  been  repaired,  but  remains 
in  the  precise  condition  in  which  it  was  taken  for  the  emergency.  The  mud-chinking  has  fallen  out 
from  between  the  logs,  and  the  shingles  were  warped  so  that  daylight  could  be  seen  in  any  direc- 
tion through  the  crevices  in  the  walls  and  roof  of  the  ward.  I  have  approved  and  urgently  recom- 
mended the  proposal  of  the  post  surgeon,  to  have  the  temporary  hospital  transferred  to  another 
set  of  unoccupied  company  quarters,  more  eligibly  situated,  and  that  these  be  altered  to  a  plan 
which  will  provide  a  comfortable  and  convenient  post  hospital  with  kitchen  and  mess-room  attached 
for  present  use.  As  Fort  Steele,  however,  is  to  be  a  permanent  post  in  this  department,  it  would  be 
proper  to  have  a  hospital  built  in  accordance  with  plan  of  Circular  No.  4  without  delay. 

No.  10.  Fort  Bridger,  Wyoming  Territory. — The  special  report  of  the  post  surgeon,  Assistant 
Surgeon  W.  E.  Waters,  United  States  Army,  dated  December  31,  1868,  sets  forth  fairly  the  condi- 
tion of  this  hospital  at  that  time.  His  repeated  recommendations  for  increased  accommodation  for 


PERMANENT  POSTS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  PLATTE.         327 

the  sick,  and  his  reports  of  the  shameful  character  of  the  buildings  occupied  by  them,  were  disre- 
garded. The  ward  was  35  by  18  feet,  with  a  height  of  ceilingof  only  7  feet,  and  with  no  means  of  ven- 
tilation, when  the  doors  and  windows  were  shut,  but  the  fireplaces,  which  fortunately  being  old 
style,  and  capacious,  answered  to  prevent  suffocation  in  the  winter,  and  yet  one  can  scarcely  see 
how.  The  company  quarters  being  built  after  the  same  plan,  it  is  not  surprising  that  ophthalmia 
should  have  been  frequent  at  this  post. 

Assistant  Surgeon  Waters  submitted  a  plan  for  the  remodeling  of  this  hospital  on  the  20th  of 
August,  18G8.  The  work  was  not  commenced  till  August  of  the  following  year. 

No.  11.  Gamp  Douglas,  Utah  Territory. — The  hospital  at  this  post  is  very  well  described  in 
the  special  report. 

I  consider  the  construction  of  this  hospital  eminently  faulty.  The  wards  have  windows  only 
on  one  side,  the  building  being  divided  by  a  longitudinal  partition  into  two  wards.  The  ventila- 
tion is  very  imperfect,  and,  without  an  entire  rearrangement  of  the  whole  inside  structure  of  the 
building,  cannot  be  improved.  The  weather  is  intensely  hot  in  the  long  summer  at  this  post,  and 
I  know  that  the  inmates  of  the  wards  could  be  made  much  more  comfortable.  There  is  a  front 
veranda  before  the  dispensary  and  steward's  room,  but  none  for  the  wards.  The  whole  building  is 
old  and  infested  with  vermin,  and  should  be  rebuilt  if  the  post  is  to  be  occupied. 

No.  12.  Fort  Laramie,  Wyoming  Territory. — The  post  hospital  of  Fort  Laramie  is  now  quite 
capacious  and  very  well  appointed,  and  comfortable  for  patients.  It  is  also  in  very  good  repair. 
Attention  is  called  to  the  following  extract  from  the  sanitary  report  of  Assistant  Surgeon  Schell, 
United  States  Army,  dated  December  31, 18G8 :  "  During  the  winter  of  1806  and  1807  the  hospital 
had  been  so  full  that  I  was  obliged  to  have  three  hospital  tents  pitched  all  winter,  where  ward  No. 
1  now  stands.  A  number  of  soldiers  were  afflicted  with  scurvy,  as  were  also  many  of  the 
employes  of  the  quartermaster.  The  winter  was  unusually  severe  and  stormy,  and  the  tents, 
though  pitched  on  frames  in  the  most  secure  manner,  were  repeatedly  blown  down,  and  by  the 
time  spring  came  were  torn  into  ribbons.'' 

The  winter,  cold  at  this  post,  is  usually  intense,  the  mercury  often  falling  to — 20°  F.,  and  the  wind 
storms  are  always  violent;  yet  in  spite  of  these  known  circumstances,  and  the  repeated  remon- 
strances of  one  of  our  most  energetic  and  influential  medical  officers,  then  post  surgeon,  sick 
men  were  permitted  to  be  treated  in  hospital  tents  during  the  entire  winter. 

No.  13.  Fort  Fetter  man,  Wyoming  Territory. — The  building  of  this  post  was  commenced  in  July, 
1807.  The  sick  were  treated  in  tents  until  late  in  December,  when  adobe  store-houses  for  the 
quartermaster  and  commissary  stores,  officers'  quarters,  laundresses'  quarters,  and  company 
quarters  having  been  completed,  a  hospital  was  hastily  thrown  together  from  the  logs  remaining 
from  the  old  hospital  of  an  abandoned  post  in  the  vicinity. 

During  the  previous  month,  November,  there  had  occurred  101  eases  of  disease  and  wounds, 
and  2  deaths,  out  of  a  command  of  374,  mean  aggregate  strength  of  officers  and  men.  This  fact  is 
mentioned  to  offset  the  general  reply  to  applications  for  hospital  buildings,  that  the  command  is  so 
healthy  that  no  emergency  exists. 

The  hospital  remained  in  the  condition  described  by  Assistant  Surgeon  Charles  Mack  in,  I'nited 
States  Army,  then  post  surgeon,  in  special  report  and  sanitary  report  of  December  31,  1868.  The 
ward  was  lighted  by  three  windows  of  one  sash  each,  the  daylight  visible  through  every  crevice 
between  the  logs  and  shingles,  and  the  inmates  suffering  from  cold  in  the  winter.  Part  of  the 
building  had  no  floor  but  the  hard  soil,  and  thus  the  building  remained  until  June  of  the  present 
year,  when  I  have  succeeded  in  getting  work  commenced  in  a  reconstruction  of  the  old  log  frame, 
which  is  to  beredivi(|ed  according  to  a  plan  furnished  by  Assistant  Surgeon  Monroe,  United  States 
Army,  post  surgeon.  The  whole  is  to  be  lathed  and  plastered,  and  the  work,  which  at  last  advices 
was  being  rapidly  pushed  forward,  will,  when  completed,  afford  for  the  first  time  since  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  post  a  comfortable  shelter  for  the  sick. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  that  in  the  construction  of  a  new  post  the  hospital  is  generally 
the  last  building  commenced,  and  always  the  last  one  made  habitable.  In  the  absence  of  any  posi- 
tive and  definite  general  regulations  on  the  subject,  the  post  commandant  or  assistant  quartermaster, 
intrusted  with  the  building  of  the  new  post,  is  permitted  to  be  the  sole  authority  as  to  the  sequence 


328  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

of  commencing  the  structures.  Under  this  state  of  affairs,  there  is  room  at  least  for  the  operation 
of  individual  personal  preferences,  which  I  need  not  enlarge  upon,  in  the  matter.  After  a  care- 
ful examination  of  all  the  correspondence  available  to  me  in  connection  with  the  building  of  the 
posts  in  this  department,  I  am  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  the  personal  popularity  or  influence 
of  the  post  surgeon,  with  one  or  both  of  the  above-named  officers,  has,  in  most  instances,  deter- 
mined the  promptness  with  which  the  post  hospital  has  been  commenced  and  finished.  In  other 
cases  the  most  urgent  representations  of  the 'post  surgeon  have  been  apparently  disregarded,  or 
action  upon  them  delayed,  until  a  time  arrived  when,  in  their  opinion,  a  beginning  could  be  made. 
At  this  juncture  perhaps  the  lumber  is  not  available,  or  it  maybe  the  chief  quartermaster,  strongly 
impressed  with  the  fact  that  the  actual  cost  of  building  the  post  will  far  exceed  the  original  esti- 
mates, just  now  orders  the  discharge  of  all  mechanics  except  enlisted  men,  and  further  delay  to  the 
unfortunate  hospital  arises.  Then  commences  the  correspondence,  indefinite  in  duration,  requiring 
reference  to  the  headquarters  of  the  department,  in  which  the  assistant  adjutant  general,  the  chief 
quartermaster,  and  the  medical  director  participate,  and  sometimes  a  personal  inspection  and 
special  report  are  required  from  the  assistant  inspector  general.  In  this  manner  is  time  consumed 
in^setting  right  what  could  easily  have  been  avoided  by  the  operation  of  positive  and  definite 
regulations,  which  should  prescribe  the  order  in  which  the  buildings  of  a  new  post  should  be 
commenced  and  completed. 

After  shelter  has  been  provided  for  the  subsistence  of  the  men,  and  for  such  stores  as 
are  necessary  for  their  use  as  soldiers,  the  hospital  should  be  made  habitable,  if  not  simul- 
taneously with  the  men's  quarters,  at  least  immediately  afterward,  and  preceding  the  erection 
of  quarters  for  officers  and  their  families,  and  for  camp  followers.  It  is  no  doubt  true  that 
in  summer,  and  under  favorable  circumstances  of  unusual  health  of  command,  this  order  might 
be  disregarded,  but  I  know  of  no  other  way  of  preventing  the  abuses  which  so  often  occur 
than  to  make  the  regulation  imperative,  and  not  admitting  of  exception.  Circular  No.  4,  of  1867, 
though  a  great  step  out  of  previous  chaos,  is  not  definite  in  this  respect ;  it  does  not  prescribe 
any  order  of  construction,  or  even  require  positively  that  all  post  hospitals  shall  be  built  in 
accordance  with  its  plan.  In  thjs  department  there  are  but  two,  of  the  many  which  have  been 
built  since  it  was  promulgated,  at  all  in  conformity  with  the  circular,  and  in  both  of  those  unwar- 
rantable alterations  were  made  in  the  mode  of  construction  therein  directed,  resulting,  in  the  case 
of  the  post  hospital  at  Fort  D.  A.  Russell,  in  actual  discomfort,  if  not  suffering,  to  the  sick  for  two 
severe  winters  before  the  eccentricity  was  corrected.  The  general  features  of  the  plan  therein 
given  are  excellent.  The  use  of  tarred  paper  over  sheathing,  to  be  covered  by  weather-boarding 
on  the  outside,  \vould,  in  my  opinion,  be  an  improvement  over  upright  sheathing  with  battens, 
which,  according  to  my  experience,  invariably  leaves  open  joints.  The  same  tarred  paper  over 
sheathing,  to  be  covered  with  lath  and  plaster,  for  the  inside,  thus  inclosing  an  air  chamber,  would 
make  the  wards  warmer  in  winter  and  cooler  in  summer,  and  certainly  prevent  that  prevailing  style 
of  crevices  which  may  in  some  instances  assist  ventilation,  but  which,  in  many  memorable  cases, 
have  admitted  cold  rain  and  snow  tipon  those  suffering  with  acute  rheumatism  and  pneumonia. 
The  alterations  made  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Alden,  United  States  Army,  post  surgeon  at  Fort 
Russell,  seem  to  be  judicious  and  worthy  of  imitation.  The  veranda,  which  is  only  authorized  in 
the  circular  at  posts  south  of  latitude  38°  north,  should,  in  my  opinion,  be  provided  for  all  post 
hospitals.  At  present  all  in  this  department  are  excluded  from  the  great  comfort  afforded  by  the 
veranda.  The  summer  heat  here  and  throughout  the  whole  length  of  the  valley  of  the  Platte  is 
excessive,  and  at  Camp  Douglas  the  high  temperature  prevails  for  months. 

Attention  is  also  called  to  the  fact  that  when  extreme  cold  prevails  in  winter  it  is  impossible  to 
warm  the  wards  with  the  roof  open  to  the  ridge.  It  is  difficult  to  define  this  region  between  parallels 
of  latitude,  because  a  ward  so  constructed  could  more  easily  be  warmed  on  Puget  Sound  than  in  New 
York  Harbor,  but  I  would  respectfully  recommend  that  some  provision  be  made  for  these  cases.  At 
posts  where  the  mercury  habitually  falls  to  zero  of  Fahrenheit,  authority  might  be  given  to  close  the 
ward  above  by  a  lath  and  plaster  ceiling,  leaving  capacious  openings  communicating  with  the 
ridge,  which  might,  if  necessary,  be  closed  with  traps. 


OMAHA  BAREACKS,  NEBRASKA.  329 


OMAHA  BARRACKS,  NEBRASKA. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  FRANK  MEACHAM,  UNITED  STATES  AEMY. 

The  post  of  Omaha  Barracks  is  located  on  the  Missouri  River,  three  and  one-half  miles 
west  of  Omaha  City,  Nebraska,  and  one  and  one-half  miles  south  of  the  town  of  Florence,  in  lati- 
tude 41°  20'  north,  and  longitude  9G°  west ;  altitude,  900  feet.  The  post  was  established  November 
20,  1808.  The  reservation  comprises  80  acres  of  land,  40  of  which  were  contributed  by  the  city  of 
Omaha  ;  the  remainder  was  purchased  by  the  United  States  Government.  It  is  nearly  a  perfect 
rectangle  in  shape ;  the  long  axis  running  north  and  south.  The  western  side  is  elevated  and 
overlooks  the  reservation  and  the  city  of  Omaha.  The  country  west  and  south  is  rolling,  while 
east,  toward  the  city,  it  is  nearly  level.  The  soil  consists  of  a  rich  black  vegetable  mold  from  two 
to  five  feet  in  thickness,  containing  some  sand,  but  entirely  free  from  stones  and  gravel ;  it  is  easily 
plowed  and  very  fertile.  The  subsoil  is  a  yellowish  clay,  not  impervious  to  water. 

There  are  no  trees  on  the  reservation  or  vicinity.  The  shrubs  are  common  elder,  dwarf  sumach, 
American  hazel,  common  blackberry,  dewberry,  summer  grape,  wild  gooseberry,  dwarf  raspberry, 
dwarf  huckleberry. 

The  mean  temperature  for  the  year  ending  March  31,  1870,  was  47.83°  F.,  the  extremes  being 
Of)0  F.  and — 10°  F.  The  total  rain-fall  for  the  same  period  was  05.30  inches.  During  the  warm 
months  the  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  south;  in  winter  from  the  north.  They  frequently  blow 
with  great  violence. 

Ten  buildings  are  used  for  company  barracks,  five  on  the  north,  and  five  on  the  south  sides  of 
the  parade.  They  are  wooden  structures,  lined  with  brick,  each  30  by  80  feet,  12  feet  high  to 
the  eaves,  and  24  feet  to  the  ridge,  giving  a  capacity  of  43,200  cubic  feet.  Each  barrack  has  a 
porch  in  front,  10  feet  wide,  from  each  end  of  which  a  room,  10  by  10  feet,  is  cut  off  for  store-room  and 
first  sergeant's  room.  The  buildings  are  warmed  by  stoves;  there  are  no  special  means  of  ventila- 
tion, though  the  rooms  seem  to  be  sufficiently  open  to  supply  all  the  fresh  air  that  is  necessary.  Each 
barrack  is  capable  of  accommodating  75  men,  giving  to  each  544  cubic  feet  air  space.  Two  tiers  of 
double  wooden  bunks  are  used.  There  are  no  wash  or  bath-rooms.  There  are  two  sinks  at  the 
rear  of  the  middle  barracks ;  they  are  frame  houses,  1C  by  50  feet,  placed  over  pits,  11  feet  deep.  A 
kitchen  and  a  mess-room  for  each  company  are  contained  in  a  building  placed  in  rear  of  each 
barrack,  and  communicating  with  the  latter  by  a  covered  passage  way,  10  by  10  feet.  The  capacity 
is  ample. 

The  quarters  for  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  two  frame  buildings,  each  150  by  30  feet, 
and  divided  into  nine  sets  of  quarters,  each  containing  two  rooms,  15  feet  square.  Two  other  build- 
ings, each  30  by  80  feet,  and  divided  into  five  sets  of  quarters  of  two  rooms,  are  occupied  by  married 
soldiers. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  fourteen  frame  buildings,  lined  with  brick,  plain  batten  finish,  and 
painted  a  dull  yellow  color.  They  are  one  story  high,  with  attic  rooms.  There  are  ten  double  sets 
of  quarters  for  line  officers,  each  accommodating  a  captain  and  two  lieutenants.  They  are  divided 
into  two  symmetrical  parts,  each  containing  a  front  room,  15  by  15  feet,  two  back  rooms,  each  15  by 
10£  feet,  and  a  hall,  15  by  8J  feet,  on  the  first  floor.  The  attics  contain  two  rooms,  each  15  by  15 
feet,  with  a  large  closet.  There  are  three  sets  of  quarters  for  the  field  officers  and  the  medical 
officer.  These  quarters  contain  a  front  room,  20  by  15  feet,  two  back  rooms,  15  by  15  feet,  and  a 
hall,  15  by  10  feet,  on  the  lower  floor.  In  the  attics  are  two  rooms,  20  by  15  feet,  with  a  closet,  10 
by  10  feet,  connected  with  each  room.  The  commanding  officer's  quarters  is  a  two-story  house,  40 
by  50  feet,  with  a  porch,  8  feet  wide,  in  front,  and  part  of  each  side.  There  is  a  hall  on  the  first 
floor,  40  by  7  feet ;  on  the  left  is  a  room,  15  by  36  feet,  with  a  bay-window  ;  on  the  right  are  two 
rooms  connected  by  folding  doors ;  the  front  room  is  15  by  15J  feet,  the  back  room,  15  by  20  feet ; 
to  the  rear  of  these  rooms  are  two  smaller  rooms,  two  narrow  halls,  a  cellar-way,  and  a  water-closet; 
still  further  back  is  the  kitchen  and  laundry.  On  the  upper  floor  are  four  rooms,  15  by  15J  feet, 
with  three  smaller  rooms,  a  bath-room,  and  a  water-closet.  This  set  of  quarters  has  the  only 
42 


330  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 

cistern  at  the  post.  It  is  occupied  by  the  general  commanding  the  Department  of  the  Platte.  At 
the  rear  of  each  set  of  quarters  there  is  a  kitchen  and  small  store-room  contained  in  a  detached 
building,  18  by  13  feet.  This  building  is  connected  with  the  main  building  by  a  covered  passage- 
way, 15  by  C  feet,  with  latticed  sides. 

The  commanding  officer's  quarters  are  heated  by  coal  fires,  for  which  grates  are  provided.  All 
the  rest  are  heated  by  wood-stoves.  They  are  lighted  by  coal-oil  lamps,  and  are  ventilated  by 
means  of  the  windows,  which  open  from  the  top  as  well  as  the  bottom.  Wells  were  dug  between 
each  two  sets  of  quarters,  but  owing  to  the  impurity  of  the  water,  none  of  them  can  be  used.  The 
quarters  are  now  supplied  by  water  taken  from  a  well  at  the  rear  of  the  barracks,  by  a  wagon 
which  leaves  at  each  kitchen  daily  the  amount  required.  There  is  a  privy  50  feet  to  the  rear  of 
each  kitchen ;  they  consist  of  small  buildings  placed  over  pits.  There  are  no  bath-rooms  in  any 
of  the  quarters  except  the  commanding  officer's. 

There  are  two  buildings  for  store-houses,  each  80  by  30  feet ;  one  used  for  quartermaster,  the 
other  for  commissary  stores. 

The  guard-house  is  43|  by  48J  feet,  with  a  porch  in  front,  12  feet  wide.  The  entrance  is  in  front 
near  the  center,  and  leads  into  a  hall,  1C  by  4  feet;  on  the  left  is  a  room,  16  by  16  feet,  for  the  officer 
of  the  guard;  on  the  right,  a  room,-22£  by  21  feet,  for  the  guard.  The  front  hall  leads  into  a  second, 
32  by  4  feet,  which  is  a  continuation  of  the  first,  separated  from  it  by  a  strong  door;  on  the  left  of 
this  passage-way  is  a  room,  18  by  15  feet,  in  which  are  confined  prisoners  of  the  worst  class.  At 
the  rear  of  this  room  are  3  cells,  7J  by  4J  by  12  feet  high.  At  the  rear  of  the  guard-room  is  a  room, 
24  by  21  feet,  in  which  are  confined  the  lighter  cases.  All  the  above  rooms  are  12  feet  high.  The 
guard-house  is  warmed  by  stoves  burning  wood.  The  prison-rooms  are  ventilated  by  three  grated 
windows,  2  feet  square,  placed  8  feet  from  the  floor.  These  windows  are  kept  constantly  open 
There  is  no  ventilation  in  the  cells.  The  rooms  occupied  by  the  prisoners  contain  9,088  cubic  feet 
of  air  space,  and  are  usually  occupied  by  30  men,  giving  each  man  303  cubic  feet  of  air.  The  cells 
contain  each  390  cubic  feet  of  air.  They  are  seldom  used,  and  only  for  solitary  confinement.  With 
the  exception  of  the  want  of  proper  ventilation  in  these  cells,  the  guard-house  is  well  adapted  to  its 
purpose. 

The  hospital  is  located  at  the  south  end  of  the  garrison.  It  is  a  frame  building,  lined  with 
brick,  batten  finish,  painted  dull  yellow.  Its  general  arrangement  is  the  same  as  given  in  Circular 
No.  4,  from  the  Surgeon  General's  Office,  1867,  for  48  beds.  It  is  warmed  by  wood-stoves,  and  has 
ridge  ventilators.  There  are  24  beds  in  each  ward,  with  990  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man.  The 
bath  and  wash-rooms  are  well  arranged.  There  are  no  water-closets  in  the  building.  The  hospital 
sink  is  80  feet  distant.  There  is  no  dead-house.  The  baggage  of  the  patients  is  stored  in  one  of 
the  small  rooms  at  the  end  of  the  wards. 

The  post  bakery  is  40  by  20|  feet,  and  contains  one  room  in  front,  with  an  oven,  15  by  12  feet 
by  6  feet  high,  in  rear. 

There  are  six  stables,  each  221  by  30J  feet,  and  containing  46  double  stalls.  There  is  a  well 
with  pump  in  each.  They  are  ventilated  by  the  ridge.  There  are  two  other  stables,  one  190  by 
30J  feet,  the  other  120  by  26  feet.  The  smaller  one  is  used  at  present  for  a  store-house.  The  six 
largest  are  not  in  use  during  the  summer,  but  are  occupied  by  the  cavalry  companies  during  the 
winter  months. 

The  library  contains  420  volumes  of  a  miscellaneous  character. 

The  water  used  at  the  post  is  taken  from  a  well  north  of  the  north  row  of  barracks,  and  left  at 
the  kitchens  each  day  by  the  water-wagon. 

'No  analysis  of  the  water  of  this  well  has  yet  been  made.  The  following  is  a  qualitative  analy- 
sis of  the  water  from  a  well  on  the  line  of  officers'  quarters,  made  by  Assistant  Surgeon  S.  M.  Hor- 
toii,  United  States  Army,  April  27,  1869 : 

"  The  quantity  of  organic  matter  is  very  large,  consisting  chiefly  of  vegetable  material  sus- 
pended and  in  solution.  It  is  this  large  quantity  of  organic  matter  that  gives  the  water  its  nau- 
seous odor.  A  large  amount  of  almost  black  powder  was  deposited  upon  adding  solution  of  yellow 
chloride  of  gold  to  the  water  while  boiling.  A  large  proportion  of  solution  of  permanganate  of 
potash  was  added  to  a  definite  quantity  before  the  pink  color  would  remain.  A  large  quantity  of 
carbonate  of  lime  was  deposited  upon  [the  sides  of  the  vessels  when  the  water  was  boiling.  Some 


OMAHA  BARRACKS,  NEBRASKA.  331 

salts  of  lime  other  than  the  carbonate,  as  the  sulphate  and  nitrate  of  lime,  were  found  upon  further 
examination.  Also  a  small  proportion  of  magnesia  and  ammonia  was  discovered.  No  free  sul- 
phuric, nitric,  or  nitrous  acid  was  found.  No  chlorides  nor  sulphureted  hydrogen  were  found, 
although  they  were  looked  for.  The  great  objection  to  this  water  is  its  nauseous  odor,  and  to  many 
its  disagreeable  taste,  both  from  the  organic;  matter  it  contains  and  its  hardness.  It  is  almost 
impossible  to  form  a  lather  with  soap  when  cold  and  before  boiling  the  water.  The  organic  matter 
found  in  it  originates  evidently  from  the  water  filtering  through  a  peat  bed  most  probably  of  great 
age,  and  from  four  to  seven  or  more  feet  thick.  The  sinks  in  rear  of  the  officers'  quarters  must 
ere  long  prove  a  further  source  of  contamination  to  the  water  on  that  line,  as  they  are  not  many 
yards  distant  from  the  wells,  and  are  above  them  on  the  hill  side.  It  is  recommended,  in  consid- 
eration of  the  above  facts,  that  large  cisterns  be  constructed,  with  charcoal  filters,  so  as  to  purify 
this  water  before  using  it  for  drinking  or  culinary  purposes." 

The  water  now  used  at  the  post  has  very  little  of  the  disagreeable  smell  and  taste  referred  to  by 
Dr.  Horton. 

There  are  no  springs  on  the  reservation  nor  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  but  there  is  a  mineral 
spring  1£  miles  southeast,  of  which  the  following  is  an  analysis: 

Grains  jior  gallon. 

Carbonate  of  lime • 5. 86 

Carbonate  of  magnesia 4. 91 

Carbonate  of  soda 2 . 42 

Sulphate  of  lime 4. 10 

Sulphate  of  magnesia 4. 31 

Sulphate  of  soda G.  00 

Chloride  of  sodium 2. 63 

Chloride  of  calcium  )  „„ 

Chloride  of  magnesia  ) 

Oxide  of  iron 44 

Organic  matter 29 

Total..  .  31.29 


Carbonate  of  lime,  magnesia,  and  oxide  of  iron  held  in  solution  by  carbonic  acid.    Car- 
bonic acid  not  ascertained. 

As  a  precaution  against  fires  there  are  barrels  and  buckets  constantly  filled  with  water  in 
each  of  the  barracks,  store-houses,  and  stables;  also  at  the  hospital.  In  addition  there  are  one  or 
more  patent  fire-extinguishers  in  each  of  the  above-named  buildings. 

The  natural  drainage,  except  at  the  south  end  of  the  grounds,  is  ample.  The  artificial  drains 
are  simple  open  ditches,  and  are  used  exclusively  about  the  south  row  of  barracks  and  laundresses' 
quarters.  The  drains  discharge  into  a  small  stream  that  flows  in  front  of  the  post  and  empties  into 
the  Missouri  River.  Slops  and  excreta  of  the  post  are  hauled  away  and  deposited  on  the  commons 
northeast  of  the  post. 

During  the  summer  the  men  bathe  in  the  Missouri  River,  1£  miles  distant.  There  are  no 
arrangements  at  the  post  for  bathing  in  summer  or  winter. 

About  3J  acres  are  cultivated  as  gardens,  half  an  acre  being  under  the  direction  of  the  post  sur- 
geon, the  remainder  under  the  supervision  of  the  post  treasurer.  Each  company  has  a  garden  of  3 
acres  area  outside  the  post,  cultivated  by  details.  The  company  gardens  supply  the  companies  with 
vegetables  during  the  year,  except  potatoes ;  these  can  be  purchased  in  the  vicinity  so  cheap  that 
it  is  not  thought  necessary  to  raise  them  in  large  quantities. 

The  prevailing  diseases  during  the  past  year  have  been  intermittent  fever,  acute  diarrhoea, 
catarrh,  tonsillitis,  and  acute  rheumatism. 

The  intermittent  fever  and  diarrhoea  prevailed  principally  during  the  summer  months,  and 
were  undoubtedly  influenced  largely  by  the  impurity  of  the  water.  The  other  diseases,  catarrh, 
tonsillitis,  and  acute  rheumatism  occurred  principally  during  the  colder  months,  and  were  probably 
caused  almost  entirely  by  the  variable  climate  and  damp  atmosphere. 


332 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Omaha  Barracks,  Ne- 
braska, for  the  year  1809. 


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77 

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285 

4 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  KEARNEY,  NEBRASKA. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  W.  H.  BRADLEY,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Kearney  was  established  as  Fort  Chikls,  Indian  Territory,  in  1848.  It  is  situated  in  latitude 
40°  33'  north,  longitude  from  Greenwich  99°  G'  west,  and  about  2,360  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Platte  River,  in  the  State  of  Nebraska.  The  reservation,  ten  miles 
square,  was  declared  by  the  President  under  date  of  January  18, 1849.  The  Union  Pacific  railroad 
crosses  the  northern  portion  of  the  reservation  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  a  distance  of  six 
miles  from  the  fort.  The  Platte  River  at  this  point  is  about  nine  miles  wide,  and  filled  with  islands. 
A  range  of  hills,  of  sandy  formation,  skirt  the  valley  on  the  south  side;  the  range  is  from  one  to 
two  miles  wide.  South  of  these  hills,  to  the  Republican  River,  is  about  forty  miles  of  table-land, 
slightly  undulating.  The  whole  country  is  prairie,  and  is  supposed  to  be,  with  little  exception, 
arable,  capable  of  yielding  good  crops  of  wheat,  corn,  oats,  potatoes,  fruit,  and  all  kinds  of  vege- 
tables that  grow  in  the  same  latitude  in  the  Eastern  States.  The  soil  of  the  Platte  Valley  is 
principally  clay,  mixed  with  a  little  lime  and  sand  and  vegetable  humus,  washed  down  from  the 
adjoining  bluffs.  No  stone  or  rocks  are  found  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post.  A  few  feet  beneath  the 
surface  of  the  ground  is  found  the  quicksand,  originally  washed  there  by  the  Platte  River.  Cotton- 
wood,  elm,  ash,  cedar,  and  wild  plum  trees  are  found  on  the  islands.  The  wild  animals  are  the 
buffalo,  antelope,  deer,  gray  wolf,  coyote,  swift  rabbit,  ground  squirrel,  badger,  skunk,  prairie  cat, 
and  field  mouse.  Birds  are  represented  by  the  eagle,  turkey  buzzard,  several  species  of  hawks 
and  owls,  the  blackbird,  snowbird,  wild  goose,  duck  of  all  varieties,  prairie  chicken,  plover,  and 
small  species  of  snipes.  Cattish  of  all  sizes  are  caught  in  the  Platte  River.  The  reptiles  are 
represented  by  the  frog,  toad,  rattlesnake,  and  several  species  of  small  grass  snakes. 

The  average  temperature  from  July  1  to  December  31,  1808,  was  52°;  hygrometer,  51°.  High 
winds,  storms,  heavy  rain-showers,  and  hurricanes  are  frequent  during  the  summer  and  fall.  Snow 
does  not  remain  any  length  of  time. 

Fort  Kearney  was,  at  the  time  of  its  establishment,  the  only  intermediate  station  between 
Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  a  distance  of  350  miles  east,  and  Fort  iiaramie,  420  miles  west,  on  the 
California  overland  route,  and  is  about  midway  between  the  Mississippi  River  and  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  It  was  established  for  the  protection  of  the  west-bound  emigrants  and  peaceable 
Indians  from  hostile  Indian  tribes  and  outlaws  infesting  the  country.  The  post  is  built  on  a  level 
plain,  one  and  a  half  mile  from  the  bank  of  the  river.  Eight  miles  east,  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
reservation,  and  two  miles  west,  were  situated,  about  two  years  ago,  two  flourishing  towns — the 
former,  Valley  City ;  the  latter,  Kearney  City — both  now  in  ruins,  and  nearly  deserted  on  account 
of  the  Union  Pacific  railroad  taking  the  place  of  the  old  overland  route. 

The  post  is  laid  out  in  a  regular  square,  with  the  store-houses  on  the  north;  the  officers'  quar- 
ters and  one  barrack,  now  unoccupied  and  used  for  theatrical  performances,  on  the  south;  the  com- 
pany quarters  and  guard-house  on  the  east,  and  the  commanding  officer's  quarters  and  office 
buildings  on  the  west.  These  buildings  surround  a  parade  ground  of  four  acres  in  extent,  in  the 
center  of  which  is  erected  the  flagstaff.  A  few  cotton  wood  trees  line  the  sidewalks  of  the  parade, 


FOET  KEARNEY,  NEBRASKA.  333 

but  afford  shade  only  to  the  deserted  officers'  quarters.  These  trees  have  been  planted  inside  of 
the  garrison,  but  have  been  neglected. 

About  200  yards  in  rear  of  the  store-houses  belonging  to  the  regular  square  of  the  post  are 
the  stables  and  a  quartermaster's  store-house,  on  a  line  front,  facing  the  parade.  About  200  yards 
in  rear  of  the  commanding  officer's  quarters  and  office  buildings  are  the  married  soldiers'  quarters, 
post  office,  bake-house,  and  sutler's  shop.  Southwest  and  about  200  yards  from  the  main  square  is 
the  hospital  building;  northeast,  the  magazine;  and  about  150  yards  in  rear  of  the  company 
quarters  is  the  blacksmiths'  shop. 

The  company  quarters,  three  in  number,  are  one-story  frame  buildings,  divided  into  rooms, 
two  of  which  are  25  by  40  feet,  for  the  company;  two,  10  by  12  feet,  one  of  which  is  used  as  a 
company  store-room,  the  other  for  the  orderly  sergeant  and  as  office;  one  mess-room,  1C  by  .10 
feet,  and  a  company  kitchen.  These  buildings  are  very  well  lighted,  which  is  the  case  with  all  the 
buildings  in  the  post,  but  no  regard  to  ventilation  has  been  had  in  their  construction,  though  all 
the  buildings  are  spacious.  The  dormitories  have  an  air  space  of  250  cubic  feet  per  man,  and  are 
furnished  with  double  bunks,  with  bedsacks  filled  with  hay.  Quarters  for  married  soldiers  are 
in  log  and  adobe  buildings,  and  in  a  very  dilapidated  condition.  These  buildings  are  divided  into 
rooms,  16  by  16  feet,  well  lighted,  though  badly  ventilated. 

The  commanding  officer's  quarters  consist  of  a  story-and-a-half  frame  building,  containing  six 
rooms,  each  20  feet  square,  a  hall,  kitchen,  and  a  large  porch  in  front  and  rear,  with  several  out- 
buildings. This  building  is  built  in  an  old-fashioned  style,  and  is  surrounded,  with  the  exception 
of  the  front,  which  faces  the  parade  ground,  by  the  remains  of  a  garden.  The  buildings  are  com- 
fortable and  in  good  repair. 

The  officers'  quarters  is  a  two-story-and-a-half  frame  building  of  old  style,  containing  twelve 
rooms,  with  halls  and  kitchens.  This  building  is  spacious  and  in  good  condition.  A  small  one- 
story  frame  building,  cottage  style,  with  three  rooms,  15  by  15  feet,  is  situated  in  the  line  on  the 
left  of  the  officers'  quarters,  and  was  originally  designed  for  the  use  of  the  chaplain  of  the  post. 

The  office  buildings,  four  in  number,  are  much  of  the  character  of  the  company  buildings,  and 
of  sizes  suitable  for  offices.  The  store-houses  are  frame  and  weather-boarded,  spacious,  and  in 
good  condition. 

The  guard-house  is  a  one-story  frame  building,  with  two  rooms,  20  by  20  feet,  one  for  the  guard, 
the  other  for  prisoners.  The  building  is  provided  with  a  front  porch,  is  well  lighted,  and  built  on 
the  plan  of  the  company  quarters,  and  is  well  adapted  to  its  purpose. 

The  hospital  building,  a  one-story  frame  structure,  formerly  used  for  company  quarters,  has 
three  ward-rooms,  each  25  by  30  feet,  one  store-room,  10  by  12  feet,  a  dispensary,  10  by  12  feet, 
which  is  used  also  for  an  office,  a  kitchen,  20  by  20  feet,  and  a  laundry,  10  by  10  feet.  This  building 
is  well  lighted,  warmed  by  stoves,  and  ill  ventilated,  and  it  being  old  and  dilapidated,  is  entirely 
unadapted  for  the  uses  for  which  it  was  built.  A  new  hospital  is  much  needed  at  this  post.  The 
dispensary  is  very  much  out  of  repair.  The  wards  have  a  capacity  of  twenty  beds,  with  an  air 
space  of  600  cubic  feet  per  bed.  No  bath-rooms  are  connected  with  the  hospital. 

The  post  bakery  is  an  adobe  building,  with  dirt  roof,  very  large,  with  an  oven  constructed  of 
brick,  in  which  sufficient  bread  is  baked  for  the  use  of  the  command. 

The  magazine  is  a  heavy  frame,  conoidal  in  form,  covered  with  several  feet  of  earth,  and  in 
good  condition. 

About  300  yards  southwest  of  the  fort  is  an  ice-house  entirely  over  ground,  as  the  nature  of 
this  place  does  not  permit  it  otherwise  on  account  of  the  water  which  is  found  only  a  few  feet 
beneath  the  surface.  It  is  a  frame  building,  20  by  40  feet,  old  and  dilapidated.  Several  other 
small  buildings  are  scattered  between  those  already  mentioned,  one  used  as  a  billiard-room,  another 
as  a  school-room. 

The  stables  are  of  the  same  construction  as  the  store-houses,  but  very  dilapidated  and  in  need 
of  repair. 

Water  for  the  use  of  the  garrison  is  obtained  from  wells,  12  to  20  feet  deep.  The  water  rises 
and  falls  according  to  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  Platte  River.  It  is  of  a  good,  soft  quality,  with  a 
slight  magnesia  taste.  The  animals  are  watered  in  the  Platte  River. 

There  are  no  sewers  at  the  post.  Drainage  is  effected  by  evaporation  and  absorption,  as  the  soil 
is  composed  of  dry  alluvial  deposits  and  sand.  The  offal  of  the  post  is  collected  by  police  parties 


334 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAET  POSTS. 


and  carried  in  wagons  some  distance  out  on  the  prairies.  The  sinks  are  ordinary  dirt  latrines, 
filled,  and  new  ones  dug  as  occasion  requires.  One  room,  fitted  up  with  tubs  made  from  barrels,  is 
used  as  a  bath-room  by  the  men. 

There  are  no  gardens  connected  with  the  post.  All  vegetables,  as  potatoes,  onions,  &c.,  are 
furnished  at  a  plentiful  rate  from  the  assistant  commissary  of  subsistence  at  Omaha,  Nebraska. 
There  is  a  daily  mail  from  Kearney's  Station,  on  the  Union  Pacific  railroad.  Time  to  department 
headquarters,  twenty-four  hours. 

South  of  the  Platte  Kiver,  in  all  the  scattered  settlements,  there  are  about  1,500  inhab- 
itants. Agriculture  is  the  general  occupation  of  the  settlers,  and  there  is  considerable  trading 
done  at  the  towns  of  Kearney,  Wood  Iliver,  and  Grand  Island;  the  last  mentioned  is  west  of  Tort 
Kearney,  on  the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  about  40  miles  distant. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Kearney,  Nebraska, 

for  the  years  1868  and  18G9. 


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8 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  McPHERSON,  NEBRASKA. 

INFORMATION  FUENISHED   BY  SURGEON  P.  C.  DAVIS,  UNITED   STATES  ARMY,  AND  ASSISTANT   SUR- 
GEON A.  D.  WILSON,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  McPherson,  Nebraska,  is  situated  in  latitude  41°  3'  north,  longitude  100°  38'  west,  at  an 
elevation  above  the  sea  of  2,770  feet,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  South  Platte  River,  eight  miles 
above  its  confluence  with  North  Platte  Iliver,  and  lies  directly  east  fi'om  North  Platte  City  eighteen 
miles,  and  five  miles  in  a  southeasterly  direction  from  McPherson  Station,  Union  Pacific  railroad. 
The  post,  including  a  line  in  rear  of  stables  and  rear  of  post  hospital,  covers  an  area  of  38  acres. 
There  are  two  corrals,  and  both  are  included  in  the  land  estimate.  This  locality,  known  as  Cot- 
tonwood  Springs,  was  used  by  the  Overland  Stage  Company  for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  conse- 
quence became  the  residence  of  from  75  to  100  citizens.  Indian  depredations  having  been  commit- 
ted near  this  point,  troops  were  sent  to  this  place  September  27,  1863,  and  named  it  Cantonment 
McKean.  On  the  18th  of  May,  1864,  the  name  was  changed  to  Fort  Cottonwood,  and  on  or  about 
March  11,  1866,  the  name  was  again  changed  to  Fort  McPherson.  The  reservation  has  not  been 
declared,  except  by  a  post  order,  dated  June  24,  1866,  which  includes  four  miles  square,  the  north- 
west point  being  so  located  as  to  insure  control  of  the  bridges  over  the  river,  and  also  to  include 
a  portion  of  an  island  of  considerable  size,  which  is  used  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  hay.  The 
area  of  the  reservation  consists  almost  entirely  of  the  bottom  land  along  the  river,  but  includes  a 
portion  of  the  bluffs  south  of  the  post.  The  immediate  location  of  the  post  is  upon  a  plateau  or  table- 
land, containing  about  38  acres,  situated  about  one-half  mile  south  from  the  river,  and  about  30 
feet  above  its  level.  The  geological  formation  of  this  region  belongs  to  the  tertiary  period. 

The  surrounding  country  is  not  arable;  there  are  no  trees  or  gardens  ;  the  soil  is  sandy ;  good 
grass  is  found  about  three  miles  from  the  post.  The  animals  of  this  region  are  those  common  to 
the  whole  extent  of  the  plains.  The  Platte  River  rises  in  April  and  falls  in  July ;  is  fordable  about 
seven  months  of  the  year.  The  climate  is  very  dry.  The  estimated  average  monthly  temperature 


FOKT  McPHEESON,  NEBEASKA. 


335 


for  the  twelve  months  ending  June  3,  18G9,  is  51°  F. ;  the  extremes  were  104°  F.,  on  the  9th  of 
July,  and  —  3°  F.  on  December  21,  18G9.    The  prevailing  winds  are  northwest. 

Fort  McPherson  is  a  five-company  post,  built  of  lumber.  There  are  five  barracks,  three  log  and 
two  frame  buildings,  well  plastered  and  ventilated.  Each  building  contains  eighteen  large  windows; 
one  building,  150  by  27  feet,  with  wing  87  by  25  feet ;  two  buildings,  108  by  25  feet,  with  wings  71 
by  20  feet ;  one,  96  by  25  feet,  with  wing  71  by  20  feet ;  one,  132  by  30  feet,  with  wing  60  by  24 
feet.  The  main  buildings  are  used  as  orderly-rooms  and  sleeping-rooms,  the  wings  as  bath,  dining, 
and  cooking-rooms.  The  average  air  space  per  man  in  the  dormitories  is  328£  cubic  feet. 

The  laundresses'  quarters  are  five  log  and  one  frame  buildings  capable  of  accommodating  four- 
teen families ;  they  have  shingle  roofs,  and  are  in  good  repair.  Two  of  the  buildings  are  40  by  24 
feet;  one  30  by  15  feet;  one  40  by  18  feet,  with  wing  24  by  15  feet;  one  60  by  18  feet;  one  30  by 
15  feet,  with  wing  12  by  15  feet;  they  face  the  rear  of  the  company  quarters. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  frame  buildings,  lathed  and  plastered,  with  shingle  roofs;  there 
are  ten  in  all,  which  face  directly  south  to  the  parade  ground  and  company  quarters ;  they  are 
comfortable,  well  built,  and  spacious.  Six;  are  single  buildings,  42  by  20  feet;  three  double,  54  by 
20  feet;  one  building  for  the  commanding  officer,  65  by  24  feet.  All  have  kitchens  Attached, 24  by 
15  feet. 

The  commissary  store-house  is  a  portable  frame  building,  100  by  24  feet ;  the  quartermaster's 
warehouse,  a  log  building,  well  built,  132  by  30  feet ;  the  forage-house,  a  log  building,  well  built, 
shingle  roof,  130  by  27  feet ;  the  adjutant  and  quartermaster's  office,  a  log  building,  in  good  condi- 
tion, 42  by  20  feet ;  and  the  magazine  is  a  circular  frame  building,  about  20  feet  in  diameter. 

The  guard-house  is  a  log  structure,  with  shingle  roof,  built  in  shape  of  the  letter  T ;  the  main 
building  is  30  by  20  feet,  and  has  two  apartments,  one  for  the  officer  of  the  guard,  and  one  for  the 
guard ;  the  wing,  15  by  24  feet,  is  for  the  confinement  of  prisoners,  and  has  one  large  grated  window. 

The  hospital  is  a  log  building,  well  chinked  and  plastered,  with  lathed  and  plastered  ceilings 
and  shingle  roof.    It  consists  of  a  main  building,  69  by  20  feet, 
and  a  wing,  64  by  20  feet ;  for  the  general  arrangement  of 
which  see  Figure  42. 

A,  ward  No.  1,  20  by  42  feet ;  A,  ward  No.  2,  20  by  24 
feet ;   D,  dispensary ;  E,  steward's  room,  10  by  20  feet ;  K, 
kitchen,  20  by  20  feet;  M,  dining-room,  20  by  24  feet;  O,          M 
office;  S,  store-room,  20  by  20  feet. 

The  hospital  is  capable  of  accommodating  24  patients ; 
air  space  per  bed  51S£  cubic  feet. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  log  building,  45  by  30  feet,  well  built, 
shingle  roof,  and  has  a  fine,  large  oven. 

There  are  five  cavalry  stables,  built  of  logs,  with  shingle 
roofs.  Three  are  200  by  30  feet ;  one  280  by  30  feet ;  and  one 
24  by  30  feet. 

There  is  no  post  library.  The  regimental  library  of  the 
Fifth  United  States  Cavalry  is  kept  in  the  adjutant's  office, 
and  numbers  but  30  volumes,  mostly  works  of  fiction. 

The  water  is  principally  obtained  from  the  Platte  Eiver. 
There  are  three  wells  at  the  post ;  two  of  them  contain  but  a  Figure  43.— Scale,  30  feet  to  l  inch, 
small  quantity  of  water,  and  are  not  used ;  the  third  is  located  in  the  post  corral,  and  furnishes  a 
good  supply  of  wholesome  water  for  the  stock.  There  are  three  wells  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post 
owned  by  citizens,  all  of  which  are  in  good  order  and  furnish  excellent  water.  The  average  depth 
of  all  the  wells  is  35  feet.  There  are  no  cisterns  or  reservoirs.  The  water  is  hauled  from  the 
river  in  a  water-wagon,  and  is  distributed  in  barrels  kept  for  the  purpose  around  the  post.  The 
quantity  supplied  by  the  water-wagon  averages  3,246  gallons  per  diem.  From  the  1st  of  May 
until  the  1st  of  August  the  river  is  very  full,  and  at  such  times  is  loaded  with  earthy,  and  also  con- 
tains about  6  parts  in  1,000  of  organic  matter. 


K 


336  DESCEIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  immediate  location  of  the  post  is  a  perfect  flat  or  level,  ami,  in  consequence,  there  is  no 
natural  drainage.  The  fall  of  rain  and  snow  remains  upon  the  surface  until  evaporation  occurs, 
which  is  rapid  in  this  region.  Very  little  moisture  is  absorbed  by  the  soil.  There  is  one  artificial 
sewer  at  the  post,  and  that,  being  connected  with  a  set  of  officers'  quarters,  is  but  little  used.  There 
is  one  open  ditch  or  drain  about  the  commanding  officer's  quarters.  The  building  being  in  a  low 
place,  the  ditch  drains  the  ground  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  very  perfectly. 

Each  of  the  company  quarters  is  provided  with  a  small  room  in  which  the  soldiers  are  enabled 
to  perform  their  daily  ablutions.  If  any  of  them  desire  to  bathe  they  must  use  an  ordinary  tub. 
One  of  these  rooms  in  one  of  the  quarters  is  provided  with  two  bath-tubs  of  wood  for  bathing 
purposes.  The  rest  of  the  companies  are  destitute  of  these  necessary  articles.  During  the  sum- 
mer months  the  men  are  accustomed  to  bathe  in  the  Platte  Eiver.  There  never  has  been  an  order 
issued  at  this  post  designating  a  time  for  the  men  to  bathe  in  the  river.  The  prisoners  during  the 
summer  months  are  the  only  persons  required  to  do  so,  and  they  generally  by  order  of  the  officer  of 
the  day.  The  men  have  no  facilities  whatever  for  bathing  in  the  winter. 

Duringthe  month  of  March,  1870,  one  sergeant  and  six  men  were  detailed  to  inclose  a  piece  of 
land  for  a  post  garden,  in  a  northeasterly  direction  from  the  post  and  adjacent  to  the  Platte  Eiver, 
with  a  trench  four  feet  deep,  three  feet  wide  at  the  bottom,  and  four  feet  wide  at  the  top.  The 
earth  thus  excavated  was  thrown  upon  the  inner  side  of  the  trench,  and  the  external  surface  of  the 
mound  thus  formed  is  covered  with  a  layer  of  sodding.  Three  gates  are  placed  at  intervals  on  a 
line  with  the  mound.  The  middle  one  is  small,  and  the  outer  ones  so  constructed  as  to  admit 
teams.  A  rude  house  was  constructed  of  logs  inside  the  garden  as  a  shelter  for  the  gardeners. 
The  inclosure  thus  formed  embraces  an  area  of  11  £  acres  of  land.  There  are  no  hospital  or  officers' 
gardens.  The  post  garden  is  cultivated  by  six  soldiers  detailed  for  that  purpose.  It  is  watered 
by  means  of  pumps  stationed  at  intervals  along  the  edge  of  the  Platte  Eiver,  which  are  worked  by 
horse-power.  A  water-wheel  and  pump  combined  has  been  constructed  a:id  placed  in  the  river. 
It  performed  its  duty  exceedingly  well  for  a  while,  but  the  ever-changing  quicksands  of  the  Platte 
has  rendered  it  useless,  for  the  present  at  least.  The  water  is  conveyed  over  the  garden  by  means 
of  wooden  troughs  and  ditches  placed  at  appropriate  intervals.  The  garden  has  yielded  lettuce, 
onions,  radishes,  cucumbers,  beets,  &c.,  in  profusion.  Many  of  the  vegetables  planted  are  not  yet 
matured,  but  are  in  a  thriving,  healthy  condition.  There  seems  to  be  no  obstacle  whatever  to  the 
cultivation  of  fine  vegetables  in  the  bottom  lauds  of  this  region. 

There  is  at  the  post  commissary  an  ample  supply  of  pickles,  sour-krout,  &c.,  together  with  an 
estimated  supply  of  canned  fruits  and  preserves. 

The  nearest  quartermaster  and  subsistence  depots  are  at  Omaha,  Nebraska,  286  miles  distant. 
The  route  of  supply  is  from  Omaha  to  McPherson  Station  by  the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  seven 
miles  distant ;  thence  across  one  branch  of  the  Platte  Eiver  by  a  temporary  bridge,  and  over  the 
other  branches  by  fords.  In  the  spring  the  river  rises,  washing  away  the  temporary  bridge  aud 
making  communication  with  the  railroad  station  very  uncertain  and  hazardous.  The  best  season 
for  transportation  is  from  July  1  to  March  31.  McPherson  Station  is  distant  from  Fort  McPher- 
son about  four  miles.  The  eastern  and  western  mails  are  delivered  regularly  every  day.  Letters 
mailed  here  in  the  evening  for  department  headquarters,  Omaha,  Nebraska,  reach  their  destination 
about  two  o'clock  p.  m.  the  next  day. 

There  are  no  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post,  and  but  few  white  settlers.  There  are  in  all 
about  25  or  30  citizens  living  on  the  reservation,  aud  they  are  mostly  employed  by  contractors  for 
the  quartermaster's  department. 

There  seems  to  be  no  disease  that  can  be  considered  peculiar  to  this  climate.  The  most  of  the 
cases  occur  among  recruits,  and  can  probably  be  attributed  to  the  change  of  climate  and  water, 
and  to  excesses  of  diet,  &c.,  during  transportation. 


NORTH  PLATTE  STATION,  NEBRASKA. 


337 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  McPJierson,  Nebraska, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


NORTH  PLATTE  STATION,  NEBRASKA. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  F.  W.  ELBREY,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

North  Platte  Station  is  situated  on  the  line  of  the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  7  miles  from  the  con- 
fluence of  the  North  and  South  Platte  Rivers,  and  21  miles  west  from  Omaha,  Nebraska.  Latitude 
41°  6'  55"  north,  longitude  101°  25'  44"  west  from  Greenwich  ;  altitude  2,789  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea. 

The  post  was  established  in  August,  1867,  for  the  protection  of  the  railroad,  and  to  serve  as  a 
basis  of  supply  for  detachments  of  troops  stationed  in  the  vicinity.  The  ground  occupied  com- 
prises a  little  over  8  acres  adjoining  the  railroad,  and  is  a  portion  of  an  alternate  section  granted 
by  the  General  Government  to  the  Union  Pacific  railroad.  The  surface  topography  of  the  vicinity 
is  an  unbroken  prairie,  extending  7  miles  to  the  east  and  16  miles  west,  with  an  average  width  of 
6  miles,  limited  by  the  North  and  South  Platte  Rivers.  The  underlying  stratum  is  of  tertiary  forma- 
tion. The  soil,  being  of  a  rich,  alluvial  character,  is  fertile  if  properly  irrigated,  irrigation  being 
necessary  by  reason  of  the  insufficiency  of  rain-fall  and  the  oft  long-continued  droughts.  The 
prairie  from  the  South  Platte  River,  being  from  40  to  50  feet  higher  than  the  North  Platte,  has  an 
even  descent  of  about  7  feet  to  the  mile  toward  the  latter  river,  rendering  irrigation  convenient. 

The  climate  is  healthful,  and  the  extremes  of  temperature,  on  account  of  the  dry  and  rarefied 
atmosphere,  are  well  borne.  The  rain  and  snow-fall  are  small.  The  prevailing  winds  during  the 
summer  are  from  the  southeast  and  in  winter  from  the  northwest.  The  winds  are  frequent,  of 
long  continuance,  and  blow  very  violently. 

The  post  grounds,  inclosed  by  a  fence,  are  nearly  in  the  form  of  a  square.  The  parade  occupies 
a  space  near  the  center.  All  the  buildings  are  constructed  of  pine  wood,  the  roofs  of  some  being 
the  so-called  "  composition  roof,"  consisting  of  boards  covered  with  tarred  paper  secured  by  means  of 
batting,  and  of  the  others  common  shingles.  The  barrack  building,  accommodating  one  company, 
is  96  by  30  feet,  and  one  story  high.  It  is  warmed  in  winter  by  three  wood-stoves,  lighted  and 
ventilated  by  four  lateral  and  two  end  windows  placed  in  opposite  sides.  If  the  company  at  pres- 
ent occupying  the  building  had  its  full  complement  of  100  men  the  dormitory  would  give  only 
192  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man,  but  the  company  has  not  averaged  more  than  65  men  for  the 
past  year,  one-third  of  whom  are  now  on  detached  service.  Wooden  bunks  are  used.  The  wash- 
room, 12  by  12  feet,  is  partitioned  off  from  the  quarters.  The  men's  sinks  are  located  south  of  the 
stable,  and  are  unexceptionable  as  to  depth,  cleanliness,  and  position.  The  kitchen  and  mess-room 
both  adjoin  the  barracks.  Quarters  of  laundresses  and  married  soldiers  are  contained  in  a  build- 
ing with  two  rooms,  each  10  by  12  feet.  Two  one-story  buildings  are  used  for  officers'  quarters, 
constructed  of  wood,  plastered,  covered  with  shingles,  and  finished  in  the  plainest  style  possible. 
One  is  divided  into  two  sets  of  quarters  of  three  rooms  each,  having  attic  chambers;  the  other, 
with  no  attic,  contains  only  two  rooms.  The  first  has  a  kitchen  attached ;  neither  have  bath-rooms. 
43 


338  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 

Water  is  supplied  from  a  well  located  to  the  rear.  The  store-house,  placed  near  the  officers'  quar- 
ters 011  the  west  side  of  the  parade,  is  37  by  20  feet,  one  story  high,  and  covered  by  a  composition- 
roof.  The  building  is  ample  in  size,  and  well  adapted  for  its  purpose.  The  guard-house,  located 
adjoining  the  store-house,  being  20  by  13  feet  in  size,  adequately  warmed,  but  very  imperfectly 
ventilated,  has  a  capacity  for  6  prisoners.  There  is  no  hospital.  The  post  bakery  is  24  by  15  feet, 
built  of  wood,  and  adjoins  the  rear  of  the  company  kitchen. 

The  stable  is  located  to  the  south  of  the  parade  ground,  built  of  wood,  covered  with  boards ; 
dimensions  52  by  22  feet,  accommodating  8  horses.  A  portion  of  this  building  is  used  for  storing 
certain  quartermaster's  stores,  having  been  partitioned  off  for  that  purpose. 

The  North  Platte  River  being  distant  from  the  post  only  1,741  yards,  and  the  South  Platte 
2,300  yards,  and  the  soil  being  very  porous,  everywhere  inexhaustible  wells  can  be  dug  a  depth 
not  exceeding  10  feet  from  the  surface.  The  supply  for  the  post  is  therefore  abundant ;  but  the 
quality  of  the  water  is  not  all  that  could  be  desired  on  account  of  its  organic  impurities,  the  per- 
manganate of  potassa  test  showing  a  residuum  of  19  grains  to  the  gallon. 

The  natural  drainage  is  all-sufficient,  the  porosity  of  the  soil  preventing  the  collection  of  stag- 
nant water. 

There  are  no  bathing  facilities  at  the  post,  excepting  during  the  summer  months,  when  the 
North  Platte  affords  excellent  advantages. 

The  post  garden  covers  an  area  of  three-fourths  of  an  acre,  and  is  well  cultivated,  being  made 
productive  by  irrigation.  Cabbage,  lettuce,  radishes,  beets,  &c.,  are  raised. 

The  post  being  located  on  the  line  of  the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  communication  with  Omaha, 
Nebraska,  is  easy  and  regular.  The  mails  are  daily. 

The  inhabitants  of  North  Platte  town  are  500  in  number,  composed  of  railroad  employes,  arti- 
sans, and  small  traders.  There  have  been  no  prevailing  diseases  during  the  past  year,  there  being 
an  especial  absence  of  malarial,  pulmonary,  and  bowel  diseases,  and  of  rheumatism. 


FORT  SEDGWICK,  COLORADO  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION    FURNISHED   BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS   F.    LE   BARON    MONROE   AND   J.   M.   DICKSON, 

UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Sedgwick  is  situated  upon  the  right  or  south  bank  of  the  South  Platte,  which  flows  past 
the  post  in  an  easterly  direction ;  latitude  41°  north,  longitude  102°  30'  west  from  Greenwich ; 
height  above  the  sea,  3,660  feet.  The  town  of  Sidney,  on  the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  is  39  miles 
west  from  the  post,  and  Fort  McPherson  86  miles  east,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Platte  River. 
The  nearest  town  is  Julesburg,  Nebraska,  a  railroad  station  on  the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  three 
miles  due  north  of  the  post. 

Fort  Sedgwick  was  established  in  the  month  of  May,  1865,  by  Colonel  McNally,  Third  United 
States  veteran  volunteers,  for  the  protection  of  the  overland  route  to  California,  against  the  Indians, 
who  were  troublesome  at  that  time. 

The  valley  of  the  Platte  is  here  about  three  miles  in  width,  and  the  fort  is  built  about  one- 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  river.  The  river  is  fordable  nearly  all  the  year ;  but  from  about  the 
first  of  June  until  the  middle  of  August,  it  is  quite.  high,~the  rise  varying  with  different  seasons. 
In  1868,  wagons  crossed  every  day  but  one,  though  the  water  came  above  the  bottom  of  the  wagons 
for  two  months ;  the  river  being  half  a  mile  in  width,  with  a  channel  shifting,  and  at  times  abound- 
ing La  quicksands,  is  the  greatest  obstacle  to  communication  with  the  railroad.  The  ford  is  about 
500  yards  below  the  post,  and  still  further  below  are  the  ruins  of  old  Julesburg,  which  was  destroyed 
by  Indians  in  1865.  The  reservation  contains  64  square  miles.  The  ground  rises  gradually  from 
the  river  to  the  bluffs — a  mile  distant;  then  comes  a  series  of  hills  for  about  ten  miles,  beyond 
which  stretches  the  flat  table-land  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  The  immediate  vicinity  of  the  post 
is  nearly  level,  having  just  slope  enough  to  insure  good  drainage.  The  soil  is  not  fertile,  sand  and 
gravel  predominating,  and  is  slightly  impregnated  with  alkali.  Gardens  do  not  succeed  without 
irrigation  and  great  labor;  and  what  insects  do  not  destroy,  is  liable  to  ruin  from  violent  hail-storms. 


FORT  SEDGWICK,  COLORADO  TERRITORY. 


339 


The  mean  temperature  for  the  year  1869  was  50°  F. ;  extremes,  IMP  F.  and  16°  F.  Rain  fall 
during  the  year,  3.9  inches ;  snow-fall,  10.82  inches.  The  atmosphere  is  usually  dry.  The  prevail- 
ing winds  are  from  the  westward. 

Two  adobe  buildings  are  used  as  barracks,  each  100  by  25  feet,  and  10  feet  high,  and  intended 
for  one  company,  giving  from  225  to  300  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man  ;  the  walls  are  two  feet 
thick,  and  a  room ,  14  by  21  feet,  is  partitioned  off  at  the  end  for  the  orderly  sergeant.  They  are  warmed 
by  stoves;  have  no  special  means  of  ventilation,  and  no  wash  rooms.  An  adobe  building,  built  in 
the  rear  of  each  barrack,  contains  a  commodious  kitchen  and  mess  room,  with  fixtures  and  furni- 
ture complete.  Married  soldiers'  quarters  are  constructed  of  boards  and  canvas,  and  are  hardly  suit- 
able for  occupancy. 

Four  small  houses  constitute  quarters  for  the  officers  of  the  command ;  they  are  one  story  and 
a  half  high ;  two  are  built  of  adobe  and  plastered ;  the  others  are  of  portable  frame,  battened  exte- 
riorly. The  adobe  buildings  contain,  each,  three  rooms  on  the  lower  floor  and  two  on  the  tipper; 
the  lower  rooms  measuring, respectively,  15  by  10,  11  by  10,  and  11  by  14  feet;  are  8  feet  high,  and 
used  as  parlor,  dining-room,  and  kitchen.  The  upper  floor  has  two  rooms,  each  7  feet  high;  the  one 
22  by  15  feet,  the  other  11  by  15  feet.  The  frame  buildings  have  each  three  rooms  on  the  lower 
floor,  two  10  by  11  feet,  and  one  14  by  15  feet ;  these  rooms  are  8  feet  high.  The  upper  story  con- 
sists of  one  room,  22  by  28  feet  by  7  feet  high.  Temporary  sheds  are  attached  to  the  frame  quar- 
ters for  kitchens.  Each  of  the  four  buildings  is  intended  to  accom- 
modate one  set  of  company  officers.  They  are  heated  by  stoves, 
and  artificially  lighted  by  lamps.  Xo  means  for  ventilation  are 
provided.  There  are  no  water-closets  or  bath-rooms.  Water  is 
supplied  from  the  South  Platte  River,  and  from  the  well  in  the 
rear  of  the  quarters. 

The  guard-house  is  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  parade. 
It  is  a  frame  building,  48  feet  front,  by  24  feet  deep,  and  10  feet 
high.  It  is  warmed  and  lighted  as  are  the  other  buildings,  and 
contains  no  cells,  being  divided  into  two  rooms ;  one,  20  by  24 
feet,  occupied  as  a  guard-room,  the  other,  28  by  48  feet,  by  the 
prisoners  in  common.  One  chimney  serves  for  both  rooms.  The 
prison-room  has  a  roof  ventilator.  The  building  is  in  very  bad 
repair;  the  roof  leaky  and  the  walls  full  of  holes.  During  three 
months,  82  prisoners  have  been  confined  in  it;  the  maximum  num- 
ber being  16,  and  the  average  7. 

The  hospital  is  of  adobe,  and  stands  in  a  good  location  200 
yards  to  the  rear  of  the  parade  ground,  toward  the  bluffs.  It  is 
an  L-shapcd  structure,  consisting  of  one  building,  28  feet  front  by 
100  feet  deep,  with  a  wing,  28  feet  front  by  32  feet  deep.  For  the 
general  arrangement  of  the  hospital,  see  Figure  43. 

A,  ward,  25  by  25  feet ;  D,  dispensary,  10  by  13  feet ;  E,  stew- 
ard's room,  13  by  15  feet;  K,  kitchen,  25  by  20    feet;  M,diu-     Figure  43.-ScaIo,  20  feet  to  l  inch, 
ing-room,  25  by  16  feet;  S,  store-room,  14  by  25  feet;  Y,  surgeons'  quarters,  24  by  25  feet. 

The  height  of  all  the  rooms  is  10  feet  6  inches.  The  hospital,  in  size,  is  sufficient  for  a  four- 
company  post,  but  its  construction  is  faulty;  improvement  in  this  particular  has  been  sought,  but 
not  yet  accomplished.  It  is  warmed  by  stoves,  and  ventilated  by  doors  and  windows,  and  by  roof 
ventilators.  The  dispensary  is  convenient  and  well  arranged.  The  ward  contains  ten  beds,  giving  656 
cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man,  if  all  were  occupied.  There  is  no  bath  or  wash-room  and  no  water- 
closet  connected  with  the  hospital.  The  wing  portion  of  the  building  was  erected  as  a  ward,  but  a.t 
present  is  occupied  as  surgeon's  quarters.  The  hospital  is  occupied  chiefly  by  patients  from  the 
sub-posts,  or  citizens  from  the  Union  Pacific  railroad. 

The  post  bakery,  18  by  23  feet  by  12  feet  high,  is  built  of  adobe,  the  walls  being  3  feet  thick. 
The  oven  is  10  by  12  feet,  and  the  supply  of  bread  to  the  garrison  is  constant  and  sufficient. 

The  stables  are  two  in  number :  one,  located  300  yards  east  of  the  post,  is  a  wooden  building, 
25  by  240  feet,  11  feet  high  to  the  ridge,  and  rectangular  in  shape ;  the  other,  located  between  the 


M 


340 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


post  and  the  river,  is  about  200  yards  distant  from  the  company  quarters.  This  is  built  of  logs, 
with  a  dirt  roof,  and  is  in  a  very  dilapidated  condition. 

A  library,  consisting  of  286  volumes  of  biographies,  novels,  and  miscellaneous  works,  is  kept 
in  the  adjutant's  office  under  the  supervision  of  a  detailed  librarian. 

The  post  is  supplied  with  good  water  from  the  wells,  sunk  to  an  average  depth  of  20  feet,  and 
from  the  river.  The  wells  are  doubtless  supplied  by  percolation  from  the  river ;  the  quality  and 
quantity  of  water  thus  obtained  are  entirely  satisfactory.  The  soil  being  very  porous,  good  surface 
drainage  is  insured.  Offal  and  refuse  material  are  conveyed  some  distance  from  the  post,  and  thrown 
on  the  prairie. 

The  mails  are  received  daily  and  regularly.  Two  days  are  required  in  transmitting  a  letter  to 
department  headquarters,  and  six  days  to  Washington.  There  are  no  inhabitants  in  the  surrounding 
country,  except  a  few  families  at  the  railroad  station,  Julesburg. 

There  are  no  prevailing  diseases  at  the  post,  though  there  is  undoubtedly  a  small  amount  of 
malaria  present,  but  not  enough  to  produce  intermittent  or  other  fevers.  Most  of  the  cases  in  the 
hospital  are  surgical.  Rheumatism  is  obstinate  and  long  continued,  though  nearly  all  cases  of 
that  disease  have  been  sent  here  from  the  sub-post  of  Sidney,  which  is  situated  in  the  valley  of 
Lodge  Pole  Creek.  Diseases  of  the  lungs  are  almost  unknown. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  st'cfc,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Sedgwick,  Colo- 
rado Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  D.  A.  RUSSELL,  WYOMING  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  C.  H.  ALDEN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  David  A.  Russell  is  situated  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  Territory  of  Wyoming,  in 
latitude  41°  8'  north,  and  longitude  104°  45'  west  of  Greenwich,  at  an  elevation  of  6,062  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  It  lies  on  the  north  bank  of  Crow  Creek,  a  branch  of  the  South  Platte,  and 
three  miles  west  of  the  town  of  Cheyenne,  a  station  on  the  Union  Pacific  railroad.  The  base  of 
the  Black  Hills  is  about  15  miles  distant;  Omaha  is  517  miles  east;  Fort  Sedgwick,  146 miles  east; 
Fort  Sanders,  57  miles  west ;  all  on  the  Union  Pacific  railroad.  Fort  Laramie  is  90  miles  north,  by 
wagon  road,  and  Denver  City  107  miles  south,  reached  by  the  Denver  Pacific  railroad. 

The  post  is  named  in  honor  of  Major  David  A.  Russell,  Eighth  United  States  Infantry,  brig- 
adier general  United  States  volunteers,  and  brevet  major  general  United  States  Army,  who  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Opequan,  Virginia,  September  19,  1864.  The  ground  was  selected  and  first 
occupied  by  troops  in  July,  1867.  The  object  in  establishing  this  post  seems  to  have  been  to  pro- 
tect the  railroad  in  this  vicinity,  and  the  lines  of  travel  south  to  Denver,  and  northward  to  Fort 
Laramie  and  the  posts  beyond.  A  large  quartermaster  and  commissary  depot  was  established  in 
August  1867,  1£  mile  east  of  the  post,  which  is  an  important  base  of  supplies  for  the  military 
stations  to  the  northward,  the  old  road  from  Fort  Sedgwick  to  Fort  Laramie  being  now  abandoned 
for  the  new  and  shorter  one  from  Fort  Russell. 

The  reservation  was  originally  a  parallelogram,  extending  2  miles  east  and  west,  by  3  miles 
north  and  south,  and  containing  3,840  acres.  Additions  somewhat  irregular  have  been  made,  partly 


FOET  D.  A.  EUSSELL,  WYOMING  TEEEITOBY.  341 

to  give  increased  space  for  the  quartermaster's  depot,  situated  in  the  southeastern  angle.  The 
reservation  is  about  equally  divided  by  Crow  Creek,  which  crosses  it  from  northwest  to  southeast. 
This  is  a  small  and  tortuous  but  never  failing  stream.  On  either  side  of  the  creek  are  bluffs  from  30 
to  50  feet  high,  there  being  many  small  bottoms  between  them.  Along  the  stream  the  terrace  form- 
ation can  be  traced  in  some  places,  particularly  in  the  part  occupied  by  the  quartermaster's  depot, 
where  there  are  four  successive  benches  rising  from  the  water  to  the  plain.  To  the  north  of  the 
creek  there  is  a  large  level  plateau,  about  a  mile  wide,  beyond  which  the  country  is  broken.  To  the 
south  of  the  stream  the  country  is  much  broken  into  low  hills  for  some  distance.  This  region  lies 
near  the  southern  extremity  of  what  is  called  by  Professor  Hayden  "  the  White  Eiver  tertiary 
beds,"  which  extend  from  the  Upper  Missouri  southward  along  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Eocky 
Mountains  for  several  hundred  miles.  The  stratification  is  easily  seen  for  some  depth  on  the  faces 
of  the  bluffs  along  the  creek.  There  is  first  a  layer  of  alluvium,  from  one  to  two  feet  thick ;  next 
below  a  layer  of  coarse  gravel,  several  feet  thick,  sometimes  cropping  out  to  the  surface ;  and  below 
this  a  stratum  of  stiff  sand,  becoming  harder  in  descending,  until  an  irregular  layer  of  sandstone  is 
reached.  This  sandstone  is  coarsely  conglomerate  in  places,  the  boulders  imbedded  in  it  being 
occasionally  of  considerable  size.  Fragments  of  tertiary  mammalian  fossils  have  been  found  some 
25  miles  north  of  Cheyenne,  of  which  specimens  have  been  sent  to  the  Surgeon  General's  Office. 

The  soil  on  the  prairies  is  barren,  nor  can  the  bottom  lands  be  cultivated  except  by  the  aid  of 
irrigation.  The  plains  and  hills  are  covered  with  a  low,  stunted,  scanty  grass.  Along  the  creek  a 
few  low  willows  and  wild  currant  bushes  grow.  In  summer  the  desolate  prairies  and  bottoms  are 
made  brilliant  for  a  short  time  by  a  profusion  of  wild  flowers,  rich,  however,  rather  in  number  than 
variety.  The  crucifera?,  leguimuosa-,  rosacea?,  ouagracese,  composite,  scrophulariacea?,  and  the 
borraginaceae,  are  the  families  most  numerously  represented.  The  only  edible  wild  plants  known 
are  the  wild  onion,  (Alllumstellatum;)  lambs'  quarters,  (Chenopodium album;)  ami  wild  currants,  (.Ri&e* 
awreum.)  The  most  common  wild  animals  are  the  coyote,  prairie  dog,  and  striped  gopher.  Battle- 
snakes  are  occasionally  seen.  The  numerous  crania  of  buffalo  testify  to  their  presence  in  this 
country  at  no  very  distant  period,  but  not  probably  within  eight  or  ten  years.  Antelope,  and 
occasionally  common  deer,  can  be  found  at  some  distance  from  the  post.  Among  the  animals  some- 
times seen,  but  not  common,  may  be  mentioned  the  gray  wolf,  the  swift  fox,  the  white-backed 
skunk,  badger,  beaver,  jack  rabbit,  and  cotton-tail  rabbit.  Of  birds  the  species  are  numerous. 
Among  game  birds  are  the  prairie  chicken,  sage  cock,  mallard  duck,  green-winged  teal,  killdeer, 
yellow-legged  snipe,  and  Wilson's  phalarope. 

The  weather  is  at  all  times  subject  to  sudden  and  great  changes,  and  the  wind  blows  often 
with  much  violence,  particularly  during  the  spring  and  fall.  The  mean  temperature  for  the  past 
two  years  (1868  and  1869)  has  been  46.53°.  The  highest  temperature  has  been  100°,  August  5, 1869, 
and  the  lowest  16°,  December  20, 1869.  The  average  relative  humidity  has  been  61.7°.  Average 
annual  rain-fall  for  the  past  two  years,  6.25  inches ;  snow,  9.45  inches.  The  prevailing  wind  is  north- 
west, blowing  with  most  severity  in  February,  March,  April,  September,  October,  [November,  and 
December.  Spring  opens  about  May  1,  and  the  first  frost  comes  in  September.  March  is  the 
most  inclement  month.  During  all  the  warm  months  the  temperature  is  very  much  lower  at  night 
than  by  day. 

The  post  is  located  a  little  to  the  left  of  the  center  of  the  reservation,  its  southernmost 
angle  reaching  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff,  there  about  50  feet  above  the  water  which  flows  directly 
beneath.  The  buildings  are  entirely  of  wood;  they  are  arranged  around  a  parade  of  the  diamond 
form,  which  is  1,040  in  its  long,  by  800  in  its  short  axis.  The  long  axis  is  on  the  magnetic  meridian, 
the  variation  being  50°  30'  east.  The  officer's  quarters,  fourteen  in  number,  seven  on  each  side,  are 
arranged  like  the  two  legs  of  an  inverted  A,  vrith  the  commanding  officer's  quarters  at  the  angle 
between  them.  They  form  the  upper  or  northern  sides  of  the  diamond.  The  men's  barracks,  twelve 
in  number,  six  on  each  side,  form  the  other  two  limbs  of  the  figure,  the  guard-house  being  at  the 
point  of  junction.  In  front  of  the  guard-house  is  a  hexagonal  tower-like  building,  having  a  room 
for  the  officer  of  the  guard  below,  and  a  lookout  for  a  sentinel  above.  In  front  of  this  tower  is  the 
flagstaff,  100  feet  high.  In  the  spring  of  1870,  cottouwood  and  pine  trees  were  planted  around  the 
parade  and  in  other  parts  of  the  post.  The  barracks  do  not  directly  face  the  parade,  but  are 
arranged  "en  echelon,"  by  which  means  light  and  air  have  free  access  to  all  sides  of  the  buildings. 
Behind  the  western  row  of  officers' quarters  is  a  "grout"  or  concrete  building,  intended  for  an 


342  DESCBIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 

officers'  mess-house,  but  now  used  for  courts-martial  aud  school.    The  post  is  desigued  to  accom- 
modate twelve  companies,  six  each  of  cavalry  and  infantry. 

The  arrangement  of  the  post  is  shown  in  Plate  Xo.  8. 

The  general  plan  of  the  post  was  made  by  Brevet  Brigadier  General  J.  D.  Stevenson,  colonel 
Thirtieth  Infantry,  some  suggestions  being  made  by  the  writer,  Surgeon  C.  II.  Alden,  United 
States  Army.  The  diamond  form  of  the  parade  was  adopted  not  only  for  the  sake  of  appearance, 
but  to  avoid  the  inconvenience  of  the  very  large  inclosed  space,  which  would  have  resulted  from 
the  ordinary  rectangular  or  square  space,  owing  to  the  great  number  of  buildings  required.  There 
are  twelve  company  barracks;  they  are  built  of  rough  boards  placed  upright,  with  the  cracks 
battened;  each  is  80  feet  long  by  30  feet  wide,  with  11  feet  walls,  and  shingled  roof  of  one-third 
pitch,  and  has  a  porch,  7  feet  wide,  along  the  front.  Inside  there  is  a  lining  of  adobes,  placed  ou 
edge,  filled  in  between  the  timbers  to  the  level  of  the  eaves  all  around.  Each  barrack  is  desigued  to 
accommodate  80  men,  and  allows  480  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  There  is  a  brick  chimney  in 
the  center  of  each  barrack,  which  is  warmed  by  three  stoves.  Light  has  access  by  three  windows 
in  front,  two  at  each  end,  and  six  in  rear.  There  are  but  two  doors,  both  in  front.  The  roof  and 
ends  above  the  adobe  lining  are  so  open  from  the  shrinking  of  the  lumber  that  ventilation  is  atnply 
sufficient.  Some  of  the  barracks  have,  however,  special  ventilation  shafts.  The  beds,  of  bedsacks 
filled  with  hay,  are  arranged  in  two-story  wooden  bunks,  each  story  holding  two  men.  The  water- 
closet,  a  small  frame  building  placed  over  an  ordinary  sink,  is  situated  about  75  feet  in  rear  of  each 
barrack.  At  the  south  end  of,  and  on  a  line  with,  the  porch  of  each  building  is  a  rough  structure 
of  logs  placed  upright  in  the  earth,  about  20  by  50  feet,  and  shingled.  At  the  south  end  of 
this  is  the  company  kitchen,  about  15  by  20  feet,  the  remainder  of  the  interior  being  the  mess- 
hall.  Cooking  is  done  by  large  stoves  aud  caldrons.  Each  company  has  delf  mess  furniture.  A 
wash-room  is  in  some  cases  attached  to  the  south  end  of  the  kitchen. 

The  quarters  for  the  married  soldiers  and  laundresses,  some  18  in  number,  though  somewhat 
scattered,  are  mostly  situated  west  of  the  post,  along  the  creek.  The  buildings  are  not  only  too 
few,  but  are  very  badly  constructed.  They  are  log  huts,  about  10  by  18  feet,  and  very  roughly 
built.  Better  quarters  would,  no  doubt,  have  been  erected  long  since,  could  the  lumber  be 
obtained. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  chiefly  double  houses,  desigued  to  accommodate  the  captain  of  a 
company  on  one  side  and  his  two  lieutenants  on  the  other.  There  are  fourteen  of  these  double 
houses  on  the  parade,  and  the  commanding  officer's  quarters,  a  large  two-story  building,  with  four 
large  rooms  on  each  floor,  and  a  hall  in  the  center.  The  quarters  for  the  medical  officers  is  a 
double  house  near  the  hospital.  The  quartermaster  occupies  a  single  set,  placed  near  his  ware- 
house. The  officers'  quarters,  except  the  commander's,  are  one-story-aud  a  half  houses,  and  are 
all  built  of  the  same  materials  and  in  the  same  style  externally  as  the  men's  barracks.  Inside,  the 
officers'  quarters  are  lined  with  boards,  which  are  covered  with  tarred  sheathmg-paper,  and  papered. 
The  kitchen  and  servants'  room  are  in  a  detached  low  building  in  rear  of  each  house.  The  quarters 
have  no  special  arrangements  for  heating,  lighting,  ventilation,  nor  supplying  water.  There  are 
no  bath-rooms  and  no  water-closet,  except  a  common  sink  in  the  rear. 

The  adjutant's  office  is  in  the  set  of  officers'  quarters  to  the  right  of  the  commander's.  The 
commissary  and  quartermaster's  offices  are  iu  their  store-houses.  These  latter  are  two  long  wooden 
buildings,  about  25  by  100  feet.  The  style  is  known  as  sectional,  they  having  been  brought  up  from 
Omaha  in  parts,  and  put  together  here. 

The  guard-house  is  located  at  the  southern  angle  of  the  parade.  It  is  40  by  40  feet,  and  con- 
structed in  the  same  manner  as  the  other  buildings.  It  is  warmed  by  two  stoves,  and  ventilated 
and  lighted  by  windows,  of  which  there  are  two  in  rear,  two  in  each  end,  and  one  in  front.  Two 
doors  in  front  give  access  to  the  interior.  The  building  is  well  adapted  for  its  purpose. 

The  hospital  is  located  outside  aud  to  the  northeast  of  the  parade,  and  is  constructed  of  the 
same  materials  and  in  the  same  style  externally  as  the  barracks.  The  plan  is  essentially  that  laid 
down  in  Circular  No.  4,  1867,  Surgeon  General's  Office,  but  there  are  some  modifications  of  and 
deviations  from  that  plan  which  require  notice.  In  the  building  the  front  hall  is  widened  from  5 
feet  to  6J  feet.  The  hall  being  used  as  a  waiting-room  for  those  presenting  themselves  at  surgeon's 
call,  and  the  number  of  these  from  twelve  companies  being  sometimes  large,  a  greater  space  than 


FONT  D.AJIVSSELL  ,  W.  T. 

Gen.  eral  Plan  . 


Scale:     32  O  feet  tolj'nch. 

46o      5frQ      64o       ??o     800 


Carpenter  STtop 

? Residence 
Commissary  •Storehouse 


PLATE, N?  8. 


FOET  D.  A.  EUSSELL,  WYOMING  TEERITOEY.  343 

allowed  iu  tlie  plan  was  required.  The  dispensary  and  office  are  necessarily  slightly  diminished  in 
•size,  but  are  still  sufficiently  large.  In  order  to  better  light  the  staircase  and  upper  hall  a  skylight 
was  put  in  the  roof  immediately  over  the  stairs.  It  was,  therefore,  unnecessary  to  leave  the  space 
over  the  front  hall  open,  so  this  was  inclosed  and  is  used  as  a  linen-room.  It  was  thought  incon- 
venient to  use  one  of  the  upper  rooms  for  post-mortem  purposes,  and  a  small  building,  12  by  18 
feet,  was  provided  in  the  rear  of  the  hospital.  All  parts  of  the  building  are  lined  with  planed 
boards,  which,  in  the  ward  and  lower  part  of  the  main  building,  are  covered  with  tarred  sheathing- 
paper,  and  papered.  The  lining  of  boards  and  sheathing-paper  does  not  make  the  building  as 
warm  as  plaster  would,  but  it  is  preferable,  as  buildings  here  are  so  much  shaken  by  the  wind  that 
plaster  is  constantly  liable  to  fall  off.  For  this  reason,  (the  severity  of  the  winds,)  and  also  the 
low  range  of  temperature,  particularly  at  night,  the  special  arrangements  provided  in  the  pre- 
scribed plan  for  ventilation  cannot  be  much  used.  The  air  channels  in  the  floor  of  the  ward,  though 
constructed,  were  never  opened,  and  it  has  been  impossible  to  allow  the  openings  for  ventilation  at 
the  ridge  to  remain  open  except  for  two  months  in  the  year,  July  and  August.  The  shafts  through 
which  the  stove-pipes  pass  are  always  open.  To  increase  the  facility  of  heating  the  ward  the  past 
winter,  a  temporary  ceiling  of  tarred  paper  was  put  up.  It  was  considered  unnecessary  to  con- 
struct any  ventilating  shafts  in  the  main  building.  The  hospital  is  convenient,  and  would  be  com- 
fortable were  it  not  that  the  shingles  on  the  roof  have  warped  so  that  the  snow  blows  iu  to  some 
extent  in  winter.  The  battens  also  have  warped,  so  that  on  the  exposed  side  of  the  building  the 
snow  finds  its  way  through  the  cracks.  These  defects  will  probably  be  remedied  this  summer  (1870) 
by  reshingling  and  putting  weather-boards  on  the  sides.  The  hospital  is  warmed  by  wood-stoves, 
of  which  the  ward  has  two  large  ones  with  drums,  and  the  office,  dispensary,  and  mess-room  each 
one.  The  building  is  lighted  by  hanging  kerosene  lamps.  The  dispensary  is  furnished  with  convenient 
shelves  and  counter.  There  are  two  wards,  each  accommodating  twenty-four  beds.  The  east  ward 
(the  most  sheltered)  is  the  only  one  occupied  by  patients,  the  other  being  used  as  a  chapel.  Each 
bed  has  CG  superficial  feet,  and  since  the  ward  was  ceiled  1,011  cubic  feet  of  air  space.  One  of  the 
little  rooms  at  the  end  of  the  ward  is  fitted  up  with  a  bath-tub  and  as  a  lavatory.  The  sink  for 
attendants  and  convalescents  is  about  85  feet  in  rear  of  the  east  ward.  For  the  sick  in  bed  two 
night  chairs  are  provided,  usually  kept  in  the  bath-room,  each  deposit  being  covered  as  soon  as 
made  with  dry  earth  to  disinfect  and  deodorize  it. 

The  bake-house,  a  wooden  building  situated  between  the  store-houses,  has  an  oven  with  a 
capacity  of  600  rations.  The  stables,  eight  in  number,  are  situated  iu  a  bottom  near  the  creek, 
east  of  the  post.  They  are  long  buildings  of  rough  boards,  with  a  row  of  stables  on  each  side. 
There  is  no  post  library.  The  Ninth  Infantry  has  a  regimental  library,  and  some  of  the  cavalry 
companies  have  libraries.  There  is  a  hospital  library,  not  medical,  of  about  200  volumes. 

The  garrison  receives  its  water  supply  chiefly  from  Crow  Creek.  Attached  to  a  saw-mill 
situated  in  the  bottom,  west  of  the  post,  is  a  steam -pump  which  forces  the  water  from  the  stream  up 
into  an  elevated  wooden  tank  on  the  bluff.  A  water-wagon  is  filled  daily  from  this  tank,  and 
delivers  the  water  for  the  officers,  enlisted  men,  and  laundresses  into  barrels  near  their  quarters. 
The  water  is  also  made  to  flow  from  this  tank  through  a  ditch  around  the  parade,  thus  supplying 
the  trees  there  planted.  There  are  wells  behind  the  officers'  quarters  and  barracks,  but  they  are 
not  used,  because  they  run  dry  in  summer,  and  the  other  plan  of  supply  is  at  all  times  more  con- 
venient. The  commanding  officer's  residence  and  hospital  have  each  a  well  in  its  inclosure,  supply 
ing  their  occupants  with  water. 

The  water  from  Crow  Creek  is  a  little  turbid  at  times  in  spring  when  the  stream  is  swollen  by 
heavy  rains,  but  generally  the  water  from  both  sources  is  colorless,  tasteless,  and  free  from  odor. 
An  examination  by  the  soap  test  gives  the  following  result: 

Crow  Creek  water,  hardness  (Clark's  test)  before  boiling,  3.  5;     after,  1.  75 
Hospital  well  water,  hardness  (Clark's  test)  before  boiling,  5.  95;  after,  1.  75 

An  analysis  has  been  made  to  determine  the  amount  of  solid  matter  and  organic  matter  iu  the 
water.  The  amount  of  the  former  is  small,  and  of  the  latter  very  minute,  but  I  have  not  sufficient 
confidence  in  the  accuracy  of  my  results  to  quote  them,  owing  to  the  imperfect  apparatus  at  hand. 

For  extinguishing  fire,  dependence  is  placed  chiefly  on  an  ample  supply  of  buckets,  kept  con- 


344  DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 

stantly  full,  in  all  the  barracks,  store-houses,  and  hospitals.  There  is  also  a  special  water-wagoil, 
with  force-pump  attached,  kept  filled  near  the  tank,  which  can  be  hauled  to  any  point  when  needed. 
Each  building  has  one  or  more  ladders  kept  near  it.  At  the  quartermaster's  depot  there  is  a  hand 
fire-engine. 

There  being  a  gradual  inclination  of  the  ground  on  which  the  post  is  built  toward  the  creek, 
the  natural  drainage  is  efficient.  From  this  cause,  and  the  gravelly  subsoil,  water  remains  but  a 
very  short  time  upon  the  surface.  The  kitchen  slop  and  offal  are  removed  daily  by  persons  who 
raise  swine.  Dry  refuse  collected  by  policing  is  carried  to  ravines  a  short  distance  below,  or  east 
of  the  post,  and  burned.  The  cultivation  of  gardens  has  not  received  as  much  attention  as  is 
desirable,  but  this  neglect  has  been  somewhat  from  causes  beyond  control. 

This  post  has  been  since  its  foundation  a  sort  of  rendezvous  or  depot  for  distribution  of  troops. 
The  entire  garrison  has  been  changed  several  times,  and  the  change  of  commanders  is  frequent. 
While  there  is  a  large  garrison  in  winter,  in  early  spring,  and  before  the  planting  season  arrives, 
almost  the  whole  garrison  is  sent  to  various  points  along  the  railroad,  leaving  hardly  enough  men 
to  perform  the  guard  duty  and  other  necessary  work  for  so  large  a  post.  For  these  causes  a  post 
garden  has  never  been  planted.  There  is  much  less  need  of  one  here  than  at  more  isolated  posts. 
Potatoes  and  other  common  vegetables  are  brought  from  Colorado,  Nebraska,  and  Salt  Lake,  and 
the  commissary  has  them  on  hand  almost  constantly  at  very  low  prices. 

In  the  summer  of  1868  a  hospital  garden  was  planted  near  the  creek,  and  some  early  vegeta- 
bles, such  as  beans,  squashes,  and  cucumbers,  were  produced,  but  as  the  ground  had  to  be  watered 
by  hand,  and  the  grasshoppers  destroyed  all  the  plants  in  August,  the  result  hardly  paid  for  the 
labor  expended,  and  no  subsequent  attempt  has  been  made.  Some  few  vegetables  are  raised  in 
hotbeds  in  the  hospital  inclosure.  There  was  a  large  garden  planted  in  1869  at  the  quartermaster's 
depot  by  the  depot  commissary,  but  from  some  cause — probably  insufficient  irrigation — it  did  not 
produce  much.  A  number  of  cows  are  kept  at  the  garrison.  The  hospital  has  one,  and  also  pigs 
arid  poultry.  The  post  commissary  has  a  large  variety  of  subsistence  stores,  including,  as  before 
mentioned,  generally  fresh  vegetables. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  once  a  year  from  the  purveyor  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

A  daily  mail  is  received  at  the  post,  it  taking  about  four  days  for  a  letter  to  reach  Washington. 

Excepting  the  town  of  Cheyenne,  three  miles  distant,  which  has  a  population  probably  of 
about  2,000  persons,  the  country  around  is  almost  uninhabited.  There  are  but  very  few  farms  or 
ranches  in  the  vicinity. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  very  good.  There  are  no  preventable  causes  now 
operating  to  produce  disease,  as  far  as  can  be  discovered.  In  summer,  from  July  to  September,  the 
prevailing  disease  is  acute  diarrhosa,  excited  probably  by  the  great  difference  in  temperature  be- 
tween the  day  and  night.  Errors  in  diet  cannot  easily  operate  as  a  cause,  as  fresh  fruits  are  not 
easily  obtained.  In  cold  weather,  from  December  to  March,  the  prevailing  diseases  are,  in  order  of 
frequency,  acute  bronchitis,  tonsillitis,  acute  rheumatism,  and  inflammation  of  the  lungs.  These 
diseases  arise  from  the  impression  of  cold  acting  in  many  cases  upon  constitutions  somewhat  en- 
feebled by  excess,  fatigue,  or  exposure.  Soldiers  lead  such  irregular  lives  from  the  nature  of  their 
duty,  going  on  guard,  escorting  trains,  &c.,  and  many  are  so  incorrigibly  negligent  in  protecting 
themselves,  that  these  affections  will  occur  in  spite  of  precautionary  measures.  It  is  believed  that 
one  source  is  the  habit  of  many  men  of  secretly  visiting  the  town  of  Cheyenne,  between  tattoo  and 
reveille.  In  the  winter  of  1867  and  1868,  the  command  being  then  in  tents  and  huts,  inflammation 
of  the  lungs  was  common,  but  the  cases  have  been  few  since  the  buildings  were  occupied.  Cases 
Of  typhoid  fever  occur  rarely,  one  each  summer.  Intermittent  fever  is  not  uncommon,  but  I  have 
been  unable  as  yet  to  find  a  case  in  which  there  had  not  been  previous  attacks,  when  the  patient 
was  residing  in  some  distinctly  malarious  part  of  the  country.  It  would  seem,  therefore,  that  the 
disease  does  not  originate  here,  but  is  excited  or  redeveloped  by  some  cause,  possibly  the  sudden 
alternations  of  temperature. 

During  the  past  winter  a  soldiers'  theater  and  an  officers'  theater  have  been  kept  up,  and  have 
afforded  much  entertainment  to  the  garrison.  During  the  winter  there  was  a  billiard  table  for  the 
use  of  the  men.  Since  the  season  has  permitted,  outdoor  sports,  particularly  base-ball,  are  very 
popular. 


FORT  LA  HA. MI  E,  WYOMING  TERRITORY. 


345 


Mtiti-nn-Ht  xhoiciixj  menu  xlrcityth,  number  of  side,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  D.  A.  Russell,  Wyoming 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  18G9. 


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1868  589.91 

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1 

76 

126 

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16 

79 

215 

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1869  .             i  435.08 

413 

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24 

65 

51 

11 

29 

1 

97 

2 

i 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis*,  pueunionia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  LARAMIE,  WYOMING  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SFRflKOX  H.  S.  SCHELL,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Laratuie  is  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  Laramie  River,  1£  mile  above  its  junction  with 
the  Platte.  Latitude  42°  12'  38"  north,  longitude  104°  31'  26"  west;  elevation  above  the  sea  4,519 
feet.  The  reservation,  as  declared  by  the  President,  includes  54  square  miles. 

The  geology  of  this  part  of  the  country  pertains  to  the  most  recent  tertiary  period.  For  miles 
along  the  North  Platte,  Laramie,  and  its  tributaries,  there  extend  vertical  bluffs  of  gray  indurated 
arenaceous  clay,  in  which  are  intercalated,  without  apparent  order,  occasional  horizontal  strata  of 
a  moderately  hard  and  fine  gray  sandstone.  The  vertical  thickness  of  this  bed  is  at  some  points 
200  feet.  About  a  mile  and  a  half  west  of  the  post  is  a  bed  of  red  qnartzite  conglomerate,  super, 
imposed  on  the  clay,  striking  due  north  and  south,  becoming  prominent  when  it  crosses  the  Lara- 
mie and  Chngwater,  by  forming  high,  bold,  and  massive  bluffs,  having  a  thickness  at  these  points 
of  50  to  100  feet.  North  of  the  Platte  the  same  formation  makes  its  appearance  in  a  range  of  low 
hills,  which  are  the  most  prominent  objects  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  garrison.  At  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Laramie  and  Platte  Eivers  are  a  series  of  rounded  hills,  made  up  entirely  of  the  debris 
from  the  bed  of  conglomerate.  Twelve  miles  due  west  from  the  fort  a  bed  of  limestone  makes  its 
appearance  at  the  warm  and  cold  springs.  It  is  about  ten  feet  in  thickness  and  associated  with 
red  arenaceous  rocks,  all  of  which  are  probably  carboniferous.  The  same  red  beds  form  high 
bluffs  at  what  is  known  as  the  Warm  Spring  Canon  of  the  North  Platte,  20  miles  above  the  post, 
and  attain  a  thickness  of  not  less  than  500  feet.  Between  this  point  and  the  Black  Hills  the 
Jurassic  beds  prevail,  possessing  lithological  characters  which  are  very  well  marked,  having 
been  identified  by  the  same  fossils  which  prevail  in  other  localities.  The  thickness  of  the  Jurassic 
here  is  about  300  feet.  Around  the  Black  Hills  is  a  bed  of  massive  silicious  rocks,  containing  among 
other  layers  a  pudding-stone,  which  forms  occasionally  projections  of  great  boldness,  and  which 
possess  an  appearance  of  having  been  intentionally  constructed  for  purposes  of  defense  or  habita- 
tion. The  nucleus  of  the  Black  Hills  themselves  is  formed  of  a  coarse  reddish,  feldspathic  granite, 
which  is  much  eroded  ill-places,  and  gives  to  them  at  a  little  distance  the  peculiar  sombre  hue  to 
which  they  owe  their  name.  The  dense  growth  of  pines  and  larches,  which  have  found  a  foothold 
in  the  interstices  of  these  rocks,  no  doubt  contributes  also  to  this  name. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  is  50.6°  F.,  having  an  extreme  range  of  123°,  rising  in  summer 
to  102°,  and  falling  in  winter  to  — 21°.  The  mean  annual  rain-fall  is  19.98  inches.  The  climate  is 
healthy;  autumn  and  winter  mild;  summer,  dry  and  sultry ;  spring,  usually  rainy ;  high  winds  are 
prevalent  throughout  the  year. 

The  only  aboriginal  inhabitants  residing  at  this  time  near  the  post  are  a  few  of  the  Ogallalla 

and  Brule  Sioux.    By  the  treaty  which  was  concluded  with  the  Indians  in  the  spring  of  1868,  they 

were  to  have  reserved  for  them  a  large  tract  of  land  bordering  on  the  Upper  Missouri,  and  nearly 

all  have  removed  to  their  reservation  or  confine  themselves  to  their  hunting  grounds  north  of  the 

44 


346  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

North  Platte,  only  couiiDg  to  the  post  occasionally  to  beg  or  trade.  The  individuals  who  still 
remain,  however,  belong  to  a  large  tribe  which  call  themselves  Lakotas,  or,  in  the  northern  lands, 
Dakotas.  The  sign  by  which  they  designate  themselves  is  that  of  the  cut-throat,  viz.,  by  drawing 
the  radial  edge  of  the  right  hand  across  the  throat.  They  occupy  all  the  country  from  the  North 
Platte  to  the  Red  Buttes,  and  from  the  Yellowstone  River  to  the  Big  Horn  Mountains.  The  Brule 
and  Ogallalla  Sioux  are  said  to  number  from  12,000  to  16,000,  bnt  their  strength  is  annually  decreas- 
ing from  war  and  disease.  Consumption  and  scrofula  prevail  among  them,  and  many  are  carried 
off  by  stricture  of  the  urethra,  which  is  supposed  to  be  caused  by  the  manner  and  extent  of  their 
horseback  riding. 

As  a  people  the  Lakotas  arc  tall  and  muscular  and  well  formed ;  the  average  height  of  the 
men  about  5  feet  9  inches.  Their  skulls  belong  to  the  brachy-cephalic  and  orthognathons  types, 
and  their  most  remarkable  feature  is  their  high  cheek-bones. 

Before  the  white  man  made  a  permanent  habitation  where  Fort  Laramie  now  stands,  the  whole 
of  the  country  on  that  part  of  the  North  Platte  was  a  hunting  ground  and  war-path  for  many 
tribes  of  Indians.  Countless  herds  of  buffalo  held  the  ground  in  fee-simple — not  even  a  red  man 
laid  claim  to  it.  In  1834  two  men,  named  William  Sublette  and  Robert  Campbell,  coming  to  this 
part  of  the  country  to  trap  beaver,  found  themselves  obliged  to  construct  some  sort  of  protection 
against  the  roving  bands  of  vagabond  Crows  and  Pawnees,  which  occasionally  swept  along  the 
Platte,  stealing  where  they  could.  Sublette  and  Campbell  built  in  that  year,  upon  the  present  site 
of  Fort  Laramie;  a  square  fort  of  pickets,  18  feet  high,  with  little  bastions  at  two  diagonal  corners 
and  a  number  of  small  houses  inside  for  their  employe's.  In  1835  they  sold  out  to  Milton  Sublette, 
James  Bridger,  and  three  other  trappers,  who  went  into  partnership  with  the  American  Fur  Com- 
pany, and  continued  the  beaver-trapping  business.  In  the  same  year  the  Fur  Company  sent  two 
men  named  Kiplin  and  Sabille  to  the  Bear  Butte  and  Northern  Black  Hills,  to  persuade  the  Sioux 
Indians  to  come  over  and  hunt  their  game  and  live  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort,  and  their  ernbassa- 
dors  succeeded  so  well  that  they  returned  with  over  one  hundred  lodges  of  Ogallalla  Sioux,  under 
their  chief,  Bull  Bear.  This  was  the  first  appearance  of  the  powerful  Sioux  nation  in  this  part  of 
the  country,  which  they  speedily  overrun,  driving  away  Cheyennes,  Pawnees,  Crows,  &c.,  from  its 
very  borders.  Of  course  the  fort  speedily  became  a  trading  post,  where  the  Indians  bartered  a 
buffalo  robe  for  a  knife,  an  awl,  or  a  drink  of  fire-water.  Anything  the  company  had  to  trade  was  at 
least  of  the  value  of  one  robe.  An  American  horse  brought  fifty  of  them ;  any  pony  was  worth  twenty 
or  thirty.  Any  old  scrap  of  iron  was  of  great  value  to  the  Indians,  and  would  be  by  him  speedily 
converted  into  a  knife.  Fire-arms,  he  had  none,  and  his  arrow-heads  were  all  made  of  pieces  of 
flint  or  massive  quartz,  fashioned  into  proper  shape  by  laborious  pecking  with  another  stone.  The 
Sioux  had  then  no  horses,  but  herds  of  wild  horses  were  abundant  at  the  time  of  their  arrival,  and 
it  was  not  many  years  before  they  learned  their  use. 

In  1836  the  picket  fort  began  to  rot  badly,  and  the  American  Fur  Company  rebuilt  it  of  adobes 
at  an  expense  of  $10,000.  The  people  who  lived  inside  of  the  fort  at  this  time,  named  it  "Fort 
John,"  but  the  name  could  not  be  popularized.  The  fort  being  built  on  the  Laramie  River,  not  far 
from  Laramie  Peak,  the  American  Fur  Company's  clerks,  in  their  city  offices,  had  labeled  it  Fort 
Laramie,  and  by  that  name  it  was  destined  to  be  called.  It  seems  that  Laramie  was  a  trapper, 
one  of  the  first  French  voyageurs  who  ever  trapped  a  beaver  or  shot  a  buffalo  in  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains. He  was  one  day  killed  by  a  band  of  Arapahoes  on  the  headwaters  of  the  stream  which  has 
ever  since  been  called  by  his  name. 

The  American  Fur  Company  retained  possession  of  the  fort  until  1849,"  when  they  sold  it  to  the 
United  States  Government  for  four  or  five  thousand  dollars.  Bruce  Husband  was  the  last  repre- 
sentative of  the  company  who  had  charge  of  Fort  Laramie. 

The  first  troops  which  arrived  here  came  in  July,  1849,  under  command  of  Major  Sanderson, 
of  the  mounted  rifles.  They  were  Companies  C  and  D  of  that  regiment ;  Company  G  of  the  Sixth 
United  States  Infantry  arrived  in  August  of  the  same  year,  under  command  of  Captain  Ketchum. 
In  the  summer  and  fall  of  1849  a  large  number  of  additions  were  made  to  the  buildings  of  the  post. 

During  the  year  1850  an  account  was  kept  of  all  the  trains,  &c.,  crossing  the  Laramie  River 
below  the  fort  on  the  route.to  California  and  the  West.  One  result  was  as  follows :  "  About 
40,000  animals  of  all  descriptions."  The  book  in  which  the  account  was  kept  was  destroyed  by  fire 
a  year  or  two  afterward. 


FORT  LARAM1E,  WYOMING  TKUIMTORY.  347 

On  the  19th  of  August,  1854,  a  Mormon  train  was  encamped  about  ten  miles  below  the  fort  on 
the  Platte  River.  The  Indians  having  killed  a  cow  or  ox  belonging  to  the  train,  complaint  was 
made  by  the  Mormons  to  the  commanding  officer,  who  sent  Lieutenant  Grattan,  of  the  Sixth  United 
States  Infantry,  with  thirty  men  of  G  company  and  two  howitzers,  to  recover  the  cow  and  bring  the 
thieves  to  the  garrison.  They  met  a  large  number  of  Indians  (Sioux)  under  a  chief  named  Mat-to- 
i-o-way,  about  eight  miles  from  the  fort,  where  a  collision  ensued,  and  Lieutenant  Grattan's  com- 
mand, with  the  exception  of  one  man,  was  annihilated.  The  survivor  was  hidden  in  the  bushes  by 
a  friendly  Indian,  and  brought  the  same  night  to  the  fort,  where  he  died  two  days  afterward.  The 
bodies  of  the  slain  were  buried  in  one  grave  where  they  fell,  and  a  large  pile  of  stones  is  all  that 
marks  the  spot. 

A  portion  of  the  old  adobe  fort  was  standing  until  1802,  when  it  was  entirely  demolished  and 
the  adobes  used  in  the  construction  of  the  front  portion  of  the  magazine. 

The  barracks  occupy  the  northeast  and  southeast  sides  of  the  square  parade,  and  are  six  in 
number,  four  sets  of  wood  and  two  of  adobe.  The  barrack  on  the  northeast  side  contains  quarters 
for  three  companies.  The  entire  length  of  the  building  is  287  feet,  but  a  portion  of  each  set  of 
quarters  is  occupied  by  a  room  for  the  first  sergeants  and  a  baggage-room,  so  that  the  net  size  of 
each  room  assigned  to  a  company  is  81  feet  long,  30  feet  wide,  and  11  feet  high.  These  rooms  are 
ceiled  with  half-inch  boards,  but  not  plastered.  The  building  is  of  framed  timbers  filled  in  with 
adobes,  plastered  inside  and  weather-boarded  outside.  They  are  one  story  high,  raised  about  two 
feet  above  the  ground,  but  without  cellars.  Each  room  contains  twelve  windows,  six  on  a  side. 
The  rooms  were  constructed  when  the  companies  were  filled  to  the  maximum ;  they  contain  26,730 
cubic  feet  of  air  space  each. 

Of  the  two  barracks  on  the  southeast  side  of  the  parade  the  first  contains  quarters  for  two  com- 
panies ;  the  second  for  one  company.  These  buildings  are  constructed  in  every  respect  like  the 
foregoing,  except  that  the  net  size  of  the  rooms  in  the  first  is  103  by  29  feet,  having  an  air 
space  of  46,298  cubic  feet,  and  that  of  the  other  building  96  by  20  feet,  with  an  air  space  of  26,880 
cubic  feet.  The  barracks  are  all  in  good  repair,  heated  by  means  of  stoves,  well  lighted  and  ven- 
tilated. The  cracks  in  the  floors  are  wide,  and  in  winter  the  air  which  comes  up  through  them 
makes  the  rooms  not  a  little  uncomfortable.  The  barracks  are  all  furnished  with  two  tiers  of  mov- 
able bunks,  constructed  of  rough  white  pine  lumber,  two  men  occupying  each  bunk  when  the  com- 
panies are  at  the  maximum.  A  few  of  the  men  have  buffalo  robes.  The  most  of  them  are  fain 
to  protect  themselves  against  the  rigor  of  the  winter  by  eking  out  their  scanty  covering  with  their 
overcoats.  They  nearly  all  complain  of  sleeping  cold.  Each  set  of  barracks  is  provided  with  a 
sink.  These  sinks  are  wells,  with  rough  board  houses  built  over  them.  They  are  kept  in  tolerably 
good  order,  and  lime  is  thrown  into  them  once  a  week.  In  the  rear  of  each  set  of  quarters  is  a  com- 
modious kitchen  and  mess-room  ;  there  are  but  two  in  rear  of  the  barracks  first  described ;  one  is 
divided  into  two  portions ;  the  east  end  is  used  as  kitchen  and  mess-room  by  the  company  occupy- 
ing the  quarters  on  the  west  end  of  the  barracks,  and  the  other  is  divided  between  the  other  two 
companies.  Kitchens  for  the  other  sets  of  quarters  are  similarly  arranged,  and  all  are  provided 
with  cooking-stoves,  tables,  and  benches.  Most  of  the  companies  are  in  possession  of  good  mess 
furniture,  consisting  of  delf  plates,  bowls,  and  knives  and  forks. 

There  are  seventeen  sets  of  quarters  for  laundresses  or  married  soldiers,  viz.,  twelve  sets  con- 
tained in  four  frame  buildings,  and  five  sets  contained  in  four  adobe  buildings. 

Officers'  quarters  occupy  the  northwest  and  southwest  sides  of  the  parade.  The  captains'  quar- 
ters are  in  a  one-story  frame  and  adobe  building,  65  feet  6  inches  by  16  feet  6  inches,  with  frame 
kitchens,  25  by  18  feet.  This  building  is  serviceable,  but  old  and  rickety.  Three  sets  of  quarters  are 
adobe  huts  of  two  rooms  each,  with  porches  in  front  and  a  shed  in  the  rear.  The  huts  are  34  feet 
front  and  18  feet  deep.  In  a  line  with  the  last  mentioned  is  a  two-story  frame  building,  erected  in 
1.S49.  It  has  a  two-story  porch,  front  and  rear,  and  contains  four  sets  of  captains'  quarters.  The 
building  has  two  wings,  which  contain  the  kitchens,  26  by  16  feet.  An  adobe  lint,  70  feet  front  by 
19  feet  deep,  with  two  kitchens,  15  by  15  feet  each,  is  divided  into  four  rooms,  and  has  a  porch  in 
front. 

In  addition  to  the  officers'  quarters,  described  as  forming  two  sides  of  the  parade,  there  is 
near  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  convenient  to  the  quartermaster  and  commissary  store-houses,  a 
low  frame  building,  the  frame  filled  in  with  adobes,  having  a  porch  along  the  front,  which  is  130 


348  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

feet  long ;  the  house  is  26  feet  6  inches  deep,  and  contains  fourteen  rooms,  which  are  occupied  as 
officers'  quarters. 

The  commanding  officer's  quarters  consist  of  a  building,  46  feet  front  by  36  feet  deep ;  porch  9 
feet  wide  on  three  sides ;  a  wing,  14  by  32  feet,  containing  the  kitchen.  The  house  is  new,  and  con- 
tains four  rooms. 

The  commissary  and  quartermaster's  store  houses  are  five  in  number,  all  wooden  buildings, 
rough  boards  and  battened,  excepting  the  clothing-room,  which  is  frame,  and  in  good  condition. 
Two  commissary  buildings  are  each  120  by  30  feet,  and  9  feet  to  eaves.  A  similar  structure  is  occu- 
pied by  the  quartermaster  as  an  office  aud  issuing  store-house.  The  grain-house  is  50  by  100  by  20 
feet,  and  has  a  capacity  of  100,000  cubic  feet.  In  addition  to  the  above  an  old  frame  building,,  which 
was  formerly  used  as  barracks,  is  now  converted  into  a  store-room  for  the  use  of  the  quartermaster. 
The  ice-houses  for  the  post,  two  in  number,  will  hold,  together,  386  tons  of  ice.  The  carpenter's 
shop,  wheelwright  shop,  blacksmith's  shop,  saddler's  shop,  paint  shop,  coal  house,  &c.,  are  located 
at  the  extreme  northeast  portion  of  the  post,  are  new,  and  admirably  constructed  for  the  purposes 
for  which  they  were  intended,  and  are  kept  in  good  order. 

The  guard-house  is  situated  in  rear  of  the  barracks  on  the  southeast  side  of  the  garrison,  and 
near  the  bank  of  the  river.  It  is  constructed  of  stone,  20  by  36  feet,  one  story  high  in  front, 
and  two  stories  in  rear.  The  upper  story  contains  two  rooms,  one  for  the  guard  and  the  other  for 
the  officer  of  the  guard.  They  are  plastered  and  ceiled,  and  contain  in  all  six  windows.  The  larger 
room  contains  a  rough  board  bed,  where  all  the  members  of  the  guard  who  are  off  duty  may  lie 
down,  a  couple  of  chairs,  and  a  desk.  The  basement  room  is  of  rough  stones,  whitewashed,  has 
one  door  and  a  window  toward  the  river,  and  on  the  opposite  side,  at  the  top,  two  small  windows 
for  ventilation.  Two  cells  are  partitioned  off  on  the  south  side  for  refractory  prisoners.  The  pris- 
oners are  kept  in  the  basement  room,  which  contains  no  furniture.  This  room  is  neither  warmed 
nor  lighted.  The  situation  of  the  guard- house  is  badly  selected. 

The  hospital  is  a  one-story  building,  constructed  partly  of  adobes  and  partly  of  wood.  A  por- 
tion of  this  building  was  erected  in  1856,  of  adobes,  and  is  still  occupied  as  wards,  if  occasion 
requires.  It  consists  of  two  rooms,  each  20  feet  square,  separated  by  a  hall  and  dispensary,  which 
communicate  with  each  ;  the  large  rooms  have  an  air  space  of  4,200  feet,  and  contain  eight  bods. 
They  are  warmed  by  open  fireplaces,  and  are  not  ceiled,  the  roof  being  of  heavy  logs,  with  a  cover- 
ing of  shingles ;  their  walls  are  20  inches  thick.  The  rooms  are  well  lighted  by  windows,  which  also, 
in  connection  with  the  fireplaces,  afford  ample  ventilation.  The  dispensary  is  13  by  12  feet  in  size, 
and  is  well  furnished. 

In  1858  a  considerable  addition  was  made  to  the  building  just  described  by  the  erection  of  a 
long  wing,  placed  at  right  angles  to  the  hospital,  and  with  it  forming  two  sides  of  a  square.  This 
portion  of  the  hospital  is  constructed  of  frame-work  filled  in  with  adobes,  and  comprises  the  stew- 
ard's room,  dining-room,  kitchen,  store-room,  and  the  laundry ;  the  cellar  is  to  the  rear  of  this  build- 
ing ;  excavated  five  feet  below  the  surface,  and  covered  with  a  gable  roof  of  shingles. 

During  the  winter  of  1866-'G7,  the  hospital  had  been  so  full  that  it  was  found  necessary  to  have 
three  hospital  tents  pitched  all  winter,  in  addition  to  the  hospital  accommodations.  A  number  of 
soldiers  were  affected  with  scurvy,  as  were  also  many  of  the  quartern) aster's  employe's.  The  winter 
was  unusually  severe  aud  stormy,  and  the  tents,  although  pitched  on  frames  in  the  most  secure 
manner,  were  repeatedly  blown  down,  and  by  the  time  spring  came  were  torn  into  ribbons.  Ac- 
cordingly, in  the  summer  of  1867,  the  last  addition  to  the  hospital  was  made,  comprising  a  large 
ward,  a  bath-room,  water-closet,  and  a  hall,  the  latter  10  feet  wide  and  25  feet  long,  separating  the 
ward  from  the  rest  of  the  building  and  affording  easy  access  to  either  the  front  or  back  porch,  or 
to  the  dining-room,  under  cover.  The  ward  is  25  by  55  feet,  and  contains  an  air  space  of  13,750 
cubic  feet ;  it  has  five  windows  on  each  side  and  a  door  opening  into  a  hall  at  either  end  ;  it  con- 
tains twenty  beds ;  the  ceiling  is  lathed  and  plastered ;  two  ventilators,  each  18  inches  square,  run 
from  the  ceiling  through  the  roof;  this  ward  is  heated  by  two  stoves.  At  the  further  end  of  the 
ward  are  the  bath-room  and  the  ward-master's  room,  separated  by  a  hall ;  the  first  is  10  by  10  feet, 
furnished  with  a  bath-tub  and  a  tin-lined  trough,  with  a  shelf  which  accommodates  four  wash-basins. 
The  corral  incloses  about  2  acres  of  ground  with  an  adobe  wall  10  feet  high  and  2  feet  thick ;  it  has 
also  strong  bastions  at  two  diagonal  corners,  arid  would  serve  as  a  stronghold  in  case  of  an  attack 
by  Indians. 


FOKT  LAKAMIE,  WYOMING  TKKK1TOKY.  349 

There  is  a  post  library  in  the  adjutant's  office  containing  about  300  old,  nearly  worn-out  books; 
a  number  of  papers  and  periodicals  are  subscribed  for  from  the  post  fund  and  kept  in  the  library 
room,  to  which  the  enlisted  men  have  access.  The  hospital  library  also  comprises  about  300  vol- 
umes, a  majority  of  which  are  religious  works. 

The  water  supply  at  this  post  is  ample.  The  Laramie  liiver,  which  bounds  one  side  of  thegar- 
risou,  is  a  constantly  running  stream  of  an  average  width  of  thirty  feet  and  depth  of  two  feet.  Its 
gravelly  bed  is  always  plainly  visible  through  the  clear  water  except  iu  the  time  of  the  spring 
freshets.  The  water  used  for  culinary  and  household  purposes  in  the  garrison  is  chiefly  obtained 
from  the  Laramie  Biver  above  the  post,  and  is  hauled  around  in  a  large  tank  on  wheels  and  dis- 
pensed as  necessity  may  require.  Good  water  maybe  obtained  anywhere  in  the  valley  of  the  Lara- 
mie by  digging  eight  or  ten  feet,  but  all  the  old  wells  seem  to  have  fallen  into  disuse,  except  one 
in  the  post  garden,  which  furnishes  very  cold  clear  water  iu  the  summer  time.  There  is  also  a 
spring  iu  the  bank  of  the  river  in  the  rear  of  the  telegraph  office,  which  furnishes  good  water. 

It  is  probable  that  water  might  be  brought  directly  into  the  post  by  means  of  an  acequia  a  mile 
and  a  half  long,  and  the  question  of  its  practicability,  &c.,  has  been  frequently  agitated,  but  as  yet 
no  steps  have  been  taken  for  putting  it  into  execution. 

In  an  imperfect  analysis  made  of  the  river  water  collected  above  the  post,  it  was  observed  that 
there  was  no  reaction  before  boiling,  but  a  marked  alkaline  reaction  after  boiling.  There  was  but 
a  trace  of  organ  ic  matter ;  chlorine,  about  three  grains  to  the  gallon  ;  phosphoric  acid,  a  trace ;  nitric 
acid,  a  trace ;  nitrous  acid  in  perceptible  quantity  ;  ammonia,  none  ;  iron,  none.  Twenty -four  fluid 
ounces  of  water  deposited  only  a  lew  grains  of  sediment,  which,  upon  microscopic  examination,  proved 
to  be  composed  of  grains  of  sand  and  particles  of  clay  and  decaying  vegetable  matter,  together  with 
eleven  species  of  infusoria,  and  some  confervoid  vegetation. 

In  an  examination  of  the  spring  water  there  was  no  reaction  before  boiling,  but  a  slight  alka- 
line reaction  afterward,  and  also  a  trace  of  organic  matter.  It  contained  from  six  to  eight  grains 
of  chlorine  to  the  gallon ;  a  trace  of  phosphoric  acid,  nitric  acid,  and  less  nitrous  acid  than  the  river 
Avater;  no  ammonia  nor  iron.  There  was  scarcely  more  than  a  grain  of  sediment  in  twenty-four 
fluid  ounces  of  the  water,  and  a  microscopical  examination  showed  it  to  be  composed  of  particles  of 
sand,  clay,  decaying  vegetable  matter,  confervoid  vegetation,  and  five  species  of  infusoria. 

There  is  also  a  spring  in  the  ravine  behind  the  adjutant's  office,  which  furnishes  a  perfectly 
clear,  sweet  water.  This  spring  runs  about  two  gallons  per  minute;  the  first  spring  described  runs 
about  ten  gallons  per  minute. 

The  means  of  extinguishing  fire  throughout  the  garrison  consist  in  an  ample  supply  of  water 
barrels  which  are  kept  standing  constantly  filled  at  all  the  buildings.  About  four  hundred  gallons 
of  water  are  kept  on  hand  at  the  hospital  and  fire-buckets  hung  in  every  room.  Many  of  the  build- 
ings are  also  provided  with  fire-ladders  as  well  as  buckets. 

The  post  is  drained  naturally.  It  stands  on  an  elevated  bench,  containing  about  ten  acres,  the 
sides  of  which  slope  in  all  directions,  except  toward  the  bluff's  back  of  the  hospital,  where  the  soil 
is  gravelly  and  moisture  sinks  out  of  sight  immediately.  There  is  no  artificial  drainage  at  the 
post.  All  refuse,  slops,  &c.,  are  collected  daily  and  thrown  into  the  river  below  the  post. 

The  men  bathe  freely  and  constantly,  iu  pleasant  weather  when  off  duty,  in  the  stream  above 
the  post.  There  are  many  places  in  the  river  where  the  water  is  ten  to  twelve  feet  deep,  affording 
opportunities  for  swimming.  No  bath-houses  have  as  yet  been  erected,  principally  because  their 
need  has  not  been  felt. 

The  post  cemetery  is  located  about  half  a  mile  from  the  post.  There  is  a  post  garden,  contain- 
ing about  three  acres,  which  is  cultivated  by  enlisted  men  under  the  direction  of  the  post  chaplain. 
There  is  no  hospital  garden,  the  post  garden  being  large  enough  to  supply  the  hospital  and  garri- 
son with  fresh  vegetables.  In  August,  1868,  a  dense  cloud  of  grasshoppers  made  their  appearance 
and  settled  down  upon  the  post  and  adjacent  country ;  after  nine  days'  visit  they  disappeared,  having 
eaten  all  the  potato  and  carrot  tops  and  much  injured  the  corn  and  cabbage.  September  16,  of  the 
same  year,  a  heavy  frost  killed  all  the  vegetables  in  the  garden.  Peas,  beans,  cucumbers,  corn,  and 
early  cabbage  thrive,  but  owing  to  the  shortness  of  the  season  no  late  vegetables  arrive  at  maturity. 
Potatoes  seem  to  run  mostly  to  tops. 

There  are  at  the  hospital  constantly  kept  on  hand  two  cows,  about  one  hundred  chickens,  a 


350 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


number  of  pigeons,  and  hogs,  so  tli.it  the  sick  are  liberally  supplied  with  inilk,  eggs,  poultry,  &c. 
Almost  every  officer  and  laundress  in  the  garrison  keeps  a  milch  cow. 

Rations  are  furnished  by  the  subsistence  department  according  to  existing  regulations,  and 
are  sufficient  and  good.  Fish  and  mutton  cannot  be  procured  here  except  at  exorbitant  prices. 
Occasionally  vegetables  are  brought  to  the  post  for  sale  by  hucksters  from  the  Cache  la  Poudre 
River.  The  nearest  quartermaster  and  subsistence  depots  are  near  Cheyenne,  eighty-nine  miles 
distant.  The  route  of  supply  is  from  Cheyenne,  (on  Union  Pacific  railroad,)  by  Government  wagons, 
throughout  the  year.  Six  months  supply  is  usually  kept  on  hand. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  upon  requisition  from  the  medical  purveying  depot  at  St.  Louis, 
Missouri,  and  are  received  and  kept  in  good  condition.  There  are  two  ambulances  at  the  post — 
one  in  good  order  and  the  other  unserviceable. 

In  the  summer  of  1849  the  cholera  was  on  the  Plains,  but  came  no  nearer  to  the  post  than 
Scott's  Bluffs,  50  miles  below,  on  the  Platte  River.  The  emigrants  were  the  persons  chiefly  attacked 
by  it,  and  more  particularly  the  men.  Many  trains  passed  through  the  post  conducted  only  by 
women  and  children,  the  men  being  dead. 

In  the  winter  of  1849  the  scurvy  was  prevalent  among  the  troops  at  the  post.  About  one-fifth 
of  all  the  men  were  on  crutches.  Wild  onions  and  water-cresses  were  issued  in  large  quantities 
by  the  commanding  officer,  Indians  having  been  employed  to  gather  them ;  and  in  the  following 
spring  many  of  the  diseased  soldiers  were  transferred  to  the  general  hospital  at  Leaven  worth. 
Kansas. 

In  May,  1859,  the  cholera  made  its  appearance.  Fifteen  cases  and  three  deaths  are  reported  in 
the  hospital  register  for  that  year. 

There  are  almost  no  cases  of  malarious  disease  at  the  post,  and  what  few  there  are  arise  from 
ordinary,  now  preventable,  causes.  The  prevailing  diseases  at  the  post  and  vicinity  are  rheumatic 
affections  and  venereal  diseases,  cases  of  the  latter  being  quite  numerous.  Diarrhoea  and  dysentery 
are  rendered  less  frequent  by  attention  to  the  diet  of  the  company  messes. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Laramie,  Wyoming 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  18C9. 


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FORT  FETTERMAN,' WYOMING  TERRITORY. 

REPORTS  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  C.  MACKIN  AND  F.  LE  BARON  MONROE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Fetterman  is  situated  on  a  plateau  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Xorth  Platte  River,  about 
COO  feet  from,  and  130 feet  above,  the  stream.  Latitude  42°  8'  3"  north,  longitude  105°  7'  4"  west; 
elevation  above  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  about  8,500  feet.  The  plateau  rises  from  the  river  bottom  by 
steep,  almost  precipitous  blufis,  and  then,  rising  gradually,  merges  into  the  Black  Hills,  fourteen 
miles  distant. 

The  nearest  post,  and  the  one  through  which  all  communication  with  the  East  passes,  is  Fort 
Laramie,  80  miles  to  the  southeast. 

The  lowest  geological  formation  noted  near  the  post  is  one  of  the  later  portions  of  the  carbon- 
iferous period,  containing  a  soft,  jet  black  coal.  Immediately  above  this  is  a  very  hard  silicious 
sandstone  of  a  gray  color,  stained  here  and  there  with  iron.  This  has  been  extensively  quarried 


FOET  FETTEEMAN,  WYOMING  TEREITOEY.  351 

and  used  for  building  purposes  at  the  post.  No  fossils  have  been  found  iu  it,  and  it  is  considered 
as  a  inetamorphic  rock  of  the  earlier  portion  of  the  tertiary  period.  The  cretaceous  system  is 
entirely  wanting  (so  far  as  known)  within  60  miles  of  the  post,  a  limestone  bed  being  found  at  that 
distance  on  the  road  to  Fort  Laramie. 

This  post  was  established  in  July,  1867,  and  in  the  following  month  the  Indians  in  the  vicinity 
were  actively  hostile.  It  received  its  name  in  honor  of  Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel  W.  J.  Fetterinan, 
captain  Twenty-seventh  Infantry,  who  was  killed  in  the  Indian  massacre  near  Fort  Phil  Kearney, 
December  21.  1866. 

The  average  temperature  for  the  year  1869  was  43.25°  P.,  the  extremes  being  111°  and  — 20°  F. 
High  winds  are  prevalent ;  hail-storms  are  frequent ;  and  much  snow  falls  during  the  winter. 
Game  is  tolerably  abundant  in  the  vicinity.  Buffalo  are  not  found  within  30  miles,  though  in 
former  times  this  spot  was  in  the  midst  of  their  range.  The  most  important  animals  and  birds  are 
the  following :  Common  and  black-tailed  deer,  antelope,  Eocky  Mountain  sheep,  black  and  grizzly 
bears,  beaver,  otter,  wolves,  lynx,  wild  cat,  and  cougar;  prairie  chicken,  sage  hen,  mountain  grouse, 
ruffled  grouse,  plover,  snipe,  curlew,  wild  geese,  and  ducks. 

The  barracks  and  officers'  quarters  are  on  the  sides  of  a  rectangular  parade,  a  high  plank  fence 
inclosing  the  whole.  The  hospital,  laundresses'  quarters,  and  store-houses  are  outside  the  inclosure. 
The  post  furnishes  accommodations  for  three  companies  of  infantry.  The  company  quarters  are 
adobe  buildings,  each  100  by  25  feet,  and  14  feet  high,  lighted  and  ventilated  by  ten  windows  and 
two  doors,  and  heated  by  wood-burning  stoves.  They  are  fitted  up  with  double  bunks  in  two  tiers, 
and  were  intended  for  two  companies,  which  would  have  allowed  about  210  cubic  feet  air  space  per 
man.  A  kitchen  and  dining-room  and  a  small  wash-room  are  connected  with  each  barrack.  There 
are  six  sets  of  married  soldiers'  quarters  contained  in  an  adobe  building,  94  by  28  feet,  and  10  feet 
high.  The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  a  double  set  built  of  logs,  of  three  rooms  on  first  floor  of 
each,  besides  a  kitchen.  Above,  in  the  most  easterly  set,  is  a  rough  division  of  the  attic  into  two 
rooms.  There  has  been  heretofore  no  finish  of  any  account  on  the  inside  of  the  building,  but  now 
it  is  being  plastered  and  made  fit  for  habitation. 

A  large  adobe  building  is  used  as  quarters  by  unmarried  officers ;  it  is  60  by  36  feet,  and  12 
feet  high  to  the  eaves,  and  is  divided  into  six  rooms,  the  attic  being  unfinished.  A  plank  build- 
ing lined  with  adobe,  36  by  44  feet,  and  10  feet  to  the  eaves,  is  used  as  lieutenants'  quarters ;  the 
rooms,  three  in  each  set,  are  nicely  plastered  and  finished.  A  block  of  buildings,  116  by  30  feet,  built 
of  plank,  lined  with  adobe,  contains  one  set  of  major's  and  two  sets  of  captains'  quarters.  A  small 
log  building,  26  by  20  feet,  and  10  feet  high,  is  occupied  temporarily  as  officers'  quarters. 

The  commissary  store-house,  100  by  136  feet,  and  16  feet  high,  is  built  of  plank  lined  with 
adobe ;  a  tine  root  cellar  underlies  the  building.  The  quartermaster's  store-house  is  of  adobe,  two 
stories  high,  125  by  36  feet. 

The  guard-house  is  a  log  building,  50  by  20  feet,  one  story  high,  and  divided  internally  into  three 
apartments.  The  first  room,  14  by  18  feet  and  13§  feet  high,  is  used  for  an  office  for  the  commandant 
of  the  post.  The  guard-room  measures  18  by  17  by  13§  feet,  and  contains  two  windows  and  two 
doors,  one  of  the  latter  opening  into  the  apartment  designed  for  prisoners.  The  latter  room  is 
divided  by  partitions  into  a  prison,  17  by  7  by  7£  feet,  and  four  cells,  each  4  by  6  feet  9  inches,  and  7 
feet  5  inches  high,  with  doors  opening  from  each  into  a  hall,  17  by  3£  feet,  in  the  center.  The  rooms 
are  comfortably  warmed  by  means  of  coal  stoves.  No  special  arrangement  is  provided  for  venti- 
lation, excepting  the  windows  iu  the  main  rooms.  In  the  prison-room  and  cells  prisoners  have 
knocked  out  the  plaster  between  the  logs,  so  that  the  result  is  attained. 

The  average  number  of  occupants  in  the  guard-house  for  three  months  was  13 ;  the  maxi- 
mum number,  17. 

The  hospital  is  a  poorly  constructed  log  building,  92  by  20  feet,  with  L  extensions,  the  northern 
being  18  by  13  feet;  the  southern,  36  by  16  feet.  It  is  9  feet  high  to  the  eaves.  The  building 
was  a  second-hand  affair,  having  been  formerly  in  use  at  Fort  Caspar,  now  abandoned,  and  brought 
to  this  post  in  the  fall  of  1867.  Until  recently  it  has  remained  in  its  original  condition,  a  mere  shell, 
with  no  internal  lining  of  any  kind,  or  ceiling,  and  no  flooring  at  all  in  some  of  the  rooms.  Owing 
to  the  wretched  condition  of  the  roof  both  light  and  snow  were  freely  admitted,  while  the  ventila- 
tion was  more  than  could  be  desired.  During  the  present  summer  steps  have  been  taken  for  the 


352  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

completion  of  the  building,  by  ceiling  and  flooring  the  apartments  and  placing  it  in  a  proper  con- 
dition for  the  reception  of  the  sick. 

The  ward,  20  by  40  feet,  contains  fifteen  beds,  with  a  cubic  air  space  of  640  feet  to  each.  There 
is  no  lavatory  or  bath-room,  nor  convenient  latrine ;  the  only  structure  of  the  latter  kind  is  a  board 
arrangement  situated  about  150  feet  east  of  the  building. 

There  is  a  post  bakery  at  Fort  Fetterman,  the  oven  of  which  is  composed  of  an  iron  arch,  sur- 
rounded and  based  with  adobe  and  sandstone. 

The  only  stables  at  the  post  are  small  buildings  located  in  the  yards  of  the  officers'  quarters 
for  private  horses.  There  are  sheds  around  the  inside  of  the  corral  for  the  shelter  of  the  pub- 
lic animals. 

The  post  library  numbers  about  250  volumes,  and  is  kept  in  a  room  assigned  for  the  purpose. 
The  books  are  as  good  a  selection  as  could  be  expected  in  so  small  a  collection. 

The  water  used  for  domestic  purposes  at  this  post  is  derived  from  the  North  Platte  River,  and, 
like  all  other  waters  in  this  section,  is  impure  and,  to  a  considerable  extent,  alkaline.  No  arrange- 
ments have  as  yet  been  made  for  the  collection  of  rain  water,  or  melting  snow  from  the  roofs  of 
the  buildings  thus  far  erected.  Two  imperfect  analyses  of  the  water  supplied  have  been  made, 
one  in  August  when  the  river  was  high,  and  one  in  December  when  it  was  frozen.  Specific  gravity 
on  first  occasion  1004;  on  the  second,  1002.  After  immersion  red  litmus  shows  a  bluish  tint; 
lime  tests  show  a  very  small  quantity  of  that  mineral ;  but  since  the  examinations  were  so  imper- 
fectly conducted,  little  credence  can  be  placed  in  them.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  large  amounts  of 
the  sulphates  are  dissolved.  Tests  for  magnesia  exhibit  quite  a  quantity  of  that  substance 
in  the  water,  though  the  combination  is  undetermined.  Iron  is  exhibited  in  large  amount.  Sul- 
phur is  shown  to  be  present  not  only  by  tests,  but  also  by  taste  and  odor.  The  organic  impurities 
are  not  of  much  amount ;  sulphate  of  soda,  which  is  a  very  constant  impurity  in  the  waters  of  this 
section,  exists  to  an  infinitesimal  amount  in  the  waters  of  the  Platte.  Of  course  its  flavor  to  one 
unaccustomed  to  it  is  disagreeable,  yet  the  general  good  health  of  the  garrison,  and  its  exemption 
from  certain  well-known  diseases,  prove  that  the  water  at  this  post  is  as  good  as  could  be  desired 
considering  the  generally  bad  quality  of  the  water  on  the  Platte. 

The  drainage  is  natural  and  very  good;  de"bris  is  taken  from  all  parts  of  the  post  by  a  police 
wagon  every  morning  and  buried. 

The  post  garden  is  about  4  acres  in  extent,  and  cultivated  by  enlisted  men  who  are  paid  from 
the  post  fund.  The  yield  of  early  vegetables,  such  as  radishes,  peas,  lettuce,  and  onions,  is  abundant 
for  the  use  of  the  garrison  only.  There  is  no  hospital  garden.  A  considerable  variety  of  vege- 
tables, canned  fruit,  butter,  cheese,  &c.,  are  obtained  from  the  post  commissary,  the  nearest  supply 
depots  being  at  Camp  Carling,  near  Cheyenne,  Wyoming  Territory,  about  130  miles  distant.  As 
nearly  every  family  has  a  cow,  chickens,  and  pigs,  the  supply  of  eggs  and  milk  is  ample. 

The  barracks  and  quarters  are  well  furnished.  The  quartermaster's  department  supplies  more 
articles  of  furniture  than  is  usual  at  posts,  as  the  nearest  market  is  ICO  miles  distant.  Fort  Lar- 
amie  is  reached  by  means  of  wagon  trains,  which  are  liable  to  interruption  from  snow  and  Indians. 
The  mails  are  received  and  sent  once  a  week  ;  the  escort  from  Fort  Fettermau  meeting  the  Laramie 
party  and  exchanging  mail-bags.  It  requires  six  days  for  a  letter  to  reach  department  headquarters. 
From  January  to  June  of  the  present  year,  mails  were  received  only  twice  a  month.  There  are 
no  inhabitants  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  post.  The  Sioux,  Cheyenne,  Arapaho,  and  Crow 
Indians  occupy  the  country  to  the  north. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good  ;  in  fact,  since  the  establishment  of  the  post 
there  has  been  no  death  from  disease. 

The  prevailing  diseases  during  the  past  six  months  have  been  of  the  throat  and  the  eye.  In 
many  cases  there  is  a  constitutional  predisposition,  and  doubtless  a  favoring  cause  in  the  dryness 
of  the  air,  the  frequency  of  winds,  and  abundance  of  dust.  Malarial,  pulmonary,  rheumatic,  and 
bowel  affections  are  not  prevalent,  though  an  occasional  sporadic  case  of  each  occurs. 

The  general  duties  of  the  garrison  have  been  guard  duty,  escort  duty  for  the  mails,  cutting 
and  hauling  logs  to  the  post,  making  adobe  bricks,  ferrying  Indians  across  the  Platte,  and  military 
drill.  The  guard  posts  number  from  five  to  seven.  The  amusements  of  the  soldiers  consist  of 
ball  playing,  hunting,  and  general  gymnastic  exercises.  A  dramatic  society  has  recently  been 
organized. 


FORT  SAXDERS,  WYOMING  TERRITORY. 


353 


Statement  xlunr  ing  mean  strenytii,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  <tt  Fort  Fvtterman,  Wyoming 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

I 

i 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Epidemic  catarrh. 

Venereal  diseases. 

| 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions.* 

1 

rt 
3 

IM 

O 

1 

1868  ...     . 

295.  66 

663 

38 

177 

29 

14 

6 

3 

65 

1 

89 

2 

1869          .   . 

214.  08 

232 

8 

33 

7 

3 

1 

31 

29 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT   SANDERS,  WYOMING  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  J.  H.  FRANTZ,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Sanders  lies  on  the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  on  Laramie  Plains,  one  and  three  fourths 
miles  west  of  Big  Laramie  River,  and  about  seventeen  miles  south  from  its  junction  with  Little 
Laramie,  where  the  two  form  the  Laramie  River ;  latitude  41°  13' 4"  north,  longitude  105°  30'  22"  west ; 
altitude  above  the  sea,  7,161  feet.  Five  miles  to  the  eastward  extends  the  low,  dark  range  known 
as  the  Black  Hills ;  and  about  30  miles  to  the  west  lie  the  Medicine  Bow  Mountains.  Fort  D.  A. 
Russell  is  56  miles  due  east,  and  Fort  Fred  Steele,  128  miles  northwest  of  the  post.  Laramie  City, 
situated  about  three  miles  north,  is  the  nearest  town. 

The  post  was  established  in  July,  1866,  pursuant  to  orders  from  Major  General  Pope,  com- 
manding the  department,  and  named  Fort  John  Buford.  The  name  was  changed  to  Fort  Sanders 
in  September,  1866,  in  honor  of  Brigadier  General  W.  P.  Sanders,  United  States  volunteers,  cap- 
tain Second  United  States  Cavalry.  The  original  design  of  the  post  was  for  the  protection  of  the 
Denver  and  Salt  Lake  stage,  and  the  Lodge  Pole  Creek  emigrant  route,  from  the  incursions  of  In- 
dians, as  both  of  these  routes  passed  near  the  site  selected.  The  Union  Pacific  railroad  was  com- 
pleted to  this  point  late  in  the  spring  of  1868.  The  reservation  contains  an  area  of  81  square  miles, 
lacking  about  145  acres  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Laramie  River,  north  of  the  fort,  on  which  is  the 
incorporated  town,  City  of  Laramie.  It  contains  good  grazing  ground,  watered  by  two  streams 
flowing  from  springs,  and  by  the  Big  Laramie  River.  The  surface  of  the  reservation  is  gently  undu- 
lating, a  rolling  prairie.  The  site  of  the  post  is  slightly  elevated  above  the  surrounding  plain,  and 
slopes  in  three  directions,  aifording  good  natural  drainage.  The  soil,  made  up  of  sand  and  gravel, 
is  quite  permeable,  and  evaporation  from  it  is  rapid,  owing  to  its  nature  and  to  the  winds  which 
prevail  almost  constantly.  A  substratum  of  soft  sandstone,  apparently  ten  or  fifteen  feet  in 
thickness,  is  found  from  three  to  five  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  earth.  Limestone  abounds  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  post,  and  sandstone,  easily  quarried,  within  six  miles.  The  latter, 
when  first  taken  out,  is  soft  and  readily  cut,  but  hardens  on  exposure,  and  is  a  very  excellent 
building  stone. 

The  City  of  Laramie,  exempt  from  military  authority,  but  within  the  reservation,  is  a  town  of 
about  1,000  inhabitants.  Pine,  quaking  aspen,  and  cottonwood  are  the  principal  indigenous  trees 
of  the  vicinity.  Few  or  none  flourish  within  the  limits  of  the  reservation.  Gooseberries  are  found 
in  the  hills  in  the  vicinity. 

The  most  important  wild  animals  found  within  a  circuit  of  25  miles  are  the  prairie  wolf  or 
coyote,  swift  fox,  badger,  grizzly  bear,  (very  rare,)  black  bear,  (rare,)  striped  gopher,  prairie  dog, 
beaver,  (very  rare,)  muskrat,  prairie  hare,  sage  hare,  American  elk,  black-tailed  deer,  and  prong- 
horned  antelope. 

The  principal  birds  are  the  sparrow  hawk,  burrowing  owl,  night  hawk,  American  raven,  sage 
hen,  killdeer,  curlew,  coot,  wild  goose,  mallard,  green-winged  teal,  shoveler  or  spoonbill,  red  head, 
and  American  widgeon. 
45 


354 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Suckers  abound  in  the  Big  Laramie  River  and  neighboring  lakes ;  brook  trout  are  found  in  the 
mountain  streams.  Spring  Creek,  which  runs  by  the  post,  is  a  living  stream  whose  source  is  in 
several  springs  rising  in  a  limestone  region  about  three  miles  east-southeast  of  the  post.  A  reser- 
voir was  constructed  by  damming  the  stream  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  post,  and  the 
water  is  brought  in  ditches  through  the  rear  yards  of  the  officers'  quarters,  the  parade  ground  in 
front  of  the  barracks  and  hospital,  and  into  the  post  gardens.  The  water  is  hard,  but  palatable. 

A  circular  artificial  pond,  about  one  hundred  yards  in  diameter,  ou  which  are  boats  for  the  use 
of  the  garrison  in  summer,  and  ou  which  the  men  are  allowed  to  skate  in  winter,  is  kept  filled  with 
fresh  water  from  the  same  reservoir.  About  eight  miles  southwest  of  the  fort  are  four  small 
lakes  or  large  ponds,  on  which,  except  when  icebound,  are  quantities  of  aquatic  wild  fowl. 

The  climate  is  dry,  but  subject  to  high  winds.  The  temperature  is  very  variable,  the  mercury 
in  the  thermometer  frequently  rising  and  falling  40°  F.  in  the  course  of  the  three  regular  daily  ob- 
servations, occasionally  varying  over  50°  F.  in  the  same  time.  The  following  table  exhibits  the 
mean  temperature  for  the  year  ending  June  30, 1870,  the  mean  of  each  month,  and  the  extremes  of 
each  month,  and  the  rain  and  snow  (melted)  fall  of  each  mouth,  for  the  same  time  : 


Temperature,  &c. 

July. 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

April. 

May. 

June. 

Mean  monthly*   

o 
G6.97 

o 
C7.7C 

o 
53.88 

o 
40.28 

o 
3690 

c 
2214 

o 
2533 

o 
29  87 

o 
2603 

o 
41  28 

0 

51  96 

o 
5967 

Extreme  heat  

95 

97 

82 

80 

73 

63 

55 

49 

60 

68 

74 

87 

Extreme  cold 

51 

50 

24 

2 

12 

29 

5 

13 

21 

10 

30 

35 

Rain-fall,  (inchest)  

Ins. 
.27 

Ins. 
1.77 

Ins. 
.44 

Ins. 
.03 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 
1.36 

Ins. 

.90 

Inn. 
.67 

.21 

.35 

56 

03 

06 

65 

72 

227 

20 

20 

*  Mean  of  year,  43.24°.  t  Total,  5.44  inches.  5.26  inches  melted. 

The  relative  humidity,  saturation  being  considered  100,  for  July,  August,  September,  April, 
May,  and  June,  calculated  by  Glaisher's  formula,  was  about  Gl.  The  prevailing  winds  are  from  a 
westerly  direction.  lu  spring,  rain  and  snow  are  generally  accompanied  with  northerly  and  easterly, 
winds;  in  summer,  with  southerly  and  easterly;  in  autumn  and  winter,  with  northerly  and  westerly. 
The  warm  season  is  short.  Spring,  as  experienced  in  the  same  latitude  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  is 
scarcely  known.  Snow  is  not  infrequent  in  June,  and  snow  and  ice  are  generally  seen  early  in 
September. 

The  post  was  originally  built  for  four  companies,  with  a  parade  ground,  223  by  400  feet,  two 
barracks  on  the  north  and  south  sides  respectively,  officers'  quarters  ou  the  east,  and  store-houses 
on  the  west.  The  post  has  been  enlarged  so  as  to  accommodate  six  companies,  and  the  store-houses 
on  the  west  side  of  the  parade  have  been  transformed  into  officers'  quarters,  while  two  new  barracks 
have  been  erected  at  right  angles  to  those  on  the  north  side  of  the  parade,  and  new  officers' 
quarters  have  been  built  on  the  north  prolongation  of  the  old  line  of  officers'  quarters.  The  barracks 
are  built  of  logs,  the  interstices  filled  with  mortar,  and  are  unceiled.  The  two  new  barracks  are 
well  lighted,  sufficiently  ventilated,  and  the  flooring  is  raised  from  the  ground  about  twelve  inches, 
affording  access  of  air  underneath ;  the  others  are  badly  lighted,  and  the  flooring  is  raised  an 
insufficient  distance  above  the  earth.  The  six  buildings  contain  each  a  dormitory  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  one  company,  the  kitchens  and  mess-rooms  being  separate  from  the  barracks.  Three  of 
them  have  verandas,  6  feet  wide,  in  front.  The  dimensions  of  the  dormitories  average  from  60  to 
61£  feet  in  length  by  25  feet  in  width,  and  9£  feet  high.  One  room,  however,  measures  87  feet  by 
25  feet  2  inches  by  9  feet  6  inches. 

Each  building  has  two  ventilators  on  the  roof,  and  from  six  to  eleven  windows  in  the  sides.  The 
air  space  per  man  is  about  241.5  cubic  feet.  As  the  dormitories  differ  somewhat  in  size,  this  calcu- 
lation is  based  upon  the  measurements  of  the  majority  of  them.  There  are  two  large  stoves  in  each . 
Ordinary  double  wooden  bunks,  in  one  and  two  tiers,  are  used.  Each  company  has  a  rude  wash 
room,  being  a  room  in  which  is  a  shallow  trough  about  12  feet  long,  inclined  so  as  to  carry  oft  the 
water.  There  are  no  bath-rooms. 

The  privies  are  ordinary  trenches,  covered  with  frame  buildings.    The  different  kitchens  and 


FORT  SANDERS,  WYOMING  TERRITORY. 


355 


A 


mess-rooms  are  not  symmetrical,  so  only  their  average  areas  are  given.  The  former  average  about 
21  by  15  feet.  They  are  eacli  furnished  with  a  good  large  cooking  stove,  with  complete  fixtures, 
and  with  closets  and  bins  for  storage  of  rations.  The  mess  moms  average  28  by  23  feet.  The  laun- 
dresses' quarters  are  five  in  number,  and  consist  of  two  rooms  each.  Four  of  these  are  frame  struc- 
tures, poorly  constructed,  and  barely  habitable.  The  other,  occupied  by  the  hospital  matron,  is 
.placed  in  rear  of  the  hospital,  built  of  logs,  and  contain  two  rooms,  which  are  sadly  in  need  of 
repairs. 

There  are  seven  buildings  used  as  officers'  quarter*.  They  are  one  story  high,  built  substan- 
tially of  logs,  with  verandas  in  front  and  on  the  sides.  Internally,  some  are  lathed  and  plastered, 
others  lined  with  tarred  sheathing-board  and  papered,  and  a  few  rooms  in  two  of  the  houses 
lined  with  plain  lumber,  painted  or  stained.  Each  building,  comprising  two  sets  of  quarters,  con- 
sists of  a  main  building,  with  an  L  in  rear,  the  latter  containing  kitchen  and  dining  room.  Water 
is  brought  from  the  reservoir  through  ditches  which  run  through  the  rear  yards  of  each  set  of  quar- 
ters. During  cold  weather  water  is  hauled  in  water-carts.  These  quarters  are  furnished  with  the 
ordinary  trench  water-closet,  placed  in  rear.  There  are  no  bath-rooms.  The  quarters  are  heated 
by  stoves,  in  which  wood  is  used  as  fuel.  They  are  well  lighted, 
and  may  be  well  ventilated  by  means  of  the  windows,  at  the  op- 
tion of  the  occupants.  There  are  two  quartermaster's  store  houses, 
each  100  by  30  feet,  and  three  commissary  store-houses,  each  30 
by  30  feet,  and  10  feet  high.  They  are  built  of  logs.  The  bake- 
house and  magazine,  each  30  by  30  feet  and  10  feet  high,  are  built 
of  stone.  Three  ice-houses,  a  smith  and  wheelwright  shop,  a  saw- 
mill, and  a  block-house,  constitute  the  buildings  not  above  enu- 
merated. 

The  guard-house,  erected  in  18C9,  is  a  substantial  stone 
building,  admirably  adapted  to  its  purpose.  It  is  divided  into 
guard  and  prison-rooms  ;  dimensions  of  the  former  16  by  23J  feet  ; 
of  the  latter  23J  by  24  feet  ;  height  to  ceiling  11|  feet.  In  the 
prison-room,  are  two  cells,  each  measuring  4g  by  6  feet,  occupy- 
ing adjacent  corners.  The  building  is  warmed  by  wood-stoves. 
The  prison  room,  has  four  windows,  each  1  foot  10  inches  by  2  feet 
4  inches,  and  a  ventilator,  14  inches  square,  in  the  ceiling,  extend- 
ing through  the  roof,  thus  affording  ample  light  and  ventilation. 
In  the  guard-room  are  three  windows,  each  2  feet  4  inches  by  3 
feet  8  inches,  and  a  ventilator,  40  inches  square.  The  average 
occupancy  of  the  guard-house  is  16. 

The  hospital  building  is  constructed  of  logs,  one  story  high, 
for  the  plan  of  which  see  Figure  44. 

A,  ward,  22£  by  52  feet;  A,  small  ward,  13§  by  22J  feet;  D, 
dispensary,  14  by  15f  feet;  E,  steward's  room,  6i  by  14  feet;  K, 
kitchen,  13  by  22J  feet;  S,  store-room,  131  by  22£  feet.  The 
height  of  the  rooms  is  9  feet  9  inches.  A  veranda,  6  feet  wide, 
extends  the  length  of  the  building  on  the  south  side.  The  rooms 
are  lathed,  plastered,  and  ceiled,  and  the  whole  building  is  in  tol- 
erable repair. 

That  portion  of  the  figure  marked 


K 


r 


A 


D 


N  , 


N.K 


Figure  44.—  Scale,  30  feet  to  1  inch. 

B  represents  the  ground  plan  of  a  two-story  log  building, 
35  by  36  feet,  outside  measurement,  each  story  10  feet  in  height,  with  a  one-story  building  (N  K) 
attached,  the  latter  measuring  13  by  23  feet,  and  intended  for  kitchen  purposes. 

These  buildings  were  commenced  and  more  than  half  finished,  when  work  was  suspended 
because  of  the  inadequacy  of  the  garrison  to  the  work  which  had  to  be  done,  and,  owing  to  the  same 
cause,  work  has  not  since  beeu  resumed  upon  them.  The  wards  are  warmed  by  wood-stoves,  and 
are  each  supplied  with  ample  ventilation  and  natural  light.  The  larger  ward  has  three  ventilators 
in  the  ceiling;  one  l.J  by  2|>  feet,  and  two  19  by  20  inches.  In  the  small  ward  there  is  but  one  ven- 
tilator, which  measures  1£  by  2|  feet.  Air  passes  to  the  attic,  thence  through  two  ridge  ventila- 


356 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


tors,  in  dimensions  2  feet  square.  All  the  windows  in  the  building  are  2  feet  4  inches  by  3  feet  8 
inches  in  size.  The  wards  have  a  capacity  for  four  and  twelve  beds  respectively,  giving,  in  the 
larger,  950  cubic  feet,  and  in  the  smaller,  747  cubic  feet,  per  bed.  There  is  no  lavatory  or  bath- 
room. Bath-tubs  are  used  in  the  wards.  The  sink  is  about  120  feet  in  rear  of  the  hospital.  If  the 
new  buildings  were  properly  finished,  the  hospital  would  be  amply  adequate  to  accommodate  the 
sick  and  wounded  of  the  garrison  under  ordinary  circumstances. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  building,  30  by  28  feet,  with  a  patent  oven  attached,  in  which  may  be 
baked  350  loaves  at  one  time.  There  is  no  post  library. 

The  cavalry  stable  is  of  logs,  230  by  32  feet,  and  12  feet  high.    The  corral  is  200  feet  square. 

The  water  used  at  the  post  is  pleasant  to  the  taste,  colorless,  and  free  from  smell.  The  perme- 
ability of  the  soil  and  the  infrequency  of  rain  render  the  surface  drainage  all-sufficient.  Slops,  &c., 
are  hauled  away  from  the  post  daily. 

There  are  no  regular  arrangements  for  bathing.  The  stream  affords  facilities  during  warm 
weather. 

The  post  garden,  under  charge  of  the  adjutant,  furnishes  vegetables  to  the  staff  officers  and 
hospital.  Companies  are  furnished  from  their  respective  company  gardens.  About  25  acres  of 
ground  are  under  cultivation  this  season.  The  officers  in  charge  of  the  gardens  report  the  follow- 
ing kinds  and  amounts  of  products  raised  last  season,  viz  :  Potatoes,  810  bushels ;  beets  and  tur- 
nips, 300  bushels  ,  cabbage,  1,200  heads;  and  peas,  beans,  luttuce,  and  radishes  in  sufficient  quan- 
tity to  keep  those  for  whom  they  were  designed  amply  supplied  during  their  respective  seasons. 

There  being  a  railroad  station  at  the  post,  daily  mails  are  received  and  sent  regularly,  requir- 
ing about  thirty  hours  for  a  letter  to  reach  department  headquarters.  The  inhabitants  are  nearly 
all  in  the  city  of  Laramie.  There  are  a  few  ranch  men  outside  of  the  town,  who  engage  in  stock- 
raising  and  agriculture. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good.  The  prevailing  diseases  during  the  past 
year  have  been  constipation,  catarrh,  tonsillitis,  and  chronic  rheumatism,  their  relative  frequency 
being  in  the  order  of  their  enumeration.  As  a  class,  affections  of  the  more  external  organs  of  the 
respiratory  system  are  most  common.  The  high  winds,  to  which  the  command  is  subjected,  carry 
with  them  quantities  of  tine  particles  of  dust  with  which  more  or  less  alkali  is  intermingled,  and  by 
their  inhalation  cause  irritation  of  the  air  passages.  The  sudden  changes  produced  in  the  tempera- 
tare  at  the  post,  caused  by  winds  as  they  sweep  down  from  the  ever  snow-covered  summits  of  the 
Snowy  Kange  on  the  west,  undoubtedly  assist  in  producing  this  class  of  diseases;  and  it  is 
only  because  the  pores  of  the  cutaneous  surface  are  constriuged  by  the  dryness  of  the  atmosphere 
and  consequent  rapid  evaporation  that  the  more  deeply-seated  respiratory  organs  are  not  more  fre- 
quently affected.  Of  pneumonia  or  pleurisy  there  has  not  been  a  case  during  the  year.  In  phthisis 
there  have  been  but  few  opportunities  for  observation.  It  is  believed,  however,  that  the  irritating 
properties  of  the  winds  and  the  sudden  changes  in  temperature  would  prove  deleterious,  especially 
in  the  latter  stages  of  the  disease.  Chronic  rheumatism  occupies  a  prominent  place  among  the 
diseases  of  the  country,  and  the  neuroses,  especially  among  people  who  lead  sedentary  lives,  and 
uterine  diseases  among  females,  are  by  no  means  uncommon. 

Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Sunders,  Wyoming 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


T3 

| 

n 

§ 

JS 

-S    . 

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2 

3 

9 

| 

1 

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> 

1 

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|. 

= 

* 

Years. 

a 

I 

0    K 

a 

« 

3 
'o 

<X 

3 

1 

ij 

'-^ 

o 

'a 

1 

^ 

I 

- 
'3 

EC 

«    § 
•2  '3 

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1 

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P. 

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H 

"3 
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s  -^ 

3 

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o 

1863 

3805 

734 

163 

135 

57 

11 

4 

46 

1 

96 

7 

1869 

198 

239 

g 

12 

37 

12 

i 

7 

32 

31 

1 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy 


FOET  FEED  STEELE,  WYOMING  TEEEITOEY.  357 


FORT  FRED  STEELE,  WYOMING  TERRITORY. 

REPORTS  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  K.  CORSON   AND  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  H.  A.  CHKIST1AX, 

UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Fred  Steele  is  situated  ou  the  west  bauk  of  the  North  Fork  of  the  Platte  Kiver,  at  the 
point  of  crossing  of  the  Union  Pacific  railroad;  latitude  41°  48'  north,  longitude  107°  09'  west  from 
Greenwich  ;  elevation  above  the  sea  about  0,700  feet.  The  reservation,  as  declared  by  th'e  Presi- 
dent, includes  36  square  miles.  The  blufl'  on  which  the  post  is  placed  is  about  thirty-five  feet  high, 
composed  of  ten  feet  of  loose  gravelly  alluvium  lying  on  a  bed  of  soft  clay  slate.  Immediately 
below  the  railroad  crossing,  the  river  makes  an  abrupt  angle  to  the  west,  running  along  the  base 
of  the  high,  bare,  bluffs  called  Eattlesnake  Hills.  To  the  south  and  east  are  ranges  of  low  sand- 
hills, above  which  can  be  seen  Elk  Mountain  and  the  Medicine  Bow  Eange.  St.  Mary's,  the  nearest 
town  or  settlement,  is  about  twelve  miles  distant.  There  are  coal  mines  at  Carbon,  forty-one 
miles  distant,  and  there  appear  to  be  numerous  beds  of  coal  of  varying  quality  at  points  more 
accessible  to  the  post.  Near  Eawlings's  Springs,  twenty  miles  west  of  this  place,  coal  of  good 
quality  is  said  to  exist  in  large  amount.  The  rocks  forming  the  bluffs  directly  opposite  the  post, 
beyond  the  Platte,  are  sandstone  of  an  excellent  quality  for  building  purposes,  and  easily  quar- 
ried. At  some  points  they  appear  to  be  a  silicious  sand-rock,  the  seams  stained  with  iron.  Moss 
and  wood  agates,  carueliaus,  and  jasper  are  quite  plenty  in  the  vicinity.  Numerous  specimens  of 
fossiliferous  rocks,  containing  numbers  of  marine  shells,  have  been  found  in  the  railroad  cuts,  6,000 
feet  above  sea-level ;  large  masses  of  conglomerated  oyster  shells  have  been  also  discovered  in 
similar  localities. 

The  soil,  being  alkaline,  is  unproductive  without  irrigation,  except  in  some  sheltered  bottoms 
along  the  river,  where  grass  of  a  tolerably  good  kind  is  found,  and  from  which  the  forage  neces- 
sary for  the  animals  at  the  post  is  sometimes  obtained.  A  garden  has  been  attempted,  but  the 
result  seems  to  warrant  the  statement  that  the  season  is  too  short  generally  for  garden  vegetables. 
Timber,  other  than  cottonwood,  is  very  scarce  nearer  than  Elk  Mountain,  twenty-five  miles  east, 
where  pine  is  found  in  abundance.  Some  pine  and  fir  exist  to  a  small  extent  on  the  bottoms.  The 
fuel  furnished  this  post  is  cottonwood,  more  or  less  decayed. 

The  gray  wolf  and  the  coyote  abound,  the  latter  coming  close  to  the  camp  at  night  in  search 
of  offal.  Game  is  abundant ;  immense  herds  of  antelope  and  elk  can  be  found  within  a  few  miles 
of  the  fort,  and  black-tailed  deer  and  mountain  sheep  are  also  plentiful.  Of  the  smaller  game 
are  found  the  jack  rabbit  and  sage  hen,  the  latter  assimilating  to  the  grouse,  and  living  on  the  wild 
sage.  Very  few  fish  are  found  in  the  North  Fork. 

The  climate  is  exceedingly  dry,  rain  during  the  fall  and  winter  being  almost  unknown,  and 
snow  very  light.  The  hottest  day  was  August  3,  1869,  when  the  thermometer  indicated  96° ;  the 
coldest  day  was  December  21,  1869 — mercury  standing  20°  below  zero.  The  days  are  generally 
uiild  and  bracing;  the  nights,  from  midnight  until  daylight,  intensely  cold.  The  river,  which  is 
exceedingly  rapid,  has  been  in  winter  frozen  in  places  almost  to  solidity. 

The  post  was  established  in  June,  1868,  and  was  ordered  to  be  built  of  such  material  as  the  region 
afforded.  Stone  was  at  first  selected,  but  subsequent  orders  having  been  issued  to  use  timber, 
parties  were  sent  to  Elk  Mountain,  before  referred  to,  where  large  numbers  of  pine  logs  were  cut, 
and  drawn  to  the  post.  Two  steam  saw-mills  were  set  up  near  the  river,  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  post,  and  the  logs  prepared  for  building.  The  barracks,  five  in  number,  were  commenced 
almost  simultaneously,  and  occupied  by  the  men  before  December  1,  1868.  They  were  built  on 
stone  foundations,  without  cellars,  of  pine  logs,  squared  on  three  sides,  and  set  in  substantial  frames, 
the  interstices  filled  with  mortar.  Each  company  barrack  is  80  feet  long  by  35  feet  wide,  with  a 
piazza,  10  feet  in  width,  which  extends  along  the  entire  front,  with  the  exception  of  the  space 
taken  up  at  each  end  by  rooms  9  feet  square,  which  are  occupied  by  the  first  sergeant  and  quar- 
termaster's sergeant  as  offices.  The  interior  of  the  buildings  is  in  one  large  room,  warmed  by  two 
stoves  with  drums,  and  well  lighted  by  numerous  windows.  The  chimneys  are  of  stone.  The 


360  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

above  where  the  fort  is  now  situated,  and  upon  its  removal  the  permanent  post  was  located. 
Nearly  all  the  labor  was  furnished  by  troops,  and  the  logs  of  which  the  post  was  built  were  hauled 
from  the  foot  hills  of  the  Uintah  Mountains,  about  twenty  miles  distant.  The  reservation,  as  origin- 
ally laid  out,  extended  25  miles  from  north  to  south,  and  20  from  east  to  west.  In  November, 
1809,  it  was  curtailed  so  as  to  include  only  four  square  miles,  and  as  surveyed  by  Brevet  Colonel 
W.  E.  Merrill,  United  States  Engineers,  and  designated  by  a  general  order  of  the  department 
commander,  it  now  extends  four  miles  from  north  to  south,  beginning  at  a  blufi'  half  a  mile  north 
of  the  post,  and  one  mile  from  east  to  west,  beginning  just  beyond  the  eastern  limits  of  the  garri- 
son. The  present  reservation  takes  in  all  the  grass  lands  of  the  valley.  When  the  reservation 
was  reduced  a  town  site  was  surveyed  near  its  eastern  boundary,  and  a  few  buildings  have  been 
erected,  but  there  is  nothing  in  the  location  that  will  build  up  a  town.  In  all  the  valleys,  and  on 
the  terrace  lands,  extending  over  a  wide  range  of  country,  are  extensive  alluvial  deposits,  indicat- 
ing the  existence  of  inland  seas  after  the  general  upheaval  of  the  great  Rocky  Mountain  region. 
A  characteristic  feature  of  the  country  is  the  butte  formations,  where  the  earth's  crust  seems  to 
have  yielded  to  the  subterranean  pressure  so  gradually  or  uniformly  as  to  allow  an  upheaval  in 
regular  form,  constituting  hills  perfectly  flat  on  the  surface.  On  the  sides  of  these  buttes  or  hills, 
as  well  as  along  the  terraces  of  the  table-lands,  and  where  streams  have  washed  their  beds  in  the 
sides  of  bluffs,  a  remarkable  uniformity  in  structure  may  be  observed.  Lowest  of  the  strata  thus 
exposed  we  find  a  green  sandstone,  often  of  very  considerable  thickness ;  next  above  it  a  shaly 
formation ;  above  that  a  drift  deposit  of  pebbles  and  boulders,  and  above  all  the  alluvium  on  the 
surface.  Coal,  of  a  bituminous  character,  similar  to  that  found  in  many  other  parts  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain  region,  has  been  discovered  in  several  places  within  a  few  miles,  but  no  experiment  has 
yet  been  made  to  determine  the  practicability  of  using  it  as  fuel  at  the  post.  Limestone  abounds  in 
the  vicinity,  and,  when  calcined,  makes  excellent  lime  for  building  purposes.  Within  three  miles 
of  the  post  is  a  large  bed  of  silicious  limestone,  with  horizontal  fractures,  converting  it  into  slabs 
of  uniform  thickness,  so  that  it  is  easily  obtained  without  blasting.  This  has  been  used  of  late  in 
erecting  store-houses  at  the  post,  and  makes  a  good  building  material.  None  of  the  precious  or 
useful  metals  have  been  found  in  the  mountains  of  the  vicinity.  The  soil  is  fertile  and  yields 
abundantly  of  all  the  cultivated  vegetables  whose  growth  is  not  interfered  with  by  the  shortness 
of  the  season.  Potatoes,  turnips,  and  nearly  all  the  summer  table  vegetables  have  been  success- 
fully cultivated.  For  three  years  past,  however,  the  entire  crops  of  all  the  vegetables,  except  the 
potato,  have  been  destroyed  by  the  grasshoppers.  Wheat,  rye,  barley,  and  oats  have  been  raised 
in  the  vicinity,  though  the  frequent  failures  of  the  crops  rendered  their  cultivation  since  the  com- 
pletion of  the  railroad  unprofitable.  There  are  but  few  indigenous  trees  in  the  vicinity.  On  the 
borders  of  the  streams  may  be  found  a  few  aspen  and  small  cottouwood  trees,  and  a  very  thick 
growth  of  a  herbaceous  variety  of  willow.  There  are  but  few  wild  animals  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  post.  Of  these  the  coyote,  rabbit,  prairie  dog,  gopher,  and  a  few  beavers  in  the 
streams  are  the  principal.  In  the  mountains  to  the  south,  and  among  the  foot  hills,  they  are  more 
numerous,  and  in  greater  variety.  We  there  find  the  grizzly  and  black  bear,  the  wild  cat,  lynx, 
wolverine,  badger,  porcupine,  fox  of  several  varieties,  and  many  others.  There  are  also  of  wild 
game  the  elk,  black  and  white-tail  deer,  and  antelope  to  be  found  in  the  same  region.  The  sage 
hen  is  very  numerous.  The  wild  goose,  mallard  and  green-winged  teal  ducks  are  found  in  limited 
numbers  in  the  streams. 

The  streams  abound  with  trout,  which  are  caught  in  great  numbers  during  the  summer  and 
fall  months.  They  weigh  from  six  to  twenty  ounces,  and  are  marked  with  black  spots.  During 
the  summer  and  fall  months,  when  the  streams  are  low,  they  will  rise  and  take  the  fly,  but  the 
grasshopper  has  always  proved  a  better  bait.  The  only  other  varieties  of  fish  caught  in  the 
streams  of  the  vicinity  are  the  common  sucker,  where  the  streams  are  larger  and  more  sluggish, 
and  a  peculiar  variety  of  a  slim,  gray  fish,  pronounced  by  some  English  tourists  to  be  identical 
with  the  grayling  of  England  and  the  continent  of  Europe. 

The  climate  is  temperate  and  salubrious  the  greater  part  of  the  year.  The  weather  during  the 
fall  months  is  mild  and  delightful,  excepting  a  few  snow-storms  of  short  duration.  No  severe 
weather  occurs  before  the  middle  of  December.  After  that  time  there  are  frequent  storms,  and 
high  winds  prevail.  Cold  weather  continues  late  in  the  spring,  and  the  grass  does  not  begin  to 
grow  until  May.  During  that  month  and  June  there  is  a  greater  rain-fall  than  in  all  the  other 


FORT  BKIDGKK,  WYOMING  TKKKlTOltY.  361 

mouths;  although  the  post  is  in  the  valley  with  streams  all  around  and  through  it,  the  atmo- 
sphere is  comparatively  dry,  the  reading  of  the  wet  and  dry-bulb  thermometers  varying  from  ten  to 
fifteen  degrees.  The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  west,  and  blow  from  that  quarter  twenty -eight 
days  in  a  month.  The  rain  fall  for  last  year  amounted  to  7.07  inches.  In  consequence  of  the  very 
high  winds  that  prevail  during  snow-storms,  and  the  drifting,  it  has  been  impossible  to  ascertain, 
even  approximately,  the  quantity,  and  measurements  have  not  been  made.  The  highest  tempera- 
ture of  the  year  has  been  85°  F.;  the  lowest  — 19°  F.,  and  the  mean  43.12°. 

As  before  intimated,  the  fort  is  located  near  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  reservation,  and  all 
that  portion  of  it  is  low  and  level,  with  only  sufficient  slope  to  afford  good  drainage.  Black's  Fork, 
a  short  distance  above  the  post,  divides  into  five  branches,  all  of  which  unite  again  within  a  mile 
below.  One  of  the  larger  branches  runs  through  the  parade  ground  from  south  to  north,  dividing 
it  into  two  unequal  parts.  The  buildings  are  but  a  few  feet  above  the  water  level,  but  the  slope 
of  the  surface  in  and  around  the  fort  is  so  regular  that  it  is  well  drained. 

Of  the  eleven  barrack  buildings  only  six  are  used  as  quarters  for  the  men.  Two  are  occupied 
by  laundresses,  one  as  adjutant's  office,  school-room,  and  library,  another  as  guard-house,  and  the 
third  as  shops  for  mechanics,  carpenters,  and  wheelwrights.  These  buildings  are  in  two  rows  on 
each  side  of  the  parade ;  are  each  76  feet  long,  those  nearest  the  parade  being  18  feet  and  the  others 
22  feet  wide.  On  the  parade  front  are  porches  extending  the  length  of  the  buildings.  The  rear 
buildings  are  used  in  part  as  sleeping-rooms,  and  also  contain  the  company  mess-rooms,  store- 
rooms, and  kitchen.  The  buildings  are  heated  by  large  wood-stoves,  and  lighted  by  windows  in 
the  sides.  The  bunks  are  arranged  in  two  tiers.  The  sinks  are  built  in  rear  of  the  quarters. 
Vaults  are  used,  and  as  they  fill  near  the  surface,  are  covered  and  new  ones  dug.  The  quarters 
for  the  laundresses  are  similar  buildings  to  those  occupied  by  the  men,  but  divided  by  partitions 
into  small  rooms,  which  are  heated  by  fireplaces,  except  in  some  instances  where  cooking  stoves 
have  been  purchased  by  the  laundresses  themselves.  The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  six  buildings 
of  uniform  size  and  like  arrangement,  about  forty  feet  apart  in  a  row  and  facing  west,  and  of 
other  sets  on  the  flanks  opposite  to  and  facing  each  other.  The  six  buildings  are  of  logs,  one  story, 
with  four  large  rooms,  two  on  either  side  of  the  entrance — a  hall  room  for  servants — and  to  most 
of  them  have  been  added  frame  shed  summer  kitchens.  The  quarters  of  the  commanding  officer, 
however,  have  a  more  substantial  log  back  building. 

Of  the  quarters  on  the  flanks,  two  sets  are  on  the  north  side,  built  of  boards  and  containing 
each  two  rooms,  a  kitchen  and  servants'  room,  while  on  the  south  is  a  single  set,  consisting  of  a 
log  building,  with  frame  additions,  containing  two  large  rooms  and  a  kitchen.  These  buildings  are 
well  plastered  and  many  of  the  rooms  papered,  furnishing  very  comfortable,  if  not  elegant  quarters. 

The  six  buildings  in  line  have  in  each  room  a  fireplace  and  one  window.  The  other  quarters 
are  heated  by  stoves.  Narrow  ditches,  extending  from  the  stream  above  the  fort,  rim  in  front,  and 
through  the  yards  in  the  rear,  of  the  quarters,  furnishing  an  abundant  supply  of  pure  water. 
There  are  neither  water- closets  nor  bath-rooms  connected  with  the  buildings.  Detached  privies 
are  built  in  the  yards.  As  before  remarked,  two  of  the  buildings  intended  as  barracks  are  now 
used  as  adjutant's  office  and  guard-house.  This  was  rendered  necessary  by  a  department  order 
forbidding  fires  in  or  near  any  store-house  at  a  military  post,  and  the  building  erected  for  a  guard- 
house being  in  close  proximity  to  the  quartermaster's  store-house,  and  the  adjutant's  office  in  the 
same  building  with  the  commissary  store-house,  this  change  was  made.  If  the  post  is  continued,  a 
new  adjutant's  office  and  guard-house  will  be  erected.  '  The  quartermaster's  and  commissary  store- 
houses are  three  large  stone  buildings  in  front  of  the  parade,  facing  cast,  and  are  the  most  substan- 
tial, and  best  adapted  to  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  designed,  of  any  at  the  post. 

The  hospital  is  situated  about  forty  yards  south  of  the  last  of  the  row  of  officers'  quarters,  and 
consists  of  an  L  shaped  building,  113  by  18  feet  on  the  long  side,  running  from  east  to  west,  and 
62  by  20  feet  in  the  addition  running  north  and  south.  The  whole  is  built  of  logs,  and  the 
wing,  or  the  extension  to  the  south,  is  an  addition  made  in  the  fall  of  1869.  The  longer  portion  of 
the  building  is  divided  respectively  into  a  dispensary,  ward  No.  1,  ward  No.  2,  bath  and  wash- 
rooms, and  attendants'  room,  and  the  wing  into  a  steward's  room,  store-room,  dining-room,  and 
kitchen.  Ward  No.  1  and  the  dispensary  are  plastered  and  hard-finished,  and  ward  No.  2,  bath- 
room, attendants'  room,  steward's  room,  and  dining  rooms,  are  lined  with  felting  and  covered  with 
46 


360  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

above  whore  the  fort  is  now  situated,  and  upon  its  removal  the  permanent  post  was  located. 
Nearly  nil  the  labor  was  furnished  by  troops,  and  the  logs  of  which  the  post  was  built  were  hauled 
from  the  foot  hills  of  the  Uintah  Mountains,  about  twenty  miles  distant.  The  reservation,  as  origin- 
ally laid  out,  extended  25  miles  from  north  to  south,  and  20  from  east  to  west.  In  November, 
ISC'.l,  it  was  fin-tailed  so  as  to  include  only  four  square  miles,  and  as  surveyed  by  Brevet  Colonel 
W.  E.  Merrill,  United  States  Engineers,  and  designated  by  a  general  order  of  the  department 
commander,  it  now  extends  four  miles  from  north  to  south,  beginning  at  abluft'  half  a  mile  north 
of  the  post,  and  one  mile  from  east  to  west,  beginning  just  beyond  the  eastern  limits  of  the  garri- 
son. The  present  reservation  takes  in  all  the  grass  lands  of  the  valley.  When  the  reservation 
was  reduced  a  town  site  was  surveyed  near  its  eastern  boundary,  and  a  few  buildings  have  been 
erected,  but  there  is  nothing  in  the  location  that  will  build  up  a  town.  In  all  the  valleys,  and  on 
the  terrace  lands,  extending  over  a  wide  range  of  country,  are  extensive  alluvial  deposits,  indicat- 
ing the  existence  of  inland  seas  after  the  general  upheaval  of  the  great  Rocky  Mountain  region. 
A  characteristic  feature  of  the  country  is  the  butte  formations,  where  the  earth's  crust  seems  to 
have  yielded  to  the  subterranean  pressure  so  gradually  or  uniformly  as  to  allow  an  upheaval  in 
regular  form,  constituting  hills  perfectly  flat  on  the  surface.  On  the  sides  of  these  buttes  or  hills, 
as  well  as  along  the  terraces  of  the  table-lands,  and  where  streams  have  washed  their  beds  in  the 
sides  of  bluffs,  a  remarkable  uniformity  in  structure  may  be  observed.  Lowest  of  the  strata  thus 
exposed  we  find  a  green  sandstone,  often  of  very  considerable  thickness ;  next  above  it  a  shaly 
formation ;  above  that  a  drift  deposit  of  pebbles  and  boulders,  and  above  all  the  alluvium  on  the 
surface.  Coal,  of  a  bituminous  character,  similar  to  that  found  in  many  other  parts  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain  region,  has  been  discovered  in  several  places  within  a  few  miles,  but  no  experiment  has 
yet  been  made  to  determine  the  practicability  of  using  it  as  fuel  at  the  post.  Limestone  abounds  in 
the  vicinity,  and,  when  calcined,  makes  excellent  lime  for  building  purposes.  Within  three  miles 
of  the  post  is  a  large  bed  of  silicious  limestone,  with  horizontal  fractures,  converting  it  into  slabs 
of  uniform  thickness,  so  that  it  is  easily  obtained  without  blasting.  This  has  been  used  of  late  in 
erecting  store-houses  at  the  post,  and  makes  a  good  building  material.  None  of  the  precious  or 
useful  metals  have  been  found  in  the  mountains  of  the  vicinity.  The  soil  is  fertile  and  yields 
abundantly  of  all  the  cultivated  vegetables  whose  growth  is  not  interfered  with  by  the  shortness 
of  the  season.  Potatoes,  turnips,  and  nearly  all  the  summer  table  vegetables  have  been  success- 
fully cultivated.  For  three  years  past,  however,  the  entire  crops  of  all  the  vegetables,  except  the 
potato,  have  been  destroyed  by  the  grasshoppers.  Wheat,  rye,  barley,  and  oats  have  been  raised 
in  the  vicinity,  though  the  frequent  failures  of  the  crops  rendered  their  cultivation  since  the  com- 
pletion of  the  railroad  unprofitable.  There  are  but  few  indigenous  trees  in  the  vicinity.  On  the 
borders  of  the  streams  may  be  found  a  few  aspen  and  small  cottouwood  trees,  and  a  very  thick 
growth  of  a  herbaceous  variety  of  willow.  There  are  but  few  wild  animals  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  post.  Of  these  the  coyote,  rabbit,  prairie  dog,  gopher,  and  a  few  beavers  in  the 
streams  are  the  principal.  In  the  mountains  to  the  south,  and  among  the  foot  hills,  they  are  more 
numerous,  and  in  greater  variety.  We  there  find  the  grizzly  and  black  bear,  the  wild  cat,  lynx, 
wolverine,  badger,  porcupine,  fox  of  several  varieties,  and  many  others.  There  are  also  of  wild 
game  the  elk,  black  and  white-tail  deer,  and  antelope  to  be  found  in  the  same  region.  The  sage 
hen  is  very  numerous.  The  wild  goose,  mallard  and  green-winged  teal  ducks  are  found  in  limited 
numbers  in  the  streams. 

The  streams  abound  with  trout,  which  are  caught  in  great  numbers  during  the  summer  and 
fall  months.  They  weigh  from  six  to  twenty  ounces,  and  are  marked  with  black  spots.  During 
the  summer  and  fall  months,  when  the  streams  are  low,  they  will  rise  and  take  the  fly,  but  the 
grasshopper  has  always  proved  a  better  bait.  The  only  other  varieties  of  fish  caught  in  the 
streams  of  the  vicinity  are  the  common  sucker,  where  the  streams  are  larger  and  more  sluggish, 
and  a  peculiar  variety  of  a  slim,  gray  fish,  pronounced  by  some  English  tourists  to  be  identical 
with  the  grayling  of  England  and  the  continent  of  Europe. 

The  climate  is  temperate  and  salubrious  the  greater  part  of  the  year.  The  weather  during  the 
fall  months  is  mild  and  delightful,  excepting  a  few  snow-storms  of  short  duration.  No  severe 
weather  occurs  before  the  middle  of  December.  After  that  time  there  are  frequent  storms,  and 
high  winds  prevail.  Cold  weather  continues  late  in  the  spring,  and  the  grass  does  not  begin  to 
grow  until  May.  During  that  month  and  June  there  is  a  greater  rain-fall  than  in  all  the  other 


FORT  BRLDGER,  WYOMING  TERRITORY.  361 

mouths;  although  the  post  is  in  the  valley  with  streams  all  around  ami  through  it,  the  atmo- 
sphere is  comparatively  dry,  the  reading  of  the  wet  and  dry  bulb  thermometers  varying  from  ten  to 
fifteen  degrees.  The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  west,  and  blow  from  that  quarter  twenty -eight 
days  in  a  month.  The  rain-fall  for  last  year  amounted  to  7.97  inches.  In  consequence  of  the  very 
high  winds  that  prevail  during  snow-storms,  and  the  drifting,  it  has  been  impossible  to  ascertain, 
r\  en  approximately,  the  quantity,  and  measurements  have  not  been  made.  The  highest  tempera- 
ture of  the  year  has  been  85°  F.;  the  lowest  — 19°  F.,  and  the  mean  43.12°. 

As  before  intimated,  the  fort  is  located  near  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  reservation,  and  all 
that  portion  of  it  is  low  and  level,  with  only  sufficient  slope  to  afford  good  drainage.  Black's  Fork, 
a  short  distance  above  the  post,  divides  into  five  branches,  all  of  which  unite  again  within  a  mile 
below.  One  of  the  larger  branches  runs  through  the  parade  ground  from  south  to  north,  dividing 
it  into  two  unequal  parts.  The  buildings  are  but  a  few  feet  above  the  water  level,  but  the  slope 
of  the  surface  in  and  around  the  fort  is  so  regular  that  it  is  well  drained. 

Of  the  eleven  barrack  buildings  only  six  are  used  as  quarters  for  the  men.  Two  are  occupied 
by  laundresses,  one  as  adjutant's  office,  school-room,  and  library,  another  as  guard-house,  and  the 
third  as  shops  for  mechanics,  carpenters,  and  wheelwrights.  These  buildings  are  in  two  rows  on 
each  side  of  the  parade ;  are  each  70  feet  long,  those  nearest  the  parade  being  18  feet  and  the  others 
l'-'  feet  wide.  On  the  parade  front  are  porches  extending  the  length  of  the  buildings.  The  rear 
buildings  are  used  in  part  as  sleeping- rooms,  and  also  contain  the  company  mess-rooms,  store- 
rooms, and  kitchen.  The  buildings  are  heated  by  large  wood-stoves,  and  lighted  by  windows  in 
the  sides.  The  bunks  are  arranged  in  two  tiers.  The  sinks  are  built  in  rear  of  the  quarters. 
Vaults  are  used,  and  as  they  fill  near  the  surface,  are  covered  and  new  ones  dug.  The  quarters 
for  the  laundresses  are  similar  buildings  to  those  occupied  by  the  men,  but  divided  by  partitions 
into  small  rooms,  which  are  heated  by  fireplaces,  except  in  some  instances  where  cooking  stoves 
have  been  purchased  by  the  laundresses  themselves.  The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  six  buildings 
of  uniform  size  and  like  arrangement,  about  forty  feet  apart  in  a  row  and  facing  west,  and  of 
other  sets  on  the  flanks  opposite  to  and  facing  each  other.  The  six  buildings  are  of  logs,  one  story, 
with  four  large  rooms,  two  on  either  side  of  the  entrance — a  hall  room  for  servants — and  to  most 
of  them  have  been  added  frame  shed  summer  kitchens.  The  quarters  of  the  commanding  officer, 
however,  have  a  more  substantial  log  back  building. 

Of  the  quarters  on  the  flanks,  two  sets  are  on  the  north  side,  built  of  boards  and  containing 
each  two  rooms,  a  kitchen  and  servants'  room,  while  on  the  south  is  a  single  set,  consisting  of  a 
log  building,  with  frame  additions,  containing  two  large  rooms  and  a  kitchen.  These  buildings  are 
well  plastered  and  many  of  the  rooms  papered,  furnishing  very  comfortable,  if  not  elegant  quarters. 

The  six  buildings  in  line  have  in  each  room  a  fireplace  and  one  window.  The  other  quarters 
are  heated  by  stoves.  Narrow  ditches,  extending  from  the  stream  above  the  fort,  run  in  front,  and 
through  the  yards  in  the  rear,  of  the  quarters,  furnishing  an  abundant  supply  of  pure  water. 
There  are  neither  water-closets  nor  bath-rooms  connected  with  the  buildings.  Detached  privies 
are  built  in  the  yards.  As  before  remarked,  two  of  the  buildings  intended  as  barracks  are  now 
used  as  adjutant's  office  and  guard-house.  This  was  rendered  necessary  by  a  department  order 
forbidding  tires  in  or  near  any  store-house  at  a  military  post,  and  the  building  erected  for  a  guard- 
house being  in  close  proximity  to  the  quartermaster's  store-house,  and  the  adjutant's  office  in  the 
same  building  with  the  commissary  store-house,  this  change  was  made.  If  the  post  is  continued,  a 
new  adjutant's  office  and  guard-house  will  be  erected.  The  quartermaster's  and  commissary  store- 
houses are  three  large  stone  buildings  in  front  of  the  parade,  facing  east,  and  are  the  most  substan- 
tial, and  best  adapted  to  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  designed,  of  any  at  the  post. 

The  hospital  is  situated  about  forty  yards  south  of  the  last  of  the  row  of  officers'  quarters,  and 
consists  of  an  L- shaped  building,  113  by  18  feet  on  the  long  side,  running  from  east  to  west,  and 
62  by  20  feet  in  the  addition  running  north  and  south.  The  whole  is  built  of  logs,  and  the 
wing,  or  the  extension  to  the  south,  is  an  addition  made  in  the  fall  of  1809.  The  longer  portion  of 
the  building  is  divided  respectively  into  a  dispensary,  ward  No.  3,  ward  No.  2,  bath  and  wash- 
rooms, and  attendants'  room,  and  the  wing  into  a  steward's  room,  store-room,  dining-room,  and 
kitchen.  Ward  No.  1  and  the  dispensary  are  plastered  and  hard  finished,  and  ward  No.  2,  bath 
room,  attendants'  room,  steward's  room,  and  dining-rooms,  are  lined  with  felting  and  covered  with 
46 


362  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

wall-paper.  The  building  is  badly  adapted  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  designed.  The  medical 
officer  on  duty  at  the  time  it  was  erected  disclaims  all  responsibility  for  its  bad  design,  and  says 
his  opinions  were  ignored  by  the  quartermaster  who  constructed  the  building.  The  ceilings  in  the 
ward  are  only  seven  feet  high,  but  as  there  is  a  large  superficial  space,  and  but  few  patients  in  hos- 
pital at  one  time,  the  beds  can  be  arranged  so  as  to  give  600  or  800  cubic  feet  of  air  space  to  each. 

Adjoining  the  hospital  on  the  east  is  a  shed  containing  a  medicine  wagon,  and  used  also  as  a 
dead-house,  and  beyond,  and  separated  only  a  few  feet,  is  the  sink  for  the  hospital.  The  wards  are 
heated  both  by  stoves  and  fireplaces,  the  latter  being  inadequate  during  the  very  cold  weather. 
The  ventilation  is  by  side  windows  during  the  summer,  and  by  air  shafts,  through  which  the  stove 
pipes  run,  and  the  chimneys  during  winter.  A  small  ditch  runs  the  entire  length  of  the  hospital, 
and  furnishes  water  to  the  officers'  quarters. 

The  post  bakery  is  situated  a  little  north  of  the  buildings  already  described,  is  built  of  logs, 
with  a  good  stone  oven,  and  well  supplied  with  the  necessary  fixtures  for  a  bakery.  The  stables 
are  frame  structures,  situated  northeast  of  the  garrison,  over  200  yards  distant.  They  form  two 
sides  of  a  square,  and  contain  stalls  for  two  hundred  animals.  A  stockade  extends  the  other  two 
sides  of  the  square,  forming,  with  the  stables,  a  corral. 

There  is  but  a  small  library  belonging  to  the  post,  consisting  of  works  of  history,  some  of  the 
standard  novels,  school-books,  &c. 

The  water  supply  is  abundant  and  convenient  without  labor  in  constructing  cisterns,  digging 
wells,  or  any  artificial  means  of  conducting  it  to  the  quarters,  other  than  a  few  surface  ditches 
along  the  regular  slope,  by  which  it  is  made  to  run  convenient  to  all  the  barracks,  and  an  abun- 
dant supply  is  thus  obtained  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year.  In  winter  it  must  be  carried  in 
buckets  from  the  stream  that  runs  through  the  post.  The  convenience  of  water  in  an  unlimited 
quantity  has  prevented  any  serious  accident  from  fire  since  the  establishment  of  the  post.  The 
stream  furnishing  the  supply  has  its  rise  in  the  Uintah  Mountains,  and  is  fed  by  never-failing 
mountain  springs,  yielding  water  free  from  mineral  impurities,  and,  running  through  a  gravelly  bed, 
it  reaches  the  post  almost  as  pure  as  at  its  source. 

The  natural  drainage  being  good,  no  artificial  drains  or  sewers  have  been  made.  The  slops 
and  offal  from  the  kitchens  of  the  company  quarters,  as  well  as  from  the  officers'  quarters,  are  col- 
lected in  barrels  kept  on  the  premises,  and  every  morning  hauled  below  the  post  and  thrown  into 
the  stream. 

There  is  an  old  cemetery  in  the  valley  half  a  mile  northeast  of  the  post,  but  it  is  no  longer  used. 
A  new  one  has  been  started  on  higher  ground,  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter  distant  in  a  southerly 
direction.  In  both  the  graves  of  citizens  who  have  died  at  or  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  largely 
predominate.  There  are  but  four  graves  of  soldiers  in  the  new  cemetery,  which  has  been  used  for 
more  than  two  years. 

There  has  been  cultivated  but  one  garden  at  the  post,  the  products  of  which  have  been  divided 
proportionately  among  the  companies,  the  hospital,  and  the  officers,  each  paying  at  the  end  of  the 
season  a  pro  rata  of  the  cost  of  seeds  and  garden  implements.  In  consequence  of  the  devastation 
occasioned  by  grasshoppers,  before  referred  to,  the  yield  for  the  last  three  seasons  has  been  almost 
entirely  of  potatoes,  but  the  quantity  of  this  one  vegetable  obtained  has  amply  repaid  for  the 
labor  and  expense  of  cultivating  the  whole. 

Eggs,  chickens,  and  fresh  vegetables  are  scarce,  and  command  high  prices.  They  are  brought 
a  considerable  distance  for  sale  at  the  post. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  provided  with  a  few  of  the  more  necessary  articles  of  household  furni- 
ture, such  as  bedsteads,  tables,  washstands,  &c.,  made  by  the  quartermaster ;  but  aside  from  these 
articles  no  furniture  can  be  procured  in  the  vicinity.  It  is  desirable  for  officers  going  from  the  East 
to  purchase  furniture  at  Omaha,  and  ship  it  by  the  Union  Pacific  railroad. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  from  the  medical  purveyor  at  St.  Louis,  on  semi-annual  requisi- 
tions. There  is  now  on  hand  in  the  store-room  of  the  hospital  a  liberal  supply.  The  troops  serving 
in  Wind  Eiver  Valley  and  Sweetwater  mining  country  are  furnished  from  this  post,  and  in  order 
to  meet  this  demand  the  medical  director  has  authorized  the  drawing  of  supplies  in  excess  of  the 
usual  allowance  for  the  garrison.  The  post  being  contiguous  to  the  Pacific  railroad,  communi- 
cation with  the  depot  whence  supplies  are  obtained  is  easy  and  not  liable  to  interruption. 


CAMP  DOUGLAS,  UTAH  TERRITORY. 


363 


There  is  a  daily  mail  from  both  East  and  West,  and  communications  are  received  regularly  and 
promptly,  being  only  two  days  in  reaching  the  post  from  Omaha. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  good,  and  the  hospital  records,  from  its  establish- 
ment, will  show  a  state  of  health  that  will  compare  favorably  with  other  posts  on  the  frontier. 
Never  in  its  history  has  the  garrison  been  visited  by  an  epidemic.  Scurvy,  the  scourge  of  remote 
and  isolated  posts,  prevailed  to  a  very  inconsiderable  extent  before  the  days  of  railroad  com- 
munication, and  when  no  vegetables  were  cultivated  in  the  locality.  The  largest  number  of  cases 
appearing  in  the  register  for  any  one  month  was  in  April,  1859,  when  eight  cases  were  reported. 
At  no  time,  during  the  last  four  years,  has  a  soldier  been  excused  from  duty  because  of  this  affection, 
though  some  slight  scorbutic  derangement  has  been  occasionally  observed.  Though  the  post  is 
situated  in  an  elevated  region,  with  no  marshes,  or  extensive  vegetable  decomposition  going  on  in 
the  vicinity,  it  has  never  been  entirely  free  from  malarial  fever  during  the  summer  and  fall  months. 
That  the  cause  exists  in  the  locality  is  proved  by  the  prevalence  of  a  periodical  form  of  fever  known 
as  "  mountain  fever  "  among  the  "  mountaineers"  who  have  long  resided  here.  This  fever  has  all 
the  characteristics  of  remittent  fever  of  known  malarious  districts,  and  promptly  yields,  in  its  early- 
stages,  to  the  same  remedies.  If  no  treatment  is  adopted,  however,  and  every  sanitary  measure 
disregarded,  as  was  often  the  case  with  emigrants  traveling  with  wagon  trains  over  the  country, 
the  patient  rapidly  sinks  into  a  typhoid  state  and  dies.  During  the  past  winter,  and  indeed  every 
winter,  rheumatism  and  catarrhal  affections  have  been  the  prevailing  diseases  of  the  locality.  The 
latter  class  of  diseases,  however,  has  consisted  of  only  the  milder  affections  of  the  respiratory 
organs,  seldom  extending  to  pneumonia. 

Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Bridger,   Wyoming 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


,d 

1     • 

t 

T) 

a 

G 

g  & 

.a 

3 

a   * 

9 

Years. 

i 

90 

§ 

9 

a  'S 
a 

&s- 

o   a 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrhoea 
dysente 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  di 

o 

tc 

Rheumatis 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal 
tions. 

1 

•3 

1868  

275.5 

453 

55 

111 

18 

1 

95 

1 

127 

l 

1869 

182  25 

461 

89 

60 

14 

6 

5 

33 

2 

137 

1 

*  Inclnde  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  anil  plenrisy. 


CAMP  DOUGLAS,  UTAH  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  W.  C.  SPENCER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Douglas,  Utah  Territory,  is  situated  on  a  plateau  at  the  base  of  the  Wahsatch  Mount- 
ains, two  and  a  half  miles  east  of  the  business  portion  of  Salt  Lake  City,  at  an  altitude  of  730 
feet  above  it,  and  of  5,030  feet  above  the  sea;  latitude  40°  46'  2"  north,  longitude  111°  53'  30" 
west  from  Greenwich.  It  is  placed  in  the  center  of  a  reservation  two  miles  square.  The  land, 
which  slopes  gently  toward  the  city,  is  arable,  consisting  of  a  light,  sandy  soil,  and  well  irrigated 
by  perennial  streams  from  the  adjacent  mountains.  The  scenery  is  extremely  fine.  Behind  and  at 
the  right  and  left  is  the  Wahsatch  Range,  the  loftiest  peaks  of  which,  "  The  Twins,"  are  11,400  feet 
in  height  and  covered  with  perpetual  snow.  Directly  in  front  and  in  full  view  lies  the  city,  nine 
miles  beyond  Great  Salt  Lake,  with  its  mountainous  islands ;  at  the  southwest,  twenty  miles  distant, 
are  the  Oquirrh  Mountains  ;  while  between  the  two  ranges  there  is  a  fertile  and  beautiful  valley, 
through  which  flows  the  river  Jordan. 

The  post  was  established  October  26,  1862,  by  Colonel  P.  E.  Connor,  Third  regiment  California 
volunteer  infantry,  who  had  been  ordered  to  command  the  district  of  Utah,  comprising  the  Terri- 
tories of  Utah  and  Nevada,  with  headquarters  at  or  near  Salt  Lake  City. 


3G4 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Rich  deposits  of  gold,  silver,  copper,  lead,  and  iron  have  already  been  discovered  in  the  vicin- 
ity, although  until  very  recently  mining  has  been  neglected  on  account  of  the  opposition  of  the 
Mormon  authorities.  Sandstone,  limestone,  and  granite  are  found  in  abundance.  There  is  but 
little  timber  near  the  post,  but  in  some  of  the  canons,  at  a  distance  of  from  eighteen  to  twenty-five 
miles,  white  pine  and  cottonwood  are  procured.  The  ground  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  camp  is 
covered  in  great  part  with  sage  brush  and  scrub  oak,  but  the  grass  is  sufficient  to  afford  good  graz- 
ing. Mallard  and  teal  ducks,  wild  geese,  snipe,  grouse,  prairie  chickens,  sage  hens,  and  rabbits  are 
occasionally  found  in  considerable  numbers  at  no  great  distance.  Black  and  brown  bears  exist  in 
the  mountains.  The  streams  of  the  cafions  furnish  excellent  trout. 

The  supply  of  water  is  derived  principally  from  a  creek  which  eiuerges  from  Eed  Butte  Canon, 
immediately  in  rear  of  the  post.  The  minor  streams  into  which  this  creek  is  divided  are  distributed 
through  the  camp  and  serve  to  sustain  shade  trees  and  fruit  trees,  to  irrigate  the  gardens,  and  to 
drain  the  post  through  the  ravines  at  each  flank,  which  constitute  a  natural  and  effectual  system 
of  sewerage.  Near  the  month  of  the  canon  an  artificial  pond  has  been  formed,  from  which  is 
obtained  all  the  ice  needed  by  the  garrison.  Water  is  also  brought  in  wagons  from  a  spring  one 
mile  distant.  The  water  from  both  sources  is  clear,  cold,  and  pleasant  to  the  taste.  It  contains 
a  considerable  percentage  of  chloride  of  sodium,  sulphate  of  lime,  and  of  the  carbonates  of  soda 
and  magnesia. 

The  camp  faces  and  commands  the  city  on  the  west.  The  parade  is  375  feet  long,  275  feet 
broad,  and  has  a  stream  of  water  upon  three  sides.  Seven  one-story  double  cottages  at  the  head 
of  the  parade  are  set  apart  for  officers'  quarters.  They  are  built  of  hewn  logs,  whitewashed,  are 
lathed  and  plastered  inside,  and  have  shingled  roofs.  Each  building,  comprising  quarters  for  two 
officers,  is  46  feet  6  inches  long,  2G  feet  6  inches  wide,  and  9  feet  high  in  the  clear;  contains  eight 
rooms,  including  two  kitchens,  and  has  a  veranda,  7  feet  wide,  in  front.  In  a  line  with  these  houses, 
at  their  right,  is  a  large,  one-story-and  a-half  adobe  building,  containing  twenty  rooms.  At  each 
side  of  the  hospital  there  is  a  one-story  cottage,  containing  six  rooms.  All  these  quarters  are  com- 
fortable and  in  good  repair. 

The  barracks,  ten  in  number,  are  built  of  hewn  pine  and  cottonwood,  and  are  floored  and 
shingled.  Thedimensions  of  each  building  are — length,  85  feet  5  inches ;  breadth,  28  feet  8  inches ; 
height  of  side  walls,  10  feet  9  inches;  of  peak,  16  feet  2  inches.  Capacity  per  man,  with  average 
number  of  occupants,  500  cubic  feet.  They  are  all  provided  with  open  fireplaces  and  with  ridge 

I 1  ventilation.    In  front  of  each  extends  a  veranda,  CO  feet  long  and  9  feet  broad. 

One  of  the  barracks  is  used  as  a  chapel.  These  structures  are  so  much  dilapi- 
dated as  to  be  unfitted  for  their  purpose.  It  is  probable  that  new  ones  will  be 
erected  during  the  present  year. 

The  laundresses'  quarters  consist  of  five  one-story-and-a-half  double  frame 
buildings,  battened  and  lined  with  adobe,  and  of  three  smaller  ones,  all  built 
in  the  fall  of  1869.  They  are  situated  at  the  rear  and  left  of  the  camp. 

The  hospital,  situated  160  yards  in  rear  of  the  parade,  was  erected  in  Octo- 
ber, 1863.  It  is  built  of  roughly-hewn  white  pine  timber,  resting  on  a  sandstone 
foundation,  and  is  shingled.  The  interior  is  lathed  and  plastered  throughout. 
It  is  a  rectangular  edifice,  88  feet  long,  3G  feet  wide,  and  27  feet  high  to  the 
peak  of  the  roof,  with  a  veranda  in  front,  8  feet  5  inches  wide.  The  arrange- 
ment is  shown  in  Figure  46. 

A,  wards;  B,  bath-room;  C,  clothes-room;  II,  hall;  I,  dispensary;  K, 
kitchen  ;  M,  mess-room  ;  N,  shed ;  O,  office ;  P,  porch. 

The  second  floor  is  divided  into  two  comfortable  bed-rooms  and  three  store- 
rooms.   Each  ward  is  51  feet  3  inches  long,  16  feet  9  inches  wide,  and  10  feet 
high ;  is  well  lighted,  and  has  an  open  grate  at  each  end.    Two  ventilating 
shafts  extend  from  the  ceiling  to  the  roof.    There  are  ten  beds  in  each  ward; 
area  per  bed,  85.82  square  feet;  air  space  per  man,  858.20  cubic  feet.    Although 
the  building  is  faulty  in  design  in  several  essential  particulars,  it  is  in  good 
Figure 46— Scale, 32 feet  repair  and  comfortable.    Its  site,  which  is  considerably  more  elevated  than  that 
to  i  inch.  of  the  barracks  and  nearer  the  mountains,  is  well  chosen. 


CAMP  DOUGLAS,  UTAH  TERRITOEY. 


365 


The  hospital  garden,  comprising  an  area  of  two  and  a  quarter  acres,  is  directly  beliind  the 
building.  Extensive  company  gardens  have  been  made  in  front  of  the  post.  By  means  of  irri- 
gation all  the  ordinary  varieties  of  vegetables  are  raised  in  abundance.  The  surrounding  country 
supplies  cereals,  fruits,  vegetables,  and  poultry  of  excellent  quality  at  moderate  prices.  The  crops, 
however,  are  subject  to  the  visitations  of  grasshoppers,  which  frequently  inflict  great  damage.  Salt 
Lake  City,  with  a  population  of  about  16,000,  contains  well-stocked  stores,  and  affords  a  good 
market. 

At  the  western  face  of  the  parade  are  three  adobe  buildings,  occupied  respectively  as  an  ord- 
nance store-house,  magazine,  and  guard-house.  The  latter  is  60  feet  long,  18  feet  broad,  and  18  feet 
high  to  the  peak  of  the  roof.  It  contains  a  sergeant's  room,  guard-room,  general  prison-room,  store- 
room, and  a  corridor  with  cells.  The  cells,  three  in  number,  are  each  6  feet  in  length,  5  feet  in 
breadth,  and  7  feet  in  height.  There  are  no  means  of  warming  the  cells  or  the  general  prison- 
room. 

The  store-houses,  located  at  the  left  of  the  camp,  consist  of  seven  large  wooden  buildings. 
Two  large  stables  are  placed  in  line  with  them.  A  short  distance  behind  the  store-houses,  and  par- 
allel with  them,  are  four  frame  structures  which  arc  used  as  shops  by  the  mechanics  of  the  post. 

The  cemetery,  three-fourths  of  a  mile  southeast  of  the  post,  has  an  area  of  nearly  an  acre.  It 
is  surrounded  by  a  substantial  stone  wall.  An  unfailing  rivulet  runs  through  the  inclosure. 

The  general  health  of  the  post  is  most  excellent.  Very  few  diseases  are  encountered  which 
arc  not  the  result  either  of  errors  of  diet  or  of  exposure  to  cold. 

The  climate  from  April  to  December  is  delightful.  During  the  winter  it  is  very  variable,  but 
ordinarily  without  a  great  range  of  temperature.  The  following  table  may  be  of  interest : 

Summary  of  meteorological  observations   at  Camp  Douglas,   Utah  Territory,  from  June,  1869,  to 

June,  1870. 


Temperature,  &c. 

1869. 

Jnue,  July,  Au- 
gust. 

1869. 

September,  Oc- 
tober, Novem- 
ber. 

1869-70. 

December,  Jan- 
uary, Febru- 
ary. 

1870. 

March,    April, 
May. 

Highest  temperature  

97° 

85° 

58° 

85° 

Lowest  temperature  . 

55° 

28° 

17° 

3° 

Average  temperature  

72°  .34 

53C.35 

32°.62 

46°.62 

Greatest  difference  between  dry  and  wet  bulbs  ... 
Least  difference  between  dry  and  wet  bulbs 

29° 
3° 

19° 

1° 

8° 
1° 

18° 
1° 

Average  difference  between  dry  and  wet  bulbs  
Average  height  of  barometer  ... 

9°.53 

9°.35 
25221  iu. 

5°.14 

4°.22 

Snow  

7.85  in.* 

Total  rain-fall,  including  melted  snow 

1  52  in. 

4  60  iu. 

3.98  in. 

10.07  in. 

Prevailing  wind  .. 

East. 

East. 

East. 

East. 

*  Including  March. 

Total  rain-fall,  including  melted  snow. 


Years. 

Inches. 

Years. 

Inches. 

1863     .  .                 

7.47 

1867 

24.60 

1864  

14.92 

1868     

17.55 

1865  . 

17.56 

1869 

23.32 

1866  

24.89 

1870,  (January  1  to  June  1)-. 

12.76 

The  annual  rain-fall  has  greatly  increased  for  the  past  seven  years.  As  a  consequence  the  level 
of  Great  Salt  Lake  has  steadily  risen,  while  the  water  has  decreased  in  density.  During  the  spring, 
summer,  and  autumn  a  fresh,  cool  breeze  from  the  canons  arises  in  the  evening,  and  in  warm 
weather  contributes  very  materially  to  the  comfort  of  the  garrison. 


366 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


There  are  no  hostile  Indians  near  the  post.  The  tribes  in  the  vicinity  are  the  Utes,  Pi-Utes, 
Bannocks,  and  the  Shoshones  or  Snakes.  Their  friendship  is  the  result  of  their  defeat  by  General 
Connor  at  Bear  River,  Washington  Territory,  January  29, 1863,  and  at  Spanish  Fork,  Utah  Terri- 
tory, April  5, 1863,  by  Colonel  G.  S.  Evans. 

The  remaining  residents  of  the  neighboring  country  constitute  two  classes — the  Gentiles  and 
the  Mormons.  The  former  include  individuals  who  are  sometimes  known  as  "  Jack  Mormons,'7 
from  their  subserviency  to  the  saints.  The  number  of  Gentiles  in  the  city  has  diminished  of  late, 
the  effect  of  the  injury  to  their  business  resulting  from  the  efforts  of  "  Zion's  Cooperative  Mer- 
cantile Institution."  The  development  of  the  mineral  resources  of  the  Territory,  however,  will 
undoubtedly  cause  a  large  immigration. 

The  Mormons  are  divided  into  four  sects — the  Brighamites,  the  Morrisites,  the  Josephites,  and 
the  Godbyites.  The  Morrisites  are  believers  in  the  doctrine  of  the  transmigration  of  the  soul,  but 
unite  with  the  other  schismatics  in  opposing  the  despotic  rule  of  Brigham  Young,  and  in  uphold- 
ing the  theory  and  practice  of  polygamy.  Several  hundred  Morrisites.  expelled  from  Salt  Lake 
City  by  religious  persecution,  lived  in  "  dug-outs"  in  the  ravine  at  the  left  of  Camp  Douglas,  and 
were  gratuitously  fed  by  the  United  States  from  the  autumn  of  1863  until  the  spring  of  1867,  when 
nearly  all  went  to  their  old  homes  at  the  East,  leaving  behind  them,  however,  many  victims  of  the 
bloody  policy  of  the  Mormon  Church.  The  followers  of  the  prophet,  Joseph  Smith,  or  the  "Joseph- 
ites," are  inimical  to  polygamy,  and  their  influence  in  this  portion  of  the  country  is  increasing. 
The  Godbyites,  or  members  of  the  Church  of  Zion,  constitute  the  liberal  party  of  the  church,  and 
are  denounced  as  apostates  by  the  adherents  of  Young. 

The  president  of  the  "  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,"  and  almost  all  the  mem- 
bers of  his  hierarchy,  are  Americans,  but  the  great  body  of  the  people  are  English,  Welsh,  and 
Scandanavians  of  the  lower  classes,  imbued,  like  their  leaders,  with  hatred  of  the  Government  of 
the  United  States. 

The  health  of  the  Mormon  people  is  generally  good.  In  the  city,  however,  the  mortality  among 
children  is  quite  large,  arising  less  from  the  frequency  and  intensity  of  epidemics  than  from  neglect, 
insufficient  food,  and  the  practice  of  the  "  laying  on  of  hands  "  by  the  dignitaries  of  the  church  to 
the  exclusion  of  remedial  measures.  Prostitution,  in  its  usual  form,  and  the  diseases  incident  to 
it,  are  almost  unknown. 

It  is  estimated  that  the  actual  polygamists  do  not  number  more  than  one-tenth  of  the  popula- 
tion of  the  Territory,  although  the  ratio  is  greater  in  the  large  towns. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Douglas,   Utah 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


h 

£. 

a 

% 

a 

&      . 

* 

£ 

*& 

i 

1 

e£ 

Years. 

fc 
a 

1 

§ 
8 

% 

S   r* 
11 

|| 

A   -t* 

5 

1 
TJ 
'o 

-a 

£ 

Malarial  feve 

Diarrhtea  and 
entery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Diphtheria. 

Epidemic  cats 

Venereal  clise. 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  af 
tions.  * 

No.  of  deaths. 

1868  

238.33 

231 

2 

28 

43 

16 

1 

6 

g 

12 

1 

11 

1869  

243.  66 

395 

1 

117 

50 

20 

g 

18 

1 

51 

2 

/ 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


DEPARTMENT  OF  DAKOTA. 


POSTS  DESCRIBED. 


Fort  Snelling,  Minnesota. 
Fort  Ripley,  Minnesota. 
Fort  Abercrombie,  Dakota  Territory. 
Fort  Wadsworth,  Dakota  Territory. 
Fort  Ransom,  Dakota  Territory^. 
FortTotten,  Dakota  Territory. 
Fort  Randall,  Dakota  Territory. 
Fort  Sully,  Dakota  Territory. 


Fort  Rice,  Dakota  Territory. 
Fort  Stevenson,  Dakota  Territory. 
Fort  Buford,  Dakota  Territory. 
Fort  Benton,  Montana  Territory. 
Fort  Ellis,  Montana  Territory. 
Camp  Baker,  Montana  Territory. 
Fort  Shaw,  Montana  Territory. 


FORT  SMELLING,  MINNESOTA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  SURGEONS   R.  H.  ALEXANDER  AND  A.  HEGER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Snelliug  is  situated  on  a  higli  bluff  between  the  Minnesota  and  Mississippi  Rivers,  near 
their  junction.  Latitude  44°  52'  40"  north,  longitude  93°  4'  54"  west;  altitude  above  the  river  300 
feet,  above  the  sea  840  feet.  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  is  distant  6  miles. 

In  1805  Lieutenant  Z.  M.  Pike,  commanding  an  exploring  expedition,  held  a  conference  with 
the  Sioux  on  the  island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Minnesota  River,  which  now  bears  his  name.  By  this 
conference  a  tract  of  land  was  obtained  for  military  purposes  extending  from  the  junction  of  the 
Mississippi  and  Minnesota  Rivers  to  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  and  nine  miles  on  each  side  of  the 
Mississippi.  In  1819  Lieutenant  Colonel  Henry  Leavenworth,  of  the  Fifth  United  States  Infantry, 
arrived  with  his  regiment  to  locate  a  post  upon  the  reserve  selected  by  Lieutenant  Pike.  The  first 
monthly  report  was  rendered  for  September,  1819.  Owing  to  scurvy  among  the  troops  work  was 
not  commenced  until  the  spring  of  1820.  In  May,  1820,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Leavenworth  moved 
his  regiment  across  the  Minnesota  to  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  and  encamped  near  a  spring 
half  a  mile  above  Fort  Suelliug.  The  site  then  chosen  for  the  post  was  the  present  military  ceme- 
tery, and  preparations  were  made  to  commence  the  work,  but  Colonel  Josiah  Snelling,  Fifth  United 
States  Infantry,  arrived  in  August,  assumed  command,  and  selected  the  location  where  the  fort 
now  stands.  The  work  was  actually  commenced  September  10,  1820,  and  steadily  prosecuted  un- 
til October,  1822,  when  the  post  was  first  occupied.  During  this  time  Colonel  Snelliug  was  in  com- 
mand, and  his  regiment  engaged  in  the  work.  Upon  the  recommendation  of  Colonel  Snelliug  the 
fort  was  called  Fort  St.  Anthony,  and  was  so  known  until  1824,  when  it  was  visited  by  General 
Scott,  at  whose  suggestion,  complimentary  to  Colonel  Suelling,  the  name  was  then  changed  to  Fort 
Snelliug. 

The  defenses  and  some  of  the  store-houses  and  shops  were  built  of  stone,  but  the  quarters  were 
generally  single  log  huts  until  after  t  he  Mexican  war,  when  the  post  was  garrisoned  by  the  Sixth 
United  States  Infantry,  and  the  iuterior  assumed  the  present  appearance.  During  the  year  1856 
it  was  abandoned  by  the  Government,  but  was  reoccupied  in  1861.  The  post  has  never  been 
attacked  or  threatened. 

The  reservation  is  not  yet  declared.  From  six  to  seven  thousand  acres  are  held  reserved.  On 
the  Mississippi  side  the  bluff  upon  which  the  fort  is  situated  descends  abruptly  to  the  water,  the 
river  running  there  almost  in  a  canon.  On  the  Minnesota  side  the  slope  is  more  gradual,  and  ends 
in  low  marshy  flats,  which  extend  from  one-third  to  one-half  mile  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  are 
frequently  submerged  during  high  water.  A  stone  wall  about  nine  feet  high  incloses  the  fort,  and 
rests  on  the  east  side  nearly  on  the  edge  of  the  bluff. 

From  observations  made  in  the  last  six  months,  the  highest  temperature  was  July  16th,  when 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

the  mercury  stood  at  98°  F. ;  the  lowest  was  December  llth,  when  it  stood  at  — 19°  F. ;  aver- 
age for  the  six  months,  50°  F. ;  rain  fall,  17.75  inches ;  first  frost  September  17th ;  first  snow  Sep- 
tember 24th.  Mississippi  and  Minnesota  Elvers  frozen  over  December  9th. 

The  fort  is  an  irregularly  shaped  bastioned  redoubt.  Immediately  inside  the  wall,  and  run- 
ning almost  entirely  about  the  fort,  is  a  roadway,  from  which  stairs  lead  at  various  points  to  the 
parade. 

The  parade  at  the  gorge  is  eight  feet  above  the  roadway,  but  the  latter,  by  a  gradual  ascent 
along  the  flanks,  arrives  on  the  same  level  at  the  shoulder  angles.  It  is  100  feet  above  the  ordi- 
nary height  of  the  rivers,  and  forms  nearly  a  rhombus,  inclosed  principally  by  five  buildings  on 
its  outer  edges. 

The  arrangement  of  the  post  is  shown  in  Figure  47. 


Figure  47.— Scale,  200  feet  to  1  inch. 

A,  stables;  B,  gun-shed;  C,  bakery;  D,  prison  ;  E,  carpenter  shop ;  F,  ice-house;  H,  church; 
I,  quartermaster's  store-house ;  K  K,  offices ;  L,  magazine ;  M,  old  commissary  store-house ;  1ST, 
engine  house;  O,  company  quarters ;  P,  commanding  officer's  quarters;  E,  officers' quarters ;  S, 
store-house;  T,  towers;  U,  sutler's  store;  V,  guard-house;  W,  hospital;  X,  cistern;  Y,  band 
quarters ;  x  x,  sinks. 

The  buildings  represented  shaded  are  of  stone.    All  other  buildings  are  frame. 

The  quarters  for  officers  and  men  are  built  of  stone.  The  dimensions  of  the  company  quarters 
are,  for  basement  rooms  21£  feet  wide  and  8  feet  high;  for  sleeping  rooms,  each  31  by  21  £  by  9  feet. 
The  usual  number  of  occupants  is  12  men  to  one  room.  Behind  the  magazine  are  some  frame 
buildings  comparatively  new,  used  as  store-house  and  offices  by  the  quartermaster.  A  frame  build- 
ing in  the  vicinity,  the  exterior  side  of  which  was  in  part  formed  by  the  wall  of  the  left  face  of  the 
fort,  used  as  a  store-house  by  the  commissary,  was  burned  in  December  last.  By  the  same  fire 
was  also  destroyed  the  roof  and  interior  of  the  tower  at  the  salient  angle. 

The  hospital  is  a  stone  building,  two  stories  high,  separated  from  the  offices  which  front  on  the 
parade  by  the  road  previously  described.  On  the  lower  floor  the  building  has  doors  and  windows 
on  the  north  side  only.  The  dimensions  of  the  ward  on  this  floor  are  31  by  18  by  8|  feet.  It  con- 
tains five  beds,  giving  948  cubic  feet  air  space  to  each.  The  second  floor  is  surrounded  by  a 
wooden  porch,  5  feet  wide.  The  dimensions  of  the  wards  here  are  31  by  14J  by  9£  feet.  Each  con- 
tains five  beds. 

On  the  right  of  the  parade  is  the  present  guard-house,  its  outer  wall  being  part  of  the  wal} 


FORT  SNELLING,  MINNESOTA. 


369 


which  surrounds  the  fort.  It  consists  of  a  rectangular  stone  inclosure,  with  wooden  floor,  and  roof 
sloping  from  the  outer  to  the  inner  wall,  divided  by  a  wooden  fence  into  two  rooms,  one  for  the 
prisoners  and  one  for  the  guard.  It  has  windows  and  doors  only  to  the  north.  The  ventilation  of 
the  above  buildings  is  entirely  natural,  and,  from  the  construction,  must  necessarily  be  defective. 
No  bad  results  have  been  observed  recently,  as  the  quarters  have  not  been  crowded.  The  large 
number  of  cases  of  pneumonia  in  the  spring  of  1807  seems  to  have  been  due  to  want  of  ventilation. 
The  second  floor  of  the  hospital  can  be  thoroughly  ventilated  by  its  doors  and  windows.  The  fort 
having  been  built  over  forty  years  ago,  with  a  view  of  protecting  a  small  garrison  from  hostile  In- 
dians, when  it  was  the  aim  to  place  the  largest  number  of  soldiers  into  the  least  possible  space 
without  any  regard  to  the  demands  of  hygiene,  an  opinion  as  to  the  merits  of  the  construction  of 
buildings  is  entirely  out  of  the  question. 

The  stable,  workshops,  ice-house,  and  other  necessary  buildings  are  outside  the  wall  on  the 
bank  of  the  Mississippi,  in  front  of  the  salient  angle  of  the  fort.  During  the  rebellion  a  number  of 
wooden  barracks,  store-houses,  and  stables  were  erected  a  short  distance  above  the  post,  which  still 
remain. 

The  post  was  until  recently  supplied  with  water  from  the  spring  half  a  mile  above  by  means 
of  water-wagons.  This  being  a  great  expense  to  the  Government,  it  was  deemed  best  to  supply  the 
post  with  water  from  the  Minnesota  River.  This  was  done  in  August  last.  The  water  is  forced 
by  a  steam-engine  through  an  inch  pipe  to  a  reservoir  on  the  edge  of  the  parade  between  the  chapel 
and  the  sutler's  store ;  from  the  reservoir  pipes  conduct  the  water  to  the  quarters,  barracks,  hos- 
pital, stables,  &c.  Owing  to  this  water  being  largely  impregnated  with  decaying  vegetable  matter 
from  the  marshes  along  the  Minnesota  River,  it  is  only  used  for  washing  purposes,  and  it  is  found 
necessary  to  still  supply  the  post  with  drinking  water  from  the  spring  by  means  of  a  water- wagon- 

The  means  for  extinguishing  fire  are  now  good,  hose  having  been  recently  supplied,  and  reach, 
ing  to  any  building  in  the  fort. 

The  post  is  drained  by  ditches  leading  into  the  Mississippi,  for  the  most  part  good.  In  the 
early  spring,  when  the  snow  thaws  rapidly,  there  is  some  little  inconvenience,  but  not  sufficient  to 
interfere  with  the  health  of  the  garrison. 

The  post  garden  supplies  sufficient  fresh  vegetables  during  the  summer,  and  potatoes  for  the 
winter. 

The  nearest  quartermaster  and  subsistence  depots  are  at  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  the  main  depots 
being  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  distant  631  miles  by  railroad,  and  791  miles  by  the  river.  The  route 
of  supply  is  by  the  Mississippi  River.  Supplies  are  transported  by  steamboat  from  the  month  of 
May  until  navigation  is  closed  by  ice. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Snelling,  Minnesota, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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f 

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Years. 

I 

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iarrhcea 
dysente 

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tieumatiai 

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tions.' 

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Q 

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1868 

81  91 

112 

6 

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1869  

164.  58 

279 

49 

70 

14 

24 

15 

1 

40 

2 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


47 


370  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT  RIPLEY,  MINNESOTA. 

REPORTS   OF  SURGEON  J.  F.  HEAD  AND  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  C.  K.  WINNE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY 

lu  the  year  1848,  the  removal  of  the  Winnebago  Indians  to  their  reservation  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  having  commenced,  a  post  was  ordered  to  be  established  near  the  junction  of  the 
Crow  Wing  and  Mississippi,  in  the  New  Winnebago  country.  The  post  thus  established  was  called 
Fort  Gaines,  and  was  intended  for  two  companies.  In  1850  the  name  of  this  post  was  changed  to 
Fort  Ripley.  The  following  description  of  the  post  and  vicinity  by  Surgeon  J.  F.  Head,  United 
States  Army,  published  in  Medical  Statistics  United  States  Army,  1839  to  1855,  is  referred  to  by 
Dr.  Whine,  as  giving  a  good  account  of  its  present  condition : 

Fort  Ripley  is  situated  in  latitude  46°  10'  30"  north,  longitude  94°  18'  45"  west,  upon  the  west  bank  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, elevated  5JO  feet  above  that  river,  and  probably  about  1,100  feet  above  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  little  river  Nokay 
empties  into  the  Mississippi  from  the  east,  at  about  300  yards  north  of  this  point.  The  post  is  built  upon  a  sandy 
plateau,  partially  drained  by  shallow  ravines  at  its  northern  and  southern  extremities,  gradually  sloping  toward  a  nar- 
row swamp  about  half  a  mile  in  rear  of  the  fort.  Beyond  this  is  a  range  of  thickly-wooded  hills,  rising  to  a  height  of 
100  or  150  feet,  which  slightly  shelter  the  post  from  the  northwest  winds  of  winter.  To  the  westward  of  these  hills 
again  is  a  belt  of  broken  surface  thickly  covered  with  woods  and  swauips.  '  *  *  Above  and  below  the  fort  the  river 
is  skirted  by  a  narow  belt  of  swampy  land,  usually  partially  inundated  in  spring,  supporting  a  growth  of  linden  or  bass- 
wood,  elms,  maple,  and  birch,  which,  with  pine  and  poplar  on  the  higher  grounds,  and  a  luxuriant  undergrowth  of 
hazel  and  other  shrubs,  constitute  the  sylva  of  this  immediate  neighborhood. 

On  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi  (here  about  180  yards  wide)  a  gently  undulating,  sandy,  and  barren  prairie,  from 
a  few  hundred  yards  to  three  miles  wide,  extends  from  the  mouth  of  the  Nokay  to  the  southward,  bordered  by  a  growth 
of  oaks  and  pines  along  the  river,  and  by  a  range  of  low  hills,  partially  covered  with  oaks,  on  the  west.  Opposite  to 
the  post  is  a  strip  of  land  less  sterile  than  the  rest,  which  has  been  for  several  years  under  cultivation,  and  part  of 
which  is  liable  to  overflow  in  the  spring. 

The  soil  generally  is  a  sandy  alluvium.  No  rock  has  been  found  within  many  miles,  except,  scattered  boulders  ot 
granite,  from  which  was  obtained  the  little  stone  necessary  for  building  the  post.  The  land,  at  least  when  first  culti- 
vated, is  more  productive  than  might  be  supposed,  being  what  farmers  term  warm,  and  adapted  to  the  short  summers. 

The  climate  Is  subject  to  great  variations.  *  *  *  The  extremes  of  temperature  observed  are  96°,  in  August 
1849,  and  —  39°,  January  18,  !•">'.»  The  latest  killing  frost  in  spring  was  on  June  17, 1849,  and  the  earliest  on  August  14, 
1851.  A  variation  of  temperature  of  30°  or  40°  in  a  few  hours  is  not  uncommon.  Fires  are  necessary  to  comfort  during 
a  part  of  every  month  in  the  year,  except  occasionally  July  and  August,  and  cattle  must  be  foraged  from  seven  to  nine 
months.  From  about  the  last  third  of  August  till  the  ground  is  covered  with  snow,  which  usually  occurs  in  November, 
the  weather  is  generally  clear  and  delightful,  with  a  dry,  bracing  atmosphere,  and  equable  temperature.  After  the  first 
considerable  fall  of  snow,  the  earth's  surface  remains  constantly  covered  for  about  five  months.  The  average  depth  of 
snow,  as  roughly  estimated  from  the  three  winters  since  the  occupation  of  the  post,  is  from  2  to  3^  feet.  An  idea  of  the 
severity  of  the  winter  may  he  formed  from  the  fact  that  more  than  double  the  Government  monthly  allowance  of  fuel 
is  required  to  warm  the  quarters,  though  used  in  large  stoves. 

The  Winnebago  Indians  have  ceased  to  exist  as  a  tribal  organization  in  Minnesota,  and  the 
principal  reservation  of  the  Chippewa  Indians  is  now  at  Leech  Lake,  eighty-three  miles  north. 
Since  the  foregoing  report  was  written,  many  small  settlements  have  sprung  up  on  the  east  bank 
of  the  river,  on  the  post  road  between  Crow  Wing  and  Sank  Rapids,  the  present  terminus  of^the 
St.  Paul  and  Pacific  railway.  The  nearest  of  these  to  the  post  are  Belle  Prairie,  on  the  east,  and 
Green  Prairie,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  seven  miles  south. 

The  military  reservation  at  this  post  consists  of  two  tracts  of  land.  One,  about  ten  miles  long 
and  four  miles  wide,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  opposite  the  post,  requires  no  description, 
as  it  was  laid  off  simply  "  to  prevent  the  near  approach  to  the  post,  as  well  as  to  the  Indians,  of  a 
class  of  population  whose  vicinity  has  always  proved  so  pernicious  to  both."*  On  the  other,  or 
second  tract,  which  is  one  mile  square,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  the  fort  is  erected  in  the  center 
of  the  river  front  of  the  reserve.  The  buildings  are  placed  within  an  area  once  inclosed  by  a 
stockade  on  three  sides,  each  side  450  feet  long,  (the  fourth  or  south  side  being  open  to  the  river,) 
defended  by  two  block-houses  on  the  diagonal  of  a  square.  The  buildings  form  three  sides  of  a 
hollow  square,  with  open  angles,  facing  in  to  the  parade  as  follows  :  The  barracks  occupy  the  whole 

*  Letter  from  Adjutant  General  of  the  Army  to  General  Brooke,  July  24,  1848. 


FOHT   Kll'LKY,  MINNESOTA.  371 

of  the  northwest  side  of  the  parade,  while  on  the  remaining  two  sides  are  located  the  hospital, 
(•Impel,  ottiees,  quartermaster  and  commissary  store-houses  and  officers'  quarters;  four  sets  of  the 
latter  on  each  side  nearest  the  river.  The  permanent  buildings  (with  the  exception  of  the  granite 
maga/ine)  are  frame  buildings,  clapboardcd;  the  officers'  quarters,  barracks,  and  hospital  filled  in 
with  brick,  one  story  and  an  attic  in  height,  with  porticos,  from  7  to  8  feet  wide,  extending  the 
entire  width  of  the  several  fronts.  The  officers'  quarters  are  well  constructed,  ample  in  extent, 
and  conveniently  arranged  with  necessary  cellars,  offices,  &c.  The  various  offices  and  store-houses 
are  commodious.  The  barrack,  intended  for  two  companies,  is  263  feet  long  by  L'2  feet  wide,  with 
rear  additions  or  wings  on  the  flunks  and  center.  The  building  is  divided  into  two  sections,  each 
section  comprising  two  sets  of  quarters  for  married  soldiers,  orderly-sergeant's  room,  company 
store  room  or  office,  two  dormitories,  20  by  32  by  11  feet,  mess-room,  and  kitchen.  These  rooms 
are  entered  from  small  ante-chambers,  opening  upon  the  front  portico.  Although  its  general 
arrangement  is  fair,  yet  its  ventilation  is  fatally  defective.  One  small  opening  in  the  ceiling  of 
each  dormitory  communicates  with  the  attic,  the  air  of  which  was  expected  to  be  renewed  by 
two  corresponding  openings  in  the  ceiling  of  the  portico ;  but  as  there  is  but  one  small  shaft  of 
outlet  the  anticipated  result  is  not  attained.  "  Besides  producing  down-draughts,  openings  of  this 
kind,  communicating  with  one  reservoir  of  foul  stagnant  air,  common  to  a  number  of  rooms,  may, 
by  the  irregular  action  of  the  fires,  supply  the  rooms  with  each  other's  foul  air."*  The  ventilation 
is  consequently  entirely  by  the  natural  method,  through  open  doors  and  windows,  which,  as  the 
latter  are  on  opposite  sides,  might  be  sufficient  if  they  could  be  left  open  for  a  greater  part  of  the 
time.  The  season,  however,  during  which  this  is  practicable,  is  so  short  that  the  ventilation  in 
reality  amounts  to  nothing,  as  during  the  long  and  rigorous  winter  the  men  must  remain  a  greater 
part  of  their  time  in  their  barracks,  when  the  windows  are  closed,  and  the  air,  heated  by  box-stoves 
and  vitiated  by  exhalation,  can  neither  pass  out  nor  be  removed  except  by  draughts  at  irregular 
intervals. 

Additional  provision  should  be  made  for  bathing.  The  present  bath  rooms  consist  of  two  small 
temporary  log  additions,  in  rear  of  the  squad-rooms,  without  sashes  or  means  of  being  warmed  in 
winter,  so  that  the  men  are  compelled  to  use  the  dormitories  for  such  purposes;  a  serious  evil  which 
could  be  remedied  at  small  expense.  One  important  defect  connected  with  the  barrack  is, 
that  the  number  of  men  occupying  each  dormitory  is  governed  solely  by  the  strength  of  the  com- 
mand present,  at  one  time  giving  the  men  ample  space,  and  at  another  crowding  them  fearfully. 
To  quote  the  apt  words  of  the  commission  previously  referred  to,  "the  only  way  to  meet  the 
evil  effectually  is  to  settle  how  many  men  are  required  at  a  particular  station,  and  to  provide  proper 
room  for  them.  Having  done  so,  on  no  account  to  permit  more  men.  to  enter  the  barracks  than  the 
regulation  number,  and  to  provide  at  the  camps  all  the  additional  temporary  accommodation  neces- 
sary to  meet  the  emergencies  of  troops  returning  from  abroad  or  otherwise.'' 

Until  this  is  done  and  ordered  by  authority  from  which  there  can  be  no  appeal,  the  system  of 
over-crowding,  which  exists  to  day  in  the  American  Army,  will  remain  as  an  opprobrium  to  the  ser- 
vice, and  an  injury  to  the  men. 

The  guard-house,  near  where  was  once  the  first  sally-port,  should  be  condemned  as  decidedly 
unfit  for  its  destined  purpose.  The  entrance  corridor  opens  into  the  guard-room,  a  gloomy,  ill 
ventilated,  and  badly  arranged  place,  and  consequently  not  adapted  for  its  necessarily  constant 
occupancy.  The  lock-up  or  prison  room,  with  only  one  small  grated  aperture  for  light  or  venti- 
lation, near  the  ceiling,  opens  into  the  guard-room,  as  does  also  the  cell,  7  by  11  feet.  The  latter 
being  without  light,  air,  or  warmth,  has  very  properly  been  abandoned  as  a  place  of  confinement 
since  the  post  has  been  garrisoned  by  the  present  command.  In  all  guard-houses  particular  atten- 
tion should  not  only  be  paid  to  ventilation  and  other  points  which  affect  the  health  or  comfort  of 
those  on  duty,  but  in  addition  the  cells  and  lock-ups  should  be  so  constructed  as,  while  affording 
every  precaution  against  escape,  they  would  not  be,  under  any  circumstances,  converted  into  tor- 
ture-chambers for  the  prisoners. 

The  hospital,  under  the  same  roof  with  the  chapel  and  offices,  is  divided  into  three  sections; 
one  for  administrative  purposes,  flanked  by  halls  extending  the  entire  depth  of  the  building, 

*  Report  of  Commission  on  Improving  Condition  of  Barracks  and  Hospitals.     London  :  1861,  page  39. 


372 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


and  communicating  with  one  ward  in  the  end  sections;  kitchen  and  mess-room  in  the  rear  wing. 
Its  location  in  such  close  proximity  to  the  barrack  and  other  buildings  is  objectionable,  but 
this  may  have  been  due  to  a  paramount  military  necessity.  No  provision  has  been  made  for  ven- 
tilation except  by  the  windows.  With  the  exception  of  the  administrative  part,  which  is  conve- 
niently divided  into  dispensary,  surgeon's  office,  medical  store-room,  and  linen-room,  the  plan  of 
the  hospital  abounds  in  radical  errors  which  demand  especial  mention.  The  first,  a  medical  ward, 
30  by  20  by  11  feet,  cannot  accommodate,  at  the  lowest  amount  of  air  space,  more  than  six  men 
properly.  The  windows  are  unfortunately  in  the  ends  of  the  room,  thus  materially  retarding  cur- 
rents, and  producing  more  or  less  stagnation  of  air;  and  as  the  wood-house,  latrines,  &c.,  are 
placed  at  a  distance  of  only  twenty  feet  in  rear  of  the  windows,  this*  defect  is  aggravated,  as  the  out- 
buildings virtually  form,  with  the  angle  of  the  wing,  a  dead  court.  The  second,  or  surgical  ward, 
as  originally  designed,  had  the  same  dimensions,  &c.,  as  the  medical  ward,  with  several  additional 
errors  peculiar  to  itself;  it  was  lighted  by  windows  in  one  side  and  end  respectively,  and  communicated 
in  rear  directly  with  the  mess-room,  thus  effectually  precluding  proper  ventilation,  and  affording 
every  facility  for  permeation  of  odors  from  the  neighboring  kitchen.  But  as  no  quarters  were  pro- 
vided in  the  hospital  for  the  steward,  where  it  is  essential  for  obvious  reasons  that  this  non-com- 
missioned officer  should  remain,  the  ward  was  at  some  unknown  period  divided  by  temporary  par- 
titions into  two  rooms ;  one  still  used  as  a  ward,  though  small  and  inconvenient,  while  the  other, 
with  the  addition  of  the  former  mess-room,  serves  to  accommodate  the  hospital  steward  and  matron; 
the  mess-room  also  being  used  as  laundry,  as  in  this  climate  all  work  of  this  kind  must  for  a  greater 
part  of  the  year  be  done  under  cover.  The  other  prominent  defects  of  the  hospital  are,  briefly? 
that  it  is  without  bath  or  wash-rooms,  water-closet,  or  dead-house.  No  separate  room  is  provided 
for  the  attendants,  who  are  therefore  compelled  to  sleep  in  the  ward.* 

The  natural  drainage  of  the  post,  aided  by  several  surface  drains  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  is 
sufficient  to  carry  off  the  snow  and  rain-fall.  No  artificial  drainage  has  been  attempted,  and  no 
system  of  the  kind  is  at  all  practicable  here  ;  the  sewerage,  &c.,  is  therefore  necessarily  collected  in 
barrels,  and  regularly  removed. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Ripley,  Minnesota, 

.     for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  ABERCROMBIE,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OK  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  W.  H.  GARDNER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Abercrombie  is  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  twelve  miles 
north  of  the  confluence  of  its  two  branches,  the  Bois  de  Sioux  and  the  Otter  Tail;  latitude  46°  27' 
north,  longitude  96°  28'  west. 

This  post  was  established  by  act  of  Congress,  approved  March  3, 1857,  agreeable  to  the  provi- 
sions of  which  the  following  order  was  issued: 


Since  this  description  was  written  the  hospital  has  been  burned. 


GEXEHAI,  ORDERS, 


8.) 

No.  15.  5 


FOET  ABEBCEOMBIE,  DAKOTA  TEEEITOEY.  373 

HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  ARMY,  June  24,  1857. 


By  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  under  the  act  approved  March  3,  1857,  a  military  post,  to  Vie  known  as  Fort 
Abercrombie,  will  be  established  on  the  most  eligible  site  near  the  head  of  navigation  of  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  at 

or  in  the  vicinity  of  a  place  known  as  Graham's  Point,  Minnesota. 

*»«*#****<******* 

The  post  will  be  built  for  four  companies,  and  as  ultimately  one  of  these  is  to  be  a  company  of  cavalry,  the  neces- 
sary provision  for  such  a  garrison  will  enter  into  the  plan  of  the  work. 

In  obedience  to  this  order  Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  J.  Abercrombie  arrived  here  with  troops,  and 
went  into  camp  in  a  protected  bend  of  the  river,  about  two  hundred  yards  from  the  present  site  of 
the  fort,  on  the  28th  day  of  August,  1858.  The  heat  was  intense,  and  the  mosquitoes  and  buffalo 
flies  intolerable,  but  the  troops  worked  vigorously  and  soon  had  log  quarters  erected,  which  were 
sufficient  to  keep  them  comfortable  during  the  winter.  On  the  23th  of  July,  1850,  the  post  was 
abandoned,  but  after  remaining  entirely  deserted  until  July,  1800,  was  reoccupied  and  the  building 
resumed.  In  18(52  the  post  was  besieged  by  about  three  hundred  Indians  of  the  Sisseton  and 
Yancton  bands  of  Sioux.  They  drove  away  the  cattle,  mnles,  and  horses  belonging  to  the  post, 
and  those  of  the  citizens  near  by.  The  Indians  made  two  assaults  on  the  post — one  on  September 
3d,  the  other  September  Gth — but  neither  were  in  large  force,  and  were  easily  repulsed.  There  is  no 
doubt  but  that  the  post  was  in  imminent  peril  for  many  days,  having  no  stockade,  but  fortunately 
many  of  the  citizens  were  able  and  willing  to  assist  in  the  defense,  and  a  train  loaded  with  goods 
for  the  Red  Lake  Indians  being  present,  containing  among  other  things  sixty  double-barreled 
shot-guns,  the  teamsters  and  other  citizens  were  armed  with  them  and  formed  a  militia  company, 
which  rendered  effective  and  valuable  service. 

In  February,  18G3,  the  stockade  and  block-houses  were  finished,  and  the  post  made  defensible 
against  almost  any  number  of  Indians. 

The  reservation,  although  not  yet  declared,  was  surveyed  in  1867,  and  contains  an  area  of  22 
square  miles,  embracing  both  sides  of  the  river. 

The  valley  of  the  lied  River  of  the  North  at  Fort  Abercrombie  is  about  1,700  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  and  forms  a  perfectly  flat  prairie,  broken  only  by  the  streams  which  drain  it.  It 
commences  about  tifty  miles  south  of  the  post  at  the  divide  w  Inch  separates  the  waters  of  Lake 
Traverse,  one  source  of  the  Red  River,  from  the  waters  of  Big  Stone  Lake,  the  source  of  the  Min- 
nesota or  St.  Peter's  River,  and  extends  eastward  into  Minnesota  to  a  high  range  of  hills  sixty  miles 
distant,  called  Leaf  Mountain ;  westward  in  Dakota  to  the  Ooteau  des  Prairies,  fifty  miles  distant, 
and  northward  to  the  debouche  of  the  river  in  Lake  Winnipeg,  only  contracted  at  its  western  side 
by  Pembina  Mountain,  which  is  probably  the  northern  abutment  of  the  Coteau  des  Prairies,  once 
the  western  shore  of  the  great  water  that  filled  this  broad  Red  River  Valley.  The  formation 
is  alluvial ;  the  surface  a  black,  loose  soil,  deep  and  fertile,  lying  upon  a  horizontal  stratum  of  stiff, 
grayish  or  bluish  clay,  with  occasional  small  circumscribed  beds  of  coarse  sand  and  small  gravel, 
while  scattered  over  the  prairie,  along  the  banks  and  in  the  bed  of  the  stream,  are  granitic  quart zose, 
and  occasionally  limestone  boulders  of  various  sizes,  from  ten  pounds  to  several  tons  in  weight. 

The  river  at  its  usual  stage  is  about  150  feet  broad  at  Fort  Abercrombie,  and  from  two  to  ten 
feet  in  depth,  having  a  swift  current,  with  probably  a  descent  of  four  inches  per  mile..  Shortly 
after  the  junction  of  its  two  branches,  about  twenty  miles  above,  it  passes  through  banks  of  drift 
eighty  feet  high,  and  over  boulders,  forming  rapids.  A  mile  or  two  lower  down  (according  to  Pro- 
fessor Owen)  a  ledge  of  magnesian  limestone,  containing  fossils  allied  to  the  lower  silnrian  system, 
outcrops  at  the  edge  of  the  banks.  From  a  point  three  miles  above  Fort  Abercrombie,  to  Pem- 
bina, near  the  British  line,  the  banks  of  the  stream  are  heavily  wooded,  chiefly  with  oak,  ash,  and 
elm,  which  come  almost  down  to  the  water'sedge  to  join  the  red  willow  and  wild  rice  (Zuzania  aquatica) 
growing  there.  Since  the  Red  River  flows  northward  into  a  colder  climate,  the  snow  and  ice  which 
form  in  the  water  melton  its  sources  before  its  outlet  is  free  from  ice,  and  from  this  cause  overflows 
of  its  banks  frequently  take  place.  The  tortuous  course  of  the  river  also  causes  in  the  spring, 
when  the  ice  breaks  up,  frequent  gorges  of  ice,  and  then  the  country  behind  the  gorge  is  rapidly 
flooded,  the  current  seeking  new  channels  and  bearing  along  with  crushing  force  immense  fields  of 
ice  that  sweep  away  trees,  houses,  and  everything  in  its  path.  Georgetown  and  Pembina,  lower 
down  the  river,  have  frequently  suffered  from  these  causes,  and  it  is  recorded  that  the  waters  of 


374  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

the  river  at  one  of  these  spring  floods  came  up  into  the  parade  ground  of  the  fort,  at  least  forty 
feet  above  the  usual  level  of  the  water. 

Frequent  mention  has  been  made  of  the  presence  of  coal  near  this  locality,  and  an 'Indian  scout 
once  reported  that  the  ground  near  which  he  had  passed  about  thirty  miles  from  here  was  on  fire 
and  had  been  burning  for  several  days.  As  far  as  can  be  ascertained  these  reports  are  entirely 
without  foundation,  though  the  story  of  the  Indian  scout,  if  true,  is  readily  explained  by  suppos- 
ing that  possibly  a  peat  bog  had  been  ignited  by  the  burning  prairie. 

All  the  cereals  and  vegetables  grow  well  and  abundantly  in  the  valley.  The  country  is  excel- 
lent for  stock-raising,  all  kinds  of  prairie  grass  being  plentiful.  Timber  is  found  only  along  the 
river  bank. 

In  May,  as  soon  as  the  ice  on  the  streams  breaks  up,  a  large  species  of  fish,  called  by  the  In- 
dians and  halt-breeds  "  buffalo  fish,"  can  be  seen  in  large  numbers  in  the  streams,  evidently  coming 
from  Lake  Winnipeg  to  deposit  their  spawn.  They  are  not  found  after  June  about  here.  They 
frequently  are  caught  weighing  twenty-five  or  thirty  pounds.  Another  fish  common  in  the  river 
is  the  "  sheep-head."  It  is  very  similar,  in  general  appearance,  to  the  sheep-head  caught  in  Chesa- 
peake Bay,  (Xparis  ovis,)  except  that  the  teeth  are  like  the  teeth  of  perch.  They  are  frequently 
caught  weighing  twenty-five  or  thirty  pounds,  and  in  taste  somewhat  resemble  their  marine  name- 
sake. These  fish  are  said  to  make  a  grunting  or  drumming  noise. at  night,  and  from  this  cause 
they  are  sometimes  called  drum  fish.  Lake  trout  are  sometimes  seen ;  also  a  beautiful  perch,  with 
white  silvery  scales,  small,  and  a  very  delicate  pan  fish. 

Insect  life  in  the  summer  fills  the  wood  and  the  prairie,  and,  though  the  varieties  are  few,  the 
numbers  of  each  are  incalculable.  Cockroaches  have  not  yet  reached  this  outpost  of  civilization, 
but  the  valley  of  the  lied  River  is  infested  with  frequent  visitations  of  locusts,  that  come  in  count- 
less swarms,  and  before  they  leave  destroy  every  green  thing.  They  usually  arrive  in  July,  not  in 
installments,  but  the  whole  army  at  once.  Their  flight  is  high  and  vigorous,  though  the  direction 
of  their  migration  is  usually  determined  by  the  wind.  They  commence  their  ravages  as  soon  as 
they  arrive,  and  by  the  time  they  are  ready  to  deposit  their  eggs,  in  September,  the  crop,  with  the 
exception  of  potatoes  and  other  tubers,  is  entirely  destroyed.  The  eggs  deposited  the  previous 
year  hatch  usually  in  the  latter  part  of  May  or  early  in  June,  and  the  young  commence  at  once  the 
destruction  of  the  young  crop.  It  would  seem  that  the  vitality  of  their  eggs  is  not  destroyed  by 
freezing,  since  it  is  impossible  from  the  length  of  the  ovipositor  of  the  female  that  the  eggs  can  be 
placed  in  the  earth  at  a  greater  depth  than  one  inch;  (I  have  frequently  dug  them  up,  and  never 
from  a  greater  depth  than  this;)  but  even  supposing  that  they  were  placed  in  the  ground  three 
inches  below  the  surface,  it  would  still  not  place  them  beyond  the  reach  of  frost,  for  during  the 
winter  the  earth  is  frequently  frozen  to  a  depth  of  two  feet,  and  even  to  a  greater  depth  when  the 
first  heavy  snow  is  delayed  until  late  in  December.  Last  year  the  Red  River  Valley,  about  Fort 
Abercrombie,  was  free  from  them,  but  sixty  miles  west  of  here  their  ravages  have  caused  destitu- 
tion and  famine.  Some  idea  may  be  obtained  of  their  numbers  when  it  is  known  that  about  Fort 
Gerry,  Red  River  Settlement.  British  America,  in  many  places  where  the  wind  had  blown  them, 
their  dead  bodies  are  piled  three  feet  deep,  arid  their  putrefaction  caused  such  a  stench  that  many 
people  had  to  desert  their  homes  until  the  nuisance  had  abated.  It  is  supposed  by  some  that  the 
spread  of  agriculture  in  this  country  by  diminishing  prairie  fires  (one  great  cause  of  their  destruc- 
tion) will  tend  to  make  the  locusts  more  numerous,  but  it  is  more  probable  that  prairie  fires  which 
destroy  many  locusts  destroy  also  a  great  many  of  their  enemies  and  competitors,  and  thus  give 
the  locusts  the  advantage  in  the  struggle  for  existence.  The  introduction  and  spread  of  agricul- 
ture would  not  only  prevent  prairie  fires,  and  the  consequent  destruction  of  birds  and  other 
enemies  of  locusts,  but  would  also  bring  into  the  question  many  new  enemies,  such  as  domesticated 
poultry,  now  very  uncommon  here,  and  would  also  introduce  not  a  few  competitors,  all  of  which 
would  tend  directly  or  indirectly  to  keep  them  down. 

The  climate  is  very  cold  during  four  or  five  months  of  the  year,  frequently  being  40°  below 
zero,  and  in  the  summer  rising  to  100°  in  the  shade.  Between  these  extremes  the  mean  annual 
temperature  is  39°. 

Fort  Abercrombie  is  a  rectangle,  075  by  G25  feet,  inclosed  by  a  stockade  of  logs  projecting 
above  the  ground  from  8  to  12  feet,  surmounted  at  the  northeast,  southeast,  and  southwest  by  block 


FOET  ABEECEOMBIE,  DAKOTA  TEBEITOEY.  375 

houses  oi'hewu  logs,  which  are  pierced  with  loopholes  for  small  arms,  and  embrasures  on  the  outer 
side  for  artillery.  The  surface  inclosed  is  almost  level  down  to  the  immediate  crest  of  the  bank  of 
the  river,  and  is  easily  drained  by  two  main  drains  (uncovered)  on  the  eastern  and  western  sides. 
The  level  of  the  parade  ground  is  about  thirty  feet  above  the  usual  level  of  the  river.t 

The  company  quarters  are  three  buildings,  each  one  story  high,  boarded  outside,  and  lathed 
and  plastered  within,  divided  into  bake  room,  store-room,  kitchen,  dining-room,  orderly-room,  and 
two  squad-rooms,  each  33  by  25  feet,  and  9  feet  high;  each  squad-room  being  intended  to  accom- 
modate thirty-two  men,  giving  232  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  Fortunately  these  rooms  are 
not  very  close,  for  the  only  ventilation  is  an  air  shaft  consisting  of  a  stove  pipe  put  up  alongside 
the  chimney,  and  opening  into  it  above,  nor  are  they  usually  occupied  by  their  full  complement  of 
men.  Deducting  those  who  sleep  out  of  the  quarters — perhaps  not  even  twenty  men  ever  sleep  in 
one  squad-room  at  one  time — even  this,  however,  will  give  but  371  cubic  feet  of  air  per  man.  It 
requires  but  little  knowledge  of  the  necessities  of  air-breathing  animals  to  know  that  the.  largest 
estimate  allowed  per  man  in  any  of  these  squad-rooms  is  not  over  one-third  of  what  each  man 
should  have,  and  undoubtedly  this  deprivation  of  fresh,  pure  air  for  a  great  part  of  the  day  is  a 
permanent  and  enduring  source  of  disease  even  in  this  healthy  climate.  Moreover,  even  this  small 
allowance  of  air  is  additionally  vitiated  by  the  large  cast-iron  stove  which  heats  it,  and  the  lamp 
which  burns  during  part  of  the  night.  The  latrines,  ten  or  twelve  feet  deep,  are  close  to  the  line  of 
the  stockade.  These  are  disinfected  at  short  intervals,  and  as  far  as  can  be  ascertained  have  been 
no  cause  of  disease. 

A  small  isolated  frame  building  is  used  as  quarters  by  the  commanding  officer ;  it  contains 
three  small  rooms  and  a  kitchen  down  stairs.  North  from  this  building  is  a  set  of  captains'  quarters, 
containing  three  good-sized  rooms  down  stairs,  including  the  kitchen,  and  two  low  attic  rooms  up 
stairs.  Next  beyond  this  building  is  a  row  of  log  buildings,  17  by  142  feet,  used  as  quarters  by 
the  ordnance  sergeant,  hospital  steward,  hospital  matron,  and  containing  the  post  school-room, 
lieutenants'  mess-room,  and  quartermaster's  store-room.  There  is  a  large  frame  building  containing 
five  rooms  and  a  kitchen  on  the  lower  floor,  and  two  upper  attic  rooms.  It  is  used  for  offices  by  the 
commanding  officer  and  the  adjutant,  and  contains  the  quarters  of  the  post  surgeon.  Adjoining 
this  building  is  a  small  frame  building  containing  two  rooms,  attached  to  the  next  set  of  quarters, 
which  is  a  frame  building  lathed  and  plastered  inside.  It  contains  three  rooms,  including  kitchen, 
on  the  lower  floor,  and  up  stairs  three  low  attic  rooms.  Next  on  the  north  is  another  small  building  but 
one  story  high.  Adjoining  this  little  building,  on  the  north,  is  a  long  one-story  frame  building, 
clapboarded,  lathed  and  plastered,  and  divided  into  six  rooms  for  lieutenants'  quarters;  in  the 
rear  of  which,  and  ten  feet  distant,  is  a  building,  unfinished  at  present,  the  same  length  as  those 
quarters,  divided  into  rooms  for  kitchens  for  each  set  of  quarters.  Opposite  the  north  end  of  this 
building  is  a  granary  or  store-house,  20  by  83  feet,  running  east  and  west. 

Between  two  of  the  company  quarters  is  a  small  building  fronting  the  parade  ground,  20  by  16 
feet,  built  of  hewn  logs,  which  is  the  guard -hou  <e.  The  interior  is  divided  into  one  large,  and  two 
small  rooms  or  cells,  about  7  feet  square.  These  are  secured  by  small  barred  windows,  and 
holes  have  been  made  through  the  logs  for  ventilation.  The  average  number  of  prisoners  in  the 
guard  house  during  the  past  six  mouths  is  a  fraction  less  than  five.  The  number  of  guard  has  been 
very  variable,  ranging  between  eight  and  eighteen.  The  hospital  is  a  two-story  frame  building, 
38  feet  square,  lathed  and  plastered  within,  the  interval  between  the  clapboards  and  plas- 
tering being  filled  in  with  brick.  The  lower  floor  is  elevated  from  two  to  three  feet  above  the 
ground;  the  height  of  lower  rooms  is  10  feet,  the  upper  9$.  •  The  lower  floor  is  divided  into  an  office, 
a  dispensary,  a  kitchen,  and  a  dining-room.  A  hall  separates  the  rooms,  and  also  contains  the 
stairs.  Between  the  kitchen  and  the  dining-room  is  a  pantry,  10  feet  long  and  4  feet  broad.  The 
upper  floor  is  divided  by  a  hall,  8  feet  wide,  on  one  side  of  which  is  a  large  room  or  ward,  14  by  28  feet,  and 
adjoining  this  room  a  small  one,  14  feet  square.  Across  the  hall  there  are  three  rooms,  two  14  feet 
square,  with  a  small  room,  14  by  10  feet,  between  them.  All  the  rooms  in  the  hospital  are  heated 
with  cast-iron  stoves,  and,  except  the  large  ward,  have  no  means  of  ventilation  but  the  windows 
and  doors.  The  large  ward  is  ventilated  by  a  shaft  passing  up  by  the  side  of  the  chimney  ;  it  con- 
tains five  beds,  allowing  about  800  cubic  feet  of  air  space  to  each  man.  This,  though  hardly  half  enough 
in  a  southeru  latitude,  answers  very  well  here,  for  the  difference  between  the  temperature  of  internal 
and  external  air  is  so  great  that  diffusion  and  currents  of  air  occur  through  the  smallest  crevices ' 


376  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 

besides  which,  all  of  the  beds  in  this  room  are  seldom  filled.  Under  the  kitchen  is  a  cellar,  10  feet 
square  and  0  feet  deep,  which  so  far  has  kept  vegetables  from  being  frozen.  The  post  bakery  is  a 
iiewly  erected  frame  building,  l(i  by  30  feet.  The  ice-house  is  a  pit,  40  by  20  feet,  lined  with  rough 
logs,  covered  with  thatch,  and  well  banked  around  with  earth.  This  ice-house  is  capable  of  con- 
taining over  three  hundred  tons  of  ice,  this  supply  usually  being  ample  for  three  companies  during 
the  summer. 

The  garrison  is  supplied  with  water  for  all  purposes  from  the  river.  The  water  is  tasteless, 
inodorous,  and  colorless,  except  in  summer  and  when  swollen  by  the  spring  floods.  Two  gallons 
of  the  water,  carefully  filtered  and  evaporated  to  dryness,  left  a  yellowish  residuum,  which,  when 
thoroughly  dried,  weighed  twenty-six  grains.  This  residuum  effervesces  freely  with  nitric  or  sul- 
phuric acids,  and  under  the  blowpipe  loses  weight  and  degrades  into  a  whitish  friable  mass  that 
shows  the  usual  reactions  of  lime.  This  residuum  does  not  color  the  flame  of  the  spirit-lamp  either 
bluish  or  yellowish.  Tins  water  is  hard  and  requires  quite  a  large  quantity  of  soap  to  produce  a 
good  and  permanent  froth.  It  acts  freely  upon  lead.  A  piece  of  lead  pipe  measuring  four- 
square inches  was  allowed  to  stand  in  four  fluid  ounces  of  the  water  twenty-four  hours,  and  on 
passing  a  current  of  sulphureted  hydrogen  gas  through  the  fluid,  after  the  lead  was  taken  out,  a 
copious  black  precipitate  was  immediately  obtained.  It  contains  oxidizable  organic  matter.  One 
hundred  cubic  centimeters  of  the  water  was  colored  to  a  perceptible  pinkish  tinge  by  the  addition 
of  one  cubic  centimeter  of  the  standard  solution  of  permanganate  of  potassa,  which  color  was 
entirely  destroyed  in  thirty-five  minutes.  One  and  a  half  cubic  centimeters  of  the  perman- 
ganate solution  additional  to  the  same  amount  of  water,  (100  cubic  centimeters,)  was  destroyed  in  a 
few  mimutes  less  than  an  hour,  while  the  deep  pink  tinge  communicated  to  100  cubic  centimeters  of 
the  water,  by  the  addition  of  two  cubic  centimeters  of  the  permanganate  solution,  was  not  entirely 
destroyed  until  after  the  lapse  of  two  hours.  With  a  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  the  river  water 
gives  a  tolerably  copious  white  precipitate,  which  is  redissolved  upon  the  addition  of  a  few  drops 
of  nitric,  acid.  Fro.u  all  of  which  reactions  it  is  shown  that  this  water  is  a  tolerably  healthy  drink- 
ing water,  but  that,  like  most  river  waters,  it  is  hard;  that  its  hardness  chiefly  depends  on  the  car- 
bonate of  lime;  that  it  contains  oxidizable  organic  matter,  but  not  in  any  marked  degree;  that  it 
contains  some  chloride  of  sodium,  and  that  it  contains  no  sulphates  or  sulphuric  acid.  As  good 
water  as  this,  and  as  easily  attainable,  will  probably  prevent  any  experiments  in  well-digging  about 
the  river  banks,  at  least  for  some  years,  but  cisterns  might  be  constructed  with  but  little  labor  and 
expense,  which  would  collect  the  rain-water  from  the  immense  roof  surface  here  exposed,  and 
would  be  better  in  many  respects  for  the  purpose  of  the  lavatory  and  the  laundry,  not  to  mention 
the  great  advantage  which  might  accrue  in  case  of  fire. 

The  nearest  quartermaster  and  subsistence  depots  are  at  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  245  miles  distant, 
the  route  of  supply  being  by  rail  to  St.  Cloud,  thence  by  wagons  in  the  summer,  and  by  sleds  in 
the  winter.  During  November,  and  after  severe  storms,  the  roads  are  frequently  impassable  for 
either  wagons  or  sleds,  and  during  the  latter  part  of  April,  and  nearly  all  of  May,  the  streams  rise, 
making  the  roads  impassable  for  loaded  wagons.  July,  August,  and  September  are  the  best  months 
for  transporting  supplies.  A  tri-weekly  line  of  stages  connects  with  the  railroad  at  St.  Cloud,  the 
time  being  three  days. 

From  the  establishment  of  the  post  up  to  the  present  time  it  has  possessed  a  remarkable  im- 
munity from  disease.  Scurvy  has  prevailed  to  some  extent,  owing  to  a  want  of  care  in  providing 
the  troops  here  with  sufficient  vegetable  diet.  However,  the  causes  acting  on  the  troops  temporarily, 
and  supposed  to  cause  scurvy,  act  on  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  almost  continually,  and  yet  we 
never  hear  of,  and  certainly  never  see,  an  Indian  suffering  from  scurvy.  The  Indians  about  here 
n-e  in  their  diet  a  tuber  like  the  artichoke,  called  Indian  turnip,  wild  plums,  and  also  cranberries 
and  gooseberries,  in  the  seasons  when  they  are  ripe,  but  these  fruits  are  inconstant,  and  make  but  a 
small  portion  of  their  diet. 

Phthisis  pulmonalis,  pneumonia,  and  most  other  lung  diseases  are  rare.  The  only  diseases 
which  seem  of  endemic  origin,  are  a  peculiar  pharyngitis  and  tonsillitis,  and  asthma,  which  are 
usually  made  worse  when  already  existing,  and  sometimes  brought  on  when  not  before  known  to  exist. 
Both  of  these  diseases  may  have  their  origin  in  the  fungus  of  the  wild  grasses  of  the  prairie  sur- 
rounding the  post,  though  1  have  made  no  experiments  which  make  this  statement  anything  more 
than  a  rational  hypothesis. 


FOKT  WADSWORTH,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 


377 


Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Abercrombie,  Dakota 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  18G9. 


. 

I     , 

t 

a 

1 

i 

1 

§ 

a  -S 

> 

3  fc- 

% 

a 

3 

'i. 

Years. 

ft 

1 

48  2 

I1 

Malarial  fe 

li- 
ft 

Tonsillitis. 

Epidemic  c 

Venereal  di 

I 

Rheuiuatis 

Catarrhal 
tions. 

§ 
•c 

•s 

6 

1868  

165.83 

228 

3 

38 

2 

54 

4 

1 

13 

27 

1869  

90.16 

148 

10 

12 

5 

15 

17 

29 

'  Im-lude  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  WADSWORTH,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 

KEPOET  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  B.  KNICKERBOCKER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Wadsworth  is  situated  near  the  head  of  the  Goteau  des  Prairies,  in  the  eastern  part  of 
Dakota  Territory,  latitude  45°  43'  30"  north,  longitude  97°  30"  west;  height  above  the  sea  about 
2,000  feet.  The  country  consists  of  high  rolling  prairie,  in  the  hollows  of  which  are  many 
lakes  standing  at  levels  of  from  forty  to  eighty  feet  below  the  site  of  the  post.  A  tract  of  9  by  15 
miles  is  held  reserved,  but  the  reservation  has  nofyet  been  declared.  The  borders  of  the  lakes  are 
sparsely  timbered  with  oak,  water  elm,  lynn,  and  cottonwood. 

The  Coteau  des  Prairies  is  an  extensive  deposit  of  drift  on  a  Silurian  base,  rising  about  twenty 
miles  north  of  the  post  from  the  bed  of  an  ancient  lake,  and  extending  thence  about  two  hundred 
miles  to  the  southeast.  This  drift  has  remained  apparently  unmodified,  except  by  disintegration 
from  atmospheric  causes,  since  its  deposit  in  the  glacial  period.  Granite,  syenite,  sandstone,  lime, 
stone,  feldspar,  and  clays  are  mingled  with  gravel  and  sand,  the  more  deeply  imbedded  fragments 
varying  much  in  size,  and  having  angular  projections.  A  rich  vegetable  mold,  with  a  slight  ad- 
mixture of  sand  and  clay,  light  and  friable,  from  one  to  five  feet  in  depth,  forms  the  surface.  A 
well  sunk  to  the  depth  of  60  feet  revealed,  after  40  feet,  nothing  but  sand  and  coarse  gravel,  with 
boulders.  Water  was  not  obtained,  and  nothing  like  hard  pan  has  been  found. 

The  soil  is  fertile  and  well  suited  to  cereals  and  vegetables.  Hay  made  from  the  Indian  and 
herd  grasses  is  of  excellent  quality.  The  yellow  and  red  varieties  of  the  Prunus  americana  are 
found  everywhere  in  profusion,  and  the  gooseberry,  raspberry,  red  and  black  currants,  and  grapes 
also  flourish.  The  extension  of  the  larger  trees  is  prevented  by  the  fires  which  sweep  over  the 
prairie  every  spring  and  fall.  The  waters  of  the  lakes  are  rendered  alkaline  from  surface  drainage 
of  an  ash-covered  soil ;  in  the  larger  lakes  not  so  much  so  as  to  be  unpalatable,  but  in  the  smaller 
it  becomes  offensive,  and  in  the  warm  months  putrefaction  is  rapidly  set  up  in  their  alkaline  waters, 
holding  in  suspension  a  large  amount  of  vegetable  matter. 

The  principal  wild  animals,  birds,  &c.,  found  in  the  vicinity  are  as  follows :  Buffalo,  antelope, 
elk,  deer,  prairie  wolf,  large  gray  wolf,  red  fox,  black  bear,  badger,  otter,  marten,  beaver,  bald  eagle, 
black  hawk,  kestrel,  kite,  goshawk,  snowy  owl,  screech  owl,  blackbird,  red-winged  blackbird,  robin, 
thrush,  American  lark,  meadow  lark,  prairie  hen,  water  hen,  wild-rock  pigeon,  crane,  curlew,  snipe, 
woodcock,  wild  goose,  summer  duck,  teal,  grebe,  coot,  pintail,  goosander,  spirit  duck,  loon,  gull, 
pelican,  and  swan. 

The  fish  are  pike,  perch,  mullet,  and  bullhead. 

The  climate  is  mild  and  dry.    Average  temperature  44.05°  F. ;  extreme  daily  means  78.33°  F. 
and  11.66°  F.    There  are  no  dews.    There  are  no  streams  in  the  vicinity. 

The  location  of  the  fort  with  reference  to  other  points  is  as  follows :    Fort  Eice,  Dakota  Ter- 
ritory, is  west-northwest  170  miles ;  Fort  Ransom,  Dakota  Territory,  north-northwest  65  miles ; 
Fort  Abercrombie,  northeast  76  miles;  Missouri  Eiver,  west  150  miles;   James  Eiver,  west  38 
48 


378 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


E 


B 


B 


C 


miles;  Sank  Center,  Minnesota,  east  136  miles;  nearest  railroad,  now  nearly  completed  to  Breck- 
inridge,  Minnesota,  northeast  73  miles. 

Fort  Wadsworth  was  established  as  a  military  post  in  July,  1864,  in  consequence  of  the  out- 
break of  Indian  hostilities  on  the  northwest  frontier.  The  fort  is  five  hundred  feet  from  and  fifty 
feet  above  the  surface  of  Eose  Lake,  which  furnishes  the  water  supply.  It  incloses  about  nine  and 
a  half  acres,  has  sod-reveted  breastworks,  and  is  surrounded  by  a  ditch.  The  barracks  on  the 
east  of  the  parade  are  two  stone  buildings,  each  200  by  45  feet  and  one  story  high,  and  have  a 
capacity  for  four  companies.  The  general  arrangement  is  shown  in  Figure  48. 

A  A,  orderly  rooms ;  B  B,  squad  rooms ;  C  C,  kitchens ;  D  D,  mess-rooms :  E 
E,  wash-rooms.  They  are  inconveniently  arranged.  The  flooring  is  bad,  and  the 
ventilation  and  lighting  imperfect.  Wood-stoves  are  used  for  heating.  The  dormi- 
tories of  each  company  measure  73  feet  8  inches  by  14  feet  8  inches  by  10  feet, 
furnishing  a  cubic  capacity  of  10,816  feet,  or  an  air  space  of  169  feet  per  man, 
allowing  64  men  to  sleep  in  quarters.  Single  wooden  bunks  are  used,  furnished 
with  the  usual  bedding.  The  sinks,  60  feet  distant  from  the  barracks,  are  pits  30 
feet  long  and  3  feet  wide,  sheltered  by  frame  work.  The  kitchens,  23J  by  19  feet, 
and  the  mess-rooms  are  contiguous  to  the  squad-rooms  aud  dormitories,  communi- 
cating by  a  door  and  window.  The  laundresses  and  married  soldiers'  quarters  are 
nine  log  houses,  gable  roofed,  one  story  in  height,  and  containing  from  one  to  four 
small  rooms,  with  low  ceilings,  and  small  doors  and  windows.  They  were  con- 
structed by  the  volunteers  in  1864,  but  now  afford  inadequate  shelter  during  the 
winter  months  from  want  of  repair.  As  the  Government  regards  these  structures  of 
no  value,  they  are  not  reported  as  quartermaster's  property. 

The  commanding  officer's  quarters  is  a  two-story  brick  building,  of  that  peculiar 
color  resulting  from  absence  of  iron  from  the  clay,  38  by  47  feet,  containing  four  rooms, 
20  by  18  by  9  feet,  on  each  floor,  and  four  attics  under  a  gable  roof.  The  rooms 
are  divided  into  pairs  by  halls,  and  contain  each  a  fireplace  and  three  windows, 
Figure 48 —Scale  wflicu  afford  the  only  means  of  ventilation.  The  four  sets  of  officers'  quarters  are 
60  feet  to  i  inch,  constructed  of  brick,  38  by  95  feet,  height  to  eaves  11  feet,  to  ridge  25  feet,  with 
a  Mansard  roof.  Attached  in  rear  are  two  back  buildings  for  kitchens  and  wood-houses,  to 
which  on  the  same  line  are  smaller  double  salients  of  brick  for  water-closets,  all  under  gable  roofs. 
Half  stories  in  the  former  secure  servants'  rooms.  The  two  middle  quarters  have  a  large  hall  in  com- 
mon, with  which  the  two  lower  rooms  of  each  set  of  quarters  communicate.  From  this  hall  stairs 
ascend  to  a  like  hall,  with  two  attics  on  either  side  with  similar  communication.  The  lower  rooms, 
20  by  17  feet,  are  connected  by  folding  doors.  Attics,  20  by  10  feet,  have  each  a  dormer  window. 
The  end  quarters  are  the  same  as  the  middle,  except  in  the  possession  of  a  private  hall.  From  all 
the  halls  stairs  descend  to  cellars,  with  dry,  gravelly  bottoms,  under  the  back  rooms. 

The  adjutant's  office  is  a  three-roomed  stone  building,  19  by  25  by  12  feet,  situated  on  the  south 
side  of  the  parade.  Immediately  in  its  rear  is  the  magazine,  also  a  stone  structure,  13  by  25  by  8 
feet  in  dimensions,  arched  with  stone  aud  roofed,  with  small  openings  for  ventilation. 

The  hospital,  a  brick  structure  fronting  the  parade,  is  60  by  32  feet,  12  feet  to  the  eaves,  and 
25  feet  to  the  ridge.  A  hall,  6  feet  wide,  extends  through  the  center  of  the  building,  and  contains 
a  staircase  leading  to  the  upper  floor.  The  plan  of  the  building  is  shown  in  Figure  49. 

A,  office,  10  by  10  feet ;  B,  dispensary,  15  by  15  feet ;  C,  ward,  24  by  18  feet ; 
C,  ward,  24  by  12  feet ;  D,  kitchen,  15  by  15  feet ;  E,  wash-room. 

All  the  rooms  are  10  feet  high,  plastered  and  ceiled;  warmed  by  radiating  stoves, 
and  artificially  lighted  by  kerosene  oil. 

The  wards,  dispensary,  and  kitchen  have  each  a  wooden  tube  three  inches  square 
entering  at  the  eaves ;  in  both  wards  it  passes  through  the  ceiling  at  the  center  and 
descends  one  foot.  In  the  dispensary  and  kitchen  the  tubes  pass  through  the  ceil- 
ing at  one  side  and  terminate  a  few  inches  below.  These  are  intended  for  the  ad- 
mission of  fresh  air. 

The  two  wards  have  a  capacity  of  twelve  beds,  with  an  air  space  of  600  cubic 

Figure  49.— Scale,      ,,  i.        mi.      -i  i      • 

40  feet  to  i  inch     i66*  to  each.    The  larger  only  is  used  for  patients. 


E 


C 


:B 


FORT  WADS  WORTH,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY.  379 

A  large  store  room  is  ou  the  second  floor,  occupying  the  space  over  the  wards  below.  Here 
the  baggage  of  patients  is  stored.  Two  rooms,  each  7  by  22  feet,  are  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  hall,  and  are  occupied  as  dormitories  for  attendants.  The  rooms  on  this  floor  have  sloping 
sides,  corresponding  to  the  pitch  of  the  roof,  to  within  two  feet  of  the  floors,  from  which  to 
the  level  ceiling  is  eight  feet.  The  wash-room  contains  a  bath-tub,  basins,  and  other  necessary 
appendages  for  cleanliness.  The  hospital  was  very  much  slighted  in  its  building,  especially  about 
the  doors  and  windows,  through  the  openings  of  which  a  great  quantity  of  snow  was  blown  into 
the  building,  above  the  ceilings,  into  the  wards,  dispensary,  office,  kitchen,  and  all  the  other  rooms. 
The  hospital  was  most  wretchedly  plastered;  in  the  dispensary  the  plastering  has  entirely  fallen 
from  the  ceiling,  through  which  the  wind  has  free  access.  The  roof,  ill-constructed,  freely  admits 
wind  and  snow.  Considerable  portions  of  plastering  have  also  fallen  from  the  ceilings  of  the  wards 
and  other  rooms  of  the  building,  with  the  same  unpleasant  results. 

Two  buildings  are  appropriated  for  quartermaster's  and  commissary's  storage ;  one  a  stone  struc- 
ture, 200  by  45  feet,  originally  designed  for  company  quarters;  the  other,  a  log  building,  145  by  24 
feet.  The  latter  is  used  by  the  quartermaster,  and  has  a  cellar  one-third  of  its  extent.  The  four 
block -houses,  one  at  each  corner  of  the  post,  are  two  stories  in  height,  except  the  one  at  the  south- 
east corner,  and  are  now  occupied  as  store-houses. 

The  guard-house  is  a  one-story  brick  building,  20  by  50  by  13  feet.  It  contains  two  rooms  and 
two  cells ;  the  latter,  4  by  8  feet,  are  damp  and  dark,  with  no  ventilation  except  by  a  small  half  cir- 
cular opening,  three  inches  in  diameter,  at  the  top  of  each  cell  door.  The  rooms  are  warmed  by 
wood-stoves ;  have  no  ventilation,  and  bad  floors.  The  building  has  a  capacity  for  about  twenty 
men. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  log  building,  ill  ventilated  and  lighted,  having  two'ovens  with  a  combined 
capacity  for  470  rations  of  bread. 

The  stable,  situated  outside  the  fort  and  finely  constructed  of  stone,  is  240  by  36  by  15  feet, 
and  contains  78  stalls. 

The  post  library  comprises  94  volumes  of  a  miscellaneous  character. 

There  is  an  abundant  supply  of  water,  but  unfortunately  of  poor  quality.  The  heat  of  sum- 
mer producing  great  evaporation,  causes  extreme  shallowness,  and  the  water  is  filled  with  animal 
and  vegetable  life,  in  addition  to  alkaline  and  earthy  ingredients.  The  water  of  melted  ice  is  used 
almost  exclusively  in  summer  by  a  great  number  of  the  command  in  consequence  of  the  unpalata- 
bleness  of  the  warm  lake  water. 

The  drainage  is  good.  There  is  no  system  of  sewerage.  Water  from  rain  and  melted  snow  finds 
an  outlet  through  excavations  made  in  the  embankments,  and  owing  to  the  sloping  nature  of  the 
interior  of  the  garrison  it  is  generally  dry  and  in  good  condition. 

Bathing  is  freely  indulged  in  during  summer,  but  during  the  cold  season  there  are  no  special 
arrangements  for  that  purpose. 

The  gardens  are  three  in  number,  and  distant  over  a  half  mile  from  the  post.  That  belonging 
to  the  hospital  contains  a  little  over  seven  acres,  which  was  under  cultivation  last  season.  The 
officers'  garden  is  located  east  from  the  post,  and  embraces  about  two  acres.  The  company  garden 
yielded  last  year  350  bushels  of  potatoes. 

The  commissariat  is  well  supplied.  The  nearest  depot  of  supplies  is  at  St.  Cloud,  Minnesota, 
197  miles  distant.  Twelve  months'  supply  is  usually  kept  on  hand.  No  eggs  or  chickens  are  pro- 
curable in  the  vicinity. 

A  stage  nominally  makes  one  trip  a  week  to  Sauk  Center  with  the  mails.  It  is,  however,  very 
irregular,  being  liable  to  interruption  from  snow  and  floods.  The  shortest  mail  time  to  St.  Paul, 
department  headquarters,  is  five  days ;  the  longest  about  thirty  days. 

From  fifteen  to  thirty  miles  east  of  the  post  are  small  settlements.  The  nearest  Indians  are 
the  Sisseton  and  Wahpeton  bands  of  Sioux.  About  1,200  are  settled  on  Lake  Traverse  reservation, 
within  70  miles  of  the  fort.  They  are  chiefly  occupied  in  agricultural  pursuits. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  excellent.  Intermittent  fever,  however,  undoubt- 
edly exists,  produced  in  part,  if  not  wholly,  in  the  dark  and  stony  quarters  of  the  troops,  the  open 
floors  permitting  the  passage  of  putrescible  matter.  The  guard-house  is  in  a  much  worse  condi- 
tion, from  the  same  cause.  At  present  the  general  health  of  the  garrison  is  good.  The  prevailing 


380 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


diseases  during  the  past  year  were  miasmatic  and  inflammatory.    Bowel  complaints  are  compara- 
tively infrequent.    The  respiratory,  nervous,  and  muscular  organs  are  more  frequently  affected. 

Thermoinetrical  and  hygrometrical  changes,  together  with  the  unpleasant  emanations  from  the 
eastern  extremity  of  Hampson's  Lake,  immediately  south  of  the  post,  and  the  shallow  pond  on  the 
west,  between  the  post  and  cemetery,  from  the  latter  of  which  it  receives  the  drainage,  and  the 
unpleasant  emanations  from  the  ground  underlying  the  quarters  of  the  troops,  are  believed  to  be 
the  principal  if  not  the  only  disturbing  causes. 

Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Wadsworfh,  Dakota 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

1 

1  -3 

a  -3 
a 

&  s 

3  3 
f 

Typhoid  fever. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  diseases. 

Ehenmatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions.* 

No.  of  deaths. 

1868  

207.  25 

326 

27 

34 

7 

9 

14 

4 

40 

4 

1869 

103.  16 

86 

1 

21 

1 

2 

2 

19 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  RANSOM,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  C.  E.  MUNN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Ransom  is  situated  on  the  Cheyenne  River,  about  seventy-five  miles  above  its  junction 
with  the  Red  River  of  the  North.  Bear's  Den  Hillock,  an  exceptional  elevation  to  the  surrounding 
prairie  country,  at  the  foot  of  which  the  post  is  built,  is  differently  located  on  three  maps  published 
by  authority  of  the  War  Department.  The  mean  of  the  position  given  by  these  maps  is  nearest 
latitude  46°  35'  north,  longitude  97°  47'  west  from  Greenwich. 

The  surrounding  country  to  the  south  and  east  is  gently  rolling  prairie.  To  the  north  and 
west,  immediately  behind  the  post,  the  land  rises  abruptly  into  a  chain  of  sand-hills,  the  highest  of 
which  has  given  the  name  to  this  locality.  The  Cheyenne  River  winds  through  a  beautiful  valley 
within  half  a  mile  of  the  fort,  rendering  the  scenery  remarkable  by  contrasting  a  broad  belt  of  well- 
wooded  bottom  laud  with  boldly  sloping  banks  of  treeless  prairie.  The  stream  approaches  the 
post  from  the  north,  and  at  its  nearest  point  makes  a  sudden  bend  to  the  east,  which  general  direc- 
tion it  then  pursues  through  the  reservation.  Its  average  depth  is  eighteen  inches,  though  frequently 
it  is  found  to  be  five  or  six  feet  deep  above  obstructed  points.  Near  the  fort  it  is  from  eighteen  to  thirty 
feet  in  width,  and  flows  with  a  moderate  current.  To  the  west  and  north,  between  the  post  and 
the  hillock,  is  a  ravine  which  divides  the  hills  from  the  prairie.  Near  the  head  of  this  ravine  are 
numerous  springs,  the  more  important  of  which  have  been  improved  for  the  use  of  the  garrison. 
About  three  miles  south  from  the  post  a  depression  from  the  ordinary  prairie  level  occurs,  which 
receives  the  waters  from  the  melting  snows,  forming  a  small  lake  in  the  spring.  On  this  low  land 
abundance  of  hay  may  be  cut  to  supply  all  prospective  wants  of  the  Government  animals.  The 
soil  of  the  post  is  a  light  porous  alluvium,  with  a  stratum  of  cobble  stones  at  a  depth  of  from  one 
to  two  feet  beneath;  they  are  bedded  in  and  underlaid  by  fine  gravel.  This  insures  a  rapid 
absorption  of  the  rain-fall,  and  practical  experience  in  the  company  gardens  has  demonstrated 
their  susceptibility  for  successful  cultivation.  Limestone  and  clay  are  found,  which  will  prove 
useful  for  building  purposes.  Lime  has  been  made  at  the  post  already,  in  considerable  quantity. 

There  are  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  numerous  mounds,  which  appear  to  be  of  ancient  and 
artificial  origin ;  none  of  them  have  yet  been  opened  for  examination. 

The  soil  of  the  vicinity  is  good,  and  most  garden  plants  of  the  isothermal  of  45°  can  be  sue- 


FORT  RANSOM,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY.  381 

cessfully  cultivated.  The  river  valley  has  a  fair  growth  of  timber,  mostly  scrub  oak  and  elm. 
Maple,  ash,  iron  wood,  wild  cherry,  plum,  and  willows  are  also  found. 

Among  the  wild  animals  found  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Ransom  are  the  black  bear,  grizzly  bear, 
common  otter,  little  black  mink,  common  mink,  little  ermiue,  white  weasel,  common  badger,  gray, 
red,  black,  and  silver  foxes,  gray  wolf,  beaver,  niuskrat,  rabbit,  deer,  antelope,  and  buffalo.  The 
principal  game  birds  are  wild  pigeons,  plover,  snipe,  wood  duck,  brant,  and  wild  geese. 

The  average  temperature  for  the  year  1869  was  38.36°.  Extremes  103°  F.  and  — 27°  F.  Feb- 
ruary 19th,  1870,  the  thermometer  fell  to  — 32°.  Total  rain  and  snow-fall,  15.77  inches. 

Ten  miles  square  is  held  reserved.  June  17,  1867,  a  battalion  of  the  Tenth  United  States 
Infantry,  consisting  of  Companies  G  and  H,  commanded  by  Brevet  Major  George  H.  Crosman, 
Captain  Tenth  United  States  Infantry,  arrived  at  Bear's  Den  Hillock  from  Fort  Wadsworth,  and 
encamped  near  the  present  site  of  the  post.  Some  days  previously  General  Terry,  commanding  the 
Department  of  Dakota,  had  arrived  and  selected  a,  location  for  a  new  post.  In  special  field  orders 
No.  2,  dated  June  18,  1867,  he  commanded  Major  Crosman  to  construct  temporary  quarters  and 
other  necessary  buildings  for  his  men  and  animals,  assigning  to  him  the  command  and  directing 
the  post  to  be  named  Fort  Ransom.  In  accordance  with  instructions,  work  on  an  inclosing  breast- 
work was  first  commenced  and  finished  in  August.  Abundance  of  oak  timber  being  found  near  the 
post,  logs  were  exclusively  used  for  the  walls  of  all  the  structures.  These  buildings  are  arranged 
in  a  hollow  square  within  an  earth  breastwork,  350  by  400  feet,  and,  with  the  exception  of  two,  arc 
of  one  story.  The  quarters  of  the  men  are  under  one  roof  on  the  north  side  of  the  square,  and  are 
divided  into  four  large  and  two  small  rooms,  the  latter  being  used  as  quarters  for  first  sergeants. 
The  squad-rooms  are  29  by  23  by  8£  feet,  and  are  ventilated  naturally,  and  by  a  small  trap 
in  each  ceiling.  There  is  no  ventilation  under  the  floor.  The  quarters  are  warmed  by  box-stoves, 
and  each  squad-room  has  three  windows.  The  kitchens  are  attached,  and  are  uniformly  clean  and 
wholesome. 

The  other  buildings  at  the  post  in  different  stages  of  completion  are  store-houses  for  quarter- 
master and  commissary,  quarters  for  married  men,  granary,  bakery,  office  for  commandant  and 
adjutant,  stables  for  public  stock,  and  the  magazine.  All  these  are  inside  the  earthwork,  and  are 
kept  well  policed.  Quarters  for  the  Indian  scouts  are  outside  the  inclosure,  and  consist  of  two 
small  temporary  structures.  The  commanding  officer  occupies  a  two-story  house  of  hewn  logs,  with 
four  rooms  on  the  ground  floor,  and  two  chambers.  The  quarters  for  the  captain  commanding  the 
second  company  are  essentially  the  same,  but  at  present  are  not  so  near  completion  ;  while  those 
for  the  other  officers  are  under  one  roof,  in  a  building  150  feet  long  and  35  feet  wide,  divided  by 
partitions  and  spaces  into  five  sets  of  quarters,  three  single  and  two  double  sets,  each  set  contain- 
ing two  rooms  about  16  feet  square  and  8  feet  high.  The  double  sets  have  four  similar  rooms, 
divided  by  a  space,  5  feet  wide,  which  serves  for  an  entry.  Each  room  is  well  lighted  by  two  win- 
dows, and  most  of  them  are  lathed  and  plastered.  But  two  sets  of  the  lieutenants'  quarters  are  yet 
painted.  There  are  two  serious  detects  in  these  otherwise  pleasant  and  roomy  quarters,  viz.,  absence 
of  ventilation  beneath  the  floor,  and  the  position  of  privies,  these  last  having  been  placed  imme- 
diately in  the  rear  of  the  quarters  against  the  building. 

The  guard-house  is  30  by  20  by  10  feet,  and  is  divided  into  a  main  room  and  two  cells. 
One  of  these  cells,  10  feet  square,  is  seldom  used.  It  is  constructed  solely  with  a  view  to  severe 
punishment,  and,  when  the  door  is  tightly  closed,  is  absolutely  without  light  or  ventilation.  The 
guard-room  is  warmed  by  a  stove,  and  lighted  by  one  window.  The  building  has  always  been  well 
policed. 

The  hospital  building  is  still  unfinished.  It  consists  of  a  main  building,  37  by  32  feet,  and  an 
addition,  20  by  18  by  8  feet;  a  dispensary,  18  by  12  by  8  feet,  kitchen,  dining-room, and  nurses' 
room.  One  ward,  24  by  18  by  9  feet,  lathed  and  plastered,  contains  six  beds,  with  an  air 
space  of  648  cubic  feet  per  man;  no  ventilation,  except  by  doors  and  windows;  no  bath-room, 
wash-room,  nor  water-closet.  An  ordinary  privy  is  situated  20  yards  distant  from  the  building. 
The  addition  is  neatly  fitted  up  with  shelves  for  use  as  a  store-room,  and  may  be  used  also  as 
a  ward  for  contagious  diseases.  This  store-room  is  the  only  finished  room  in  the  building^ 
the  others  being  unceiled.  In  its  unfinished  state,  the  hospital  building  is  totally  unfit  for  the  ac- 
eommodation'of  the  sick  in  the  colder  season,  at  which  time  the  thermometer  frequently  indicates 


382 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


the  freezing  poiut  when  suspended  in  the  ward  a  few  feet  from  a  good  fire.  By  an  order  discharg 
ing  citizen  employe's  its  erection  was  stopped,  and  the  post  commander,  though  fully  conscious  of 
the  importance  and  urgent  necessity  of  the  work,  expressed  his  entire  inability  to  furnish  skilled 
men,  by  reason  of  the  depleted  condition  of  the  companies.  The  magazine  is  built  of  stone,  the 
only  structure  of  this  material  at  the  post.  The  post  bakery  has  an  oven  capacity  for  240  loaves. 
It  is  a  model  of  cleanliness  and  order,  and  produces  bread  of  an  excellent  quality.  The  stable  at 
the  post  measures  174  by  31  feet,  and  is  10  feet  high. 

The  water  supply  is  from  a  line  spring  600  yards  from  the  post.  A  partial  examination  showed 
it  clear,  without  odor  and  tasteless,  containing  total  solids,  14  grains  per  gallon ;  volatile  solids,  4 
grains  per  gallon,  chlorine  2.5,  organic  matter  in  an  extremely  small,  and  lime  in  large  amount. 
The  gradual  slope  of  the  ground  from  the  post  makes  thorough  drainage  comparatively  easy,  though 
this  advantage  is  as  yet  unimproved.  In  summer  the  enlisted  men  frequently  bathe  in  the  river. 
There  are  no  arrangements  for  bathing  in  winter.  Situated  outside  the  breastworks,  and  aboiit  75 
yards  distant  from  the  men's  quarters,  is  the  men's  sink.  There  are  8  acres  of  land  at  this  post 
appropriated  for  garden  purposes,  each  company  cultivating  about  three  acres,  and  the  remainder 
giving  gardens  to  the  hospital  and  officers.  The  soil  is  fertile  and  susceptible  of  high  cultivation. 
Some  potatoes  have  been  raised,  but  the  main  crop  of  vegetables  has  been  destroyed  by  grasshop- 
pers, which  come  in  clouds  from  the  northwest,  and  in  a  few  hours  destroy  the  entire  garden. 
There  are  no  cows  at  the  post.  One  has  usually  been  kept  for  the  hospital,  but  was  lost  on  the 
prairie  in  October,  1868.  The  character  of  food  procured  from  the  post  commissary  is  of  good  qual- 
ity, sufficient  in  quantity,  and  of  fair  variety.  The  nearest  point  to  purchase  furniture  is  at  St. 
Cloud,  Minnesota.  A  certain  amount  of  rude  furniture  for  barracks  and  quarters  has  been  made 
at  the  post. 

The  medical  and  hospital  supplies  are  received  from  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  Owing  probably  to 
s6  long  and  difficult  transportation  these  supplies  are  seldom  received  in  other  than  a  damaged 
condition.  Communication  is  had  by  quartermaster  teams  to  Port  Abercrombie,  Dakota  Territory, 
and  by  tri-weekly  coach  thence  to  St.  Cloud,  Minnesota.  In  winter  the  route  from  here  to  Aber- 
crombie is  especially  daugerous  from  storms,  and  in  spring  communication  is  often  stopped  by 
floods  ou  the  Wild  Itice  River.  The  weekly  mail,  on  horseback,  via  Abercrombie,  is  often  inter- 
rupted, as  above,  and  requires  about  eight  days  to  reach  St.  Paul,  Minnesota. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country  are  principally  Sioux  Indians,  thoiigh  but  few 
lodges  winter  here.  A  few  Dakotas,  mostly  Sisseton  and  Wahpetons,  remain  about  the  post- 
Their  disposition  seems  friendly,  and  some  are  willing  to  work;  the  majority,  however,  hunt  and 
trap. 

The  prevailing  diseases  at  the  post  and  vicinity  are  principally  catarrhal.  One-fourth  of  the 
sickness  reported  has  been  from  slight  accidents,  until  the  new  command,  coming  from  Louisiana, 
brought  with  them  a  great  number  of  cases  of  intermittent  fever.  Cases  of  phthisis  pulmonalis  are 
frequent  among  the  resident  Dakotas. 

Statement  shotting  mean  xtrenyth,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  disease*  at  Fort  Ransom,  Dakota  Ter- 
ritory, for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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1 

1 

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1 

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1 

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3 

4 

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v 

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1868  

99  1C 

119 

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14 

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4 

7 

28 

1869  

73  66 

104 

11 

24 

I 

14 

11 

61 

1 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  anil  pleurisy. 


FORT  TOTTEN,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY.  383 


FORT  TOTTEN,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 

REPOKT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  F.  BOUGHTER,  UNITED   STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Totteii  is  situated  on  the  south  side  of  LcikeMinnewaken,  (commonly  called  Devil's  Lake,) 
about  900  yards  from  the  lake  shore.  Latitude  47°  59'  6"  north,  longitude  98°  54'  west,  and  1,480 
feet  above  the  sea.  Cheyenne  River,  the  only  stream  in  the  vicinity,  is  six  miles  south.  Turtle 
Mountain,  an  isolated  group  of  hills  covered  with  timber,  said  to  be  a  resort  of  tribes  of  hostile 
Indians,  lies  about  70  miles  northwest  of  the  post  near  the  British  frontier.  Fort  Stevenson  is 
distant  126  miles  south  of  west  and  Fort  Abercrombie  165  miles  southeast.  The  nearest  towns  are 
St.  Joseph  and  Pembina,  the  former  100  miles  distant  by  road,  the  latter  about  180  miles.  About 
ten  miles  square  is  held  reserved.  The  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  is  rolling  and  well 
wooded,  oak,  ash,  elm,  poplar  and  maple  being  the  principal  trees.  The  soil  is  loam,  on  a  bed  of 
sand  and  gravel,  superimposed  on  clay,  and  is  suited  for  cultivation.  Many  granite  boulders,  some 
of  great  size,  are  scattered  over  the  neighboring  hills  and  valleys. 

Devil's  Lake  is  about  forty-five  or  fifty  miles  in  length,  and  from  five  to  fifteen  miles  in  width, 
dotted  with  a  great  number  of  islands,  several  of  which  are  more  than  two  miles  long,  all  well 
timbered.  No  streams  enter  or  leave  the  lake,  hence  the  inference  that  it  is  fed  by  springs.  Its 
waters,  though  salt,  are  much  less  so  than  those  of  the  ocean.  Its  principal  salts  appear  to  be 
chloride  of  sodium,  and  sulphate  and  carbonate  of  soda,  with  lime  and  magnesium  salts.  The  specific 
gravity  is  about  1004. 

The  principal  wild  animals  <>l  the  vicinity  are  the  wild  cat,  wolf,  red  fox,  kit  fox,  white  weasel, 
mink,  otter,  badger,  black  bear,  squirrels,  beavers,  muskrats,  and  rabbits.  The  moose,  caribou  or 
reindeer,  and  American  elk,  are  rapidly  disappearing  from  this  vicinity.  Antelope  and  buffalo,  as 
late  as  1865,  were  numerous,  but  now  have  almost  entirely  disappeared. 

Of  birds  the  following  are  the  most  important:  Turkey  buzzard,  duck  hawk  or  peregrine  falcon, 
sparrow  hawk,  red-tailed  hawk,  American  fish-hawk  or  osprey,  great-horned  owl,  mottled  or 
screech  owl,  snowy  or  white  owl,  wild  pigeon,  sharp-tailed  grouse,  sand-hill  crane,  great  blue 
heron,  bittern  or  stake  driver,  killdeer,  western  plover,  black-bellied  plover,  long-billed  curlew, 
mud  hen,  common  rail  hen,  American  swan,  trumpeter  swan,  snow  goose,  Canada  or  wild  goose, 
brant  goose,  mallard  duck,  black  duck,  green-winged  teal,  blue-winged  teal,  shoveler  or  spoonbill, 
summer  or  wood  duck,  red-head  duck,  butter-ball  or  clipper  duck,  and  it  is  said  that  the  canvas- 
back  duck  has  been  seen  on  Devil's  Lake. 

Of  fish  the  common  pickerel  (Esox  retioulatus)  is  the.  only  species  ol>scr\rd  in  Lake  Miniie- 
wakeu. 

The  climate  is  very  dry.  Sudden  changes  of  temperature  are  common,  (a  difference  of  35°  to 
40°  ill  twenty-four  hours  is  not  unusual,)  but  do  not  appear  to  affect  the  health  as  in  climates  where 
the  atmosphere,  is  more  humid.  The  air  is  pure  and  bracing.  The  contrasts  of  the  seasons  are  well 
marked,  L  e.,  the  range  of  temperature  between  the  extremes  is  very  considerable,  viz.,  132°F.  The 
mean  temperature  (from  August  1,  1869,  to  April  30,  1870)  is  37.80°  F.;  extremes  94°  F.,  August  8, 
1869,  and  —  38°  F.,  February  19, 1870.  The  average  dew-point  for  the  month  of  August,  1869,  was 
54.51°  F.;  September,  1869,  43.74°  F.;  October,  1869,  27.24° F. ;  November,  1869,  19.42°  F.;  and  0*' 
April,  1870,  34.06°  F.  The  rain-fall  during  the  same  period  (i.  e.,  nine  months)  was  3.80  inches ; 
quantity  of  snow  1.84  inch.  Owing  to  the  difficulty  in  collecting  the  snow,  on  account  of  the 
high  winds  during  the  winter,  the  above  quantity  (1.84  inch)  perhaps  represents  a  little  less  than 
the  actual  quantity. 

The  prevailing  winds  during  the  cold  season,  and  for  a  greater  portion  of  the  year,  are  from  the 
north  and  west;  south  and  southwesterly  winds  prevail  during  the  warm  season.  Northwest  winds 
in  winter  bring  snow-storms  and  very  cold  weather;  in  summer,  sometimes  rain  and  cool  weather. 
The  winds  at  all  seasons  of  the  year  blow  with  considerable  force.  "Winter  is  the  longest  of  the 
seasons,  and  may  be  regarded  as  commencing  November  1,  and  ending  March  31,  although  light 
falls  of  snow  occur  in  both  October  and  April.  Vegetation  first  appears  in  April,  and  is  killed  by 
the  heavy  frosts  of  October. 


384 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  site  was  first  occupied  as  a  military  post  in  July,  1867.  The  original  fort  was  designed  to 
be  temporary,  the  buildings  being  constructed  of  rough  logs,  to  be  occupied  only  until  suitable 
.structures  could  be  erected  for  a  permanent  post.  The  present  fort  is  still  in  process  of  completion 
and  is  situated  on  a  comparatively  level  tract  of  prairie,  about  800  yards  south  of  the  old  tempo- 
rary post  established  by  General  Terry.  Owing  to  the  unfinished  state  of  many  of  the  buildings,  the 
old  fort  is  still  occupied  in  part.  It  stands  on  a  small  hill  close  to,  and  about  50  feet  above,  the 
level  of  the  lake.  It  is  200  yards  long,  by  100  yards  wide,  and  is  surrounded  by  a  stockade,  18  feet 
in  height.  The  buildings  forming  the  garrison  having  been  originally  intended  only  for  winter 
quarters,  and  hastily  erected,  are  necessarily  very  defective  in  some  respects,  are  in  a  very  bad 
state  of  repair,  and  unfit  to  live  in. 

The  new  post,  when  completed,  will  comprise  twenty  buildings,  forming  a  parallelogram,  and 
so  arranged  that  the  post  is  defensible  without  a  heavy  stockade,  which  tends  to  obstruct  ventila- 
tion and  demoralize  the  troops.  The  arrangement  is  shown  in  Figure  50. 

A  B  C  D  S  T,  officers'  quarters ; 

J_l  . „  E,  hospital ;  F  and  M,  magazines ;  H, 

quartermaster's  store-house;  I  J  J 
K,  company  quarters;  L,  commissary 
store-house ;  N,  workshops ;  O,  offices  ; 
P,  school  and  court-martial  room ;  E, 
company  offices. 

The  foundations  of  the  buildings 
]  are  of  boulders,  rocks,  &c.,  found  on 
the  lake  shore ;  the  brick  were  made 
at  the  post.  The  exterior  walls  have 
an  air-chamber  of  2£  inches  in  the 
clear,  making  the  walls  15£  inches 
thick.  The  interior  and  gable  walls 
are  9  inches  thick.  This  description 
of  the  masonry  and  brick-work  is  ap- 
plicable to  all  the  buildings.  The 
company  quarters  are  alike  in  dimen- 
sions, finish,  &c.  The  buildings  are 
M  feet  long  by  32  feet  wide,  two 
.stories  high,  the  first  story  11  feet, 
The  entrance  is  from  the  outside 


D 


3 


o 


\ 


M 


I 


E 


Figure  50.— Scale.  144  feet  to  1  inch. 

and  the  second  story  10  feet  in  the  clear  from  fioor  to  ceiling, 
into  a  hall,  and  thence  to  the  rooms  of  the  men.  Two  flights  of  stairs  in  each  hall  conduct  to  the 
upper  hall  leading  into  the  rooms  as  below.  The  ventilation  of  the  buildings  is  as  follows  :  To  pro- 
vide for  fresh  air  there  is  an  air-duct  under  the  floor  of  each  compartment  leading  through  the  walls 
to  the  outside  of  the  building,  with  an  iron  register  fitted  into  the  center  of  the  floor  and  commu- 
nicating therewith ;  these  ducts  are  8  by  10  inches  in  dimensions,  and  the  outside  openings  are  cov- 
ered with  wire  screens.  The  smoke  flues  (two  in  number)  for  the  second  stories  are  continued  to  the 
first  story,  and  have  openings  in  the  wall  near  the  ceiling  fitted  with  a  register  communicating  with 
each  flue,  and  fitted  with  registers  placed  in  the  walls  of  the  second  story — one  near  the  floor,  the 
other  near  the  ceiling.  These  quarters  are  heated  by  stoves  and  well  lighted  by  large  windows. 
The  compartments  on  the  lower  floor,  each  30  by  30  feet,  have  each  a  capacity  of  6,600  cubic  feet ; 
those  of  the  upper'story,  30  by  20  feet,  have  6,000  cubic  feet ;  giving  a  total  capacity  in  each  build- 
ing of  50,400  cubic  feet.  The  bunks  are  of  wood,  painted ;  each  accommodates  two  men.  One  sink 
for  each  company  is  situated  fifty  yards  in  rear  of  the  barracks,  and  consists  of  a  deep  ditch,  sheltered 
by  log  buildings.  Each  company  has  a  kitchen  and  mess-room  in  a  large  log  building  in  the  rear 
of  the  barracks.  At  present,  but  one  of  these  buildings  is  occupied  by  the  enlisted  men,  the  others 
being  used  as  quarters  for  officers,  adjutant,  commissary,  and  quartermaster's  offices,  hospital,  and 
dispensary.  The  log  houses  at  the  old  fort,  formerly  quarters  for  officers  of  the  command,  are  now 
occupied  by  laundresses  and  married  soldiers. 

The  commanding  officer's  quarters  is  a  two-story  brick  building,  41  feet  front  by  32  feet  deep, 


FORT  TOTTEK,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 


385 


with  a  one-story  wing  to  the  rear.  To  the  left  of  these  quarters  is  one  set  of  quarters  for  two 
captains  and  two  lieutenants.  These  two  buildings  are  finished  and  occupied.  The  main  portion 
of  the  commanding  officer's  quarters  contains  two  large  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  and  four  rooms  on 
the  second  floor,  divided  on  both  floors  by  halls  running  from  front  to  rear.  The  wing  contains  the 
kitchen  and  dining-room,  a  cellar  beneath,  with  a  place  for  a  cistern.  The  floors  in  this  building 
are  laid  double,  of  one-inch  boards,  and  the  principal  rooms  and  halls  on  the  first  floor  have  two 
coats  of  mortar  and  hard-finish.  The  captains'  and  lieutenants'  quarters,  referred  to  above,  consist 
of  a  building  90  feet  long  by  32  feet  wide,  and  two  stories  high.  Each  set  of  quarters  consists  of 
two  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  and  two  on  the  second  floor,  with  a  small  hall-room  or  pantry.  The 
rear  wings  of  this  building  have  each  a  dining-room  and  a  kitchen,  with  a  cellar  beneath.  A 
cistern  is  to  be  placed  under  the  dining-room.  The  water-closets  are  attached  to  the  wings;  they 
are  separated  from  the  cellar  under  the  kitchen  only  by  a  wall,  18  inches  thick,  constructed  of  stone 
and  lime.  The  close  proximity  of  the  privy  to  a  wall  that  in  time  may  become  permeable 
appears  to  be  objectionable,  as  it  may  at  some  future  day  prove  a  source  of  annoyance;  it  is  un- 
derstood, however,  that  it  is  the  intention  to  have  the  privies  drained.  The  rear  wings  of  the 
center  building  are  built  under  one  roof;  those  of  the  outer  quarters  are  separate  wings.  These 
buildings  are  heated  by  means  of  stoves,  and  are  well  lighted  by  windows.  Their  ventilation  is 
effected  as  described  for  the  company  quarters.  The  quartermaster's  and  commissary's  store- 
houses are  finished  and  occupied.  Each  is  100  by  30  feet,  and  divided  into  three  rooms,  with  a  fire- 
proof wall  between  each  room,  to  be  entered  from  the  outside  only;  one  room  in  each  building  has 
a  cellar  underneath.  These  buildings  can  be  driven  around  and  through,  and  have  lofts  for  storing 
light  and  dry  articles.  A  small  log  building,  located  on  the  south  flank  of  the  post,  is  used  as  a 
temporary  guard-house;  it  consists  of  a  room  for  the  guard,  12  by  14  feet,  and  one  for  prisoners, 
II  by  16  feet;  each  room,  10  feet  from  floor  to  roof.  The  ventilation,  warming,  and  lighting  of  the 
guard-house  are  good.  A  new  guard-house  has  been  ordered  to  be  built,  for  the  plan  of  which  see 
Figure  51. 

1,  section  of  end. — A  B,  ground 
line.  2,  ground  floor. — C,  prison-room, 
34  by  15  feet;  D,  hall,  5  feet  wide;  E, 
cells,  8  by  6  feet ;  F,  guard-room,  30 
by  20  feet;  H  H,  cold-air  box  for  venti- 
lation; the  rooms  are  10  feet  high. 

The  new  hospital,  it  was  thought, 
would  be  completed  during  the  season 
(1869)  just  past.  The  foundation  walls 
and  a  portion  of  the  brick  walls  had 
been  finished,  but  the  lateness  of  the 
season,  inclemency  of  the  weather, 
together  with  a  partial  destruction  of 
the  already  built  walls  during  severe 
high  winds,  combined  to  prevent  its 
completion.  It  is  the  first  building  to 
be  finished  the  coming  season,  and  it 
is  probable  may  be  ready  for  occu- 


2.  l. 

Figure  51.— Scale,  24  feet  to  l  inch, 
paiicy  by  June.  The  plan  is  in  accordance  with  that  from  the  Surgeon  General's  Office,  Cir- 
cular No.  4,  dated  April  27,  1867.  The  dormitories  in  one  of  the  completed  barracks  are  tem- 
porarily occupied  as  a  hospital ;  the  apartment  used  as  ward  is  on  the  second  floor,  and  has  a 
capacity  of  6,000  cubic  feet,  giving  each  bed  a  superficial  area  of  75  feet,  and  air  space  of  750 
cubic  feet. 

There  is  a  post  library,  containing  200  volumes. 

The  command  is  at  present  using  water  brought  from  a  spring  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 

the  old  fort.    This  water  is  clear  and  of  agreeable  taste;  it  is  hard,  and  contains  lime,  chloride  of 

sodium,  carbonates  of  soda  and  magnesia,  and  organic  matter  in  very  small  amount.     There  are 

numerous  springs  in  the  vicinity,  but  the  water  from  them  is  very  hard.     Cisterns  have  been  built 

49 


386 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


uuder  the  center  compartment  of  the  quartermaster  and  commissary  store-houses,  having  a  capacity 
of  400  barrels  each ;  also  under  the  ends  of  one  of  the  finished  company  barracks.  It  is  designed 
to  place  similar  cisterns  under  each  of  the  barracks  to  be  erected.  The  drainage  of  the  new  fort 
will  be  effected  by  means  of  grading,  the  ground  gently  sloping  from  the  outside,  on  the  north, 
cast,  and  south  sides;  on  the  west  side,  or  in  the  rear  of  the  officers'  quarters,  the  ground  is  more 
level.  A  post  garden  was  attempted  last  year,  but  the  grasshoppers  destroyed  the  crop. 

The  nearest  supply  depots  are  at  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  395  miles  distant.  The  route  of  supply 
is,  at  present,  by  the  Missouri  Eiver  to  Fort  Stevenson,  thence  by  wagon  road.  The  overland  route 
is  considered  the  best.  The  river  route,  though  not  so  certain  and  expeditious,  is  cheaper,  although 
but  very  little — not  enough  to  pay  the  risk  of  loss  on  the  river,  together  with  damage  and  wastage, 
which  are  great.  Twelve  months'  supply  is  usually  kept  on  hand  at  the  post.  The  means  of  com- 
munication are  by  wagons  to  Fort  Abercrombie,  and  thence  by  stage.  There  is  a  weekly  mail. 
Time  to  department  headquarters,  eight  to  ten  days. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  comprise  half-breeds  and  Indians — of  the  former  about  sixty. 
They  are  Cree  and  Chippewa  half-breeds.  In  winter  they  cut  wood  for  the  contractors,  and  during 
the  summer  they  hunt  far  to  the  west;  they  are  very  quiet  and  peaceable,  giving  no  trouble;  gen- 
erally very  poor,  and  suffer  during  the  winter  for  the  want  of  food.  The  Indians  number  five- 
hundred  and  twenty  on  the  reservation;  they  are  Sissotons  generally,  with  the  exception  of 
eighteen  or  twenty  Wahpetous,  (Sioux;)  they  are  quiet,  and  well  behaved  and  industrious;  last 
season  cultivating  thirty-five  acres  of  land,  using  axes  and  hoes  made  of  roots  and  elk-horns. 
They  suffered  severely  last  winter  for  the  want  of  food. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Totteii,  Dakota  Terri- 
tory, for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


,d 

1     . 

t 

1 

i 

i 

S  — 

a 

bo 

=      0 

t» 

> 

2s 

a 

C8 

£ 

Yeare. 

§ 
i 

9 
M 
Q 

Whole  n 
taken  s 

Typhoid  fc 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrhoea 
dysente 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  d 

3 

o 
03 

Rheuruatis 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhnl 
tions. 

| 

1868  

277  83 

688 

2 

22 

91 

18 

H 

Cft 

1869  

136  25 

230 

7 

42 

4 

20 

4 

i 

e-l 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  RANDALL,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION   FURNISHED  BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  G.  T.  HACKENBERG  AND  A.  I.  COMFORT, 

UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Eandall  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Missouri  Biver,  latitude  43°  1'  north,  longi- 
tude 98°  12' west;  altitude,  above  the  river,  50  feet;  above  the  sea,  1,245  feet.  The  post  was 
established  by  General  Harney  in  1856,  and  was  named  after  Surgeon  B.  Eandall,  United  States 
Army,  now  retired.  From  the  river  bottom  the  land  rises  by  successive  plateaux  for  about  two 
miles,  when  it  becomes  hilly.  Beyond  the  hills  it  spreads  out  into  prairie.  Masses  of  a  soft, 
impure  carbonate  of  lime  rise  like  walls  from  the  borders  of  the  first  terrace.  The  stone  is  easily 
cut,  but  is  unfit  for  building  purposes.  Limestone  fit  for  the  kiln  is  found  within  three  miles.  The 
soil  of  the  bottom  lands  is  a  stratified  alluvium,  generally  fertile.  The  prairie  is  dry  and  unpro- 
ductive. The  climate  is  dry,  uniformly  cold  in  winter,  with  frequent  snow-storms.  The  average 
temperature  for  the  year  ending  June  30, 1870,  was  47.33°  F. ;  the  extremes  were  104°  F.  and  —17° 
F.  The  amount  of  rain  and  snow-fall  for  the  period  above  mentioned  was  18.42  inches.  The  winds 
are  strong  and  continuous.  The  plateau  on  which  the  post  is  built  is  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  the  river,  which,  at  this  point,  is  about  the  same  distance  wide. 


POET  RANDALL,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 


38? 


Five  buildings  are  used  as  barracks.  Four  of  these  are  of  hewn  logs  of  the  style  known  as 
"  billet "  or  French  log  houses.  These  were  brought  from  Fort  Lookout  in  1857.  They  stand  on  rot- 
ten piles,  and  the  joists  and  sills  are  much  decayed.  The  fifth  set  is  of  unhewn  logs.  These  build- 
ings measure  93  by  22£  feet,  and  10£  feet  to  the  eaves.  Each  set  of  quarters  is  intended  for  fifty 
men,  giving  261  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man.  The  officers'  quarters  are  nine  one-story  buildings, 
three  frame,  and  six  log.  The  log  quarters  are  lined  and  ceiled  with  boards.  The  commissary  and 
quartermaster's  store-houses  are  conveniently  located,  and  are  appropriate  for  the  several  uses  to 
which  they  are  assigned.  The  guard-house  is  50  by  20  feet,  and  10  feet  high,  divided  into  guard- 
room, prison-room,  and  three  cells. 

The  hospital  is  a  substantial  building  of  hewn  logs,  constructed  in  1857.  It  consists  of  a  main 
building,  100  by  21  feet,  which  is  divided  into  five  rooms,  19  by  19  feet,  and  9  feet  high,  the  three  cen- 
tral being  used  as  wards,  and  the  end  rooms  as  steward's  quarters  and  dispensary ;  and  two  wings, 
each  19  by  19  feet,  one  used  as  a  store-room,  the  other  as  dining-room  and  kitchen.  A  piazza,  10 
feet  wide,  runs  along  the  front  and  rear  of  the  building. 

The  post  library  contains  nearly  300  volumes.  It  is  patronized  liberally  by  the  enlisted  men. 
The  authors  most  read  are  Dickens,  Charles  Reade,  Muhlbach,  Marryatt,  Wilkie  Collins,  and 
Cooper.  There  are  no  works  on  science.  Appleton's  Encyclopedia  has  scarcely  been  referred  to. 
Prescott's  works,  the  only  ones  on  history,  have  been  read  by  one  man.  Works  of  travel  and  geog- 
raphy are  read  to  some  extent.  The  works  of  Lewis  and  Clark,  and  of  Collins  and  Schoolcraft,  are 
much  needed  in  the  library  of  every  frontier  post  in  the  Indian  Territory. 

There  are  no  arrangements  for  bathing  at  the  post. 

During  the  summer  months  there  is  irregular  communication  by  steamboat  with  Tanctou, 
Sioux  City,  and  other  points.  There  is  communication  by  stage  during  the  entire  year  with  the 
above-named  places,  occasionally  interrupted  by  snow  storms  and  swollen  streams.  Letters  from 
this  post  reach  department  headquarters  in  seven  or  eight  days. 

Opposite  the  post,  and  three  miles  above,  are  210  lodges  of  Indians.  They  are  peaceable  and 
well  disposed,  so  long  as  subsisted  on  their  annuities. 

The  diseases  most  common  in  this  vicinity  are  of  the  bowels  in  summer,  and  of  the  lungs  in 
winter.  The  prevalence  of  pneumonia  at  Fort  Randall  during  the  winter  of  1869-'70  may  be 
attributable  to  the  following  causes :  First.  The  over-crowding  of  uuacclimated  troops  into  ill 
ventilated  quarters,  with  insufficient  air  space,  (130  cubic  feet  per  man.)  Second.  Want  of  uni- 
formity of  temperature  of  the  apartments  which,  by  day,  sometimes  reaches  90°  F.,  and  by  night 
falls  below  the  freezing  point.  Third.  Insufficient  clothing  worn  about  the  chest,  often  only  a 
flannel  blouse  (unbuttoned)  and  a  coarse  merino  shirt.  Fourth.  Decomposition  of  the  logs  of 
which  the  barracks  are  built.  Several  cases  of  phthisis  have  been  developed  under  my  observa- 
tion about  the  months  of  February  and  March. 

Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  sicJc,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Randall,  Dakota 

Territory,  for  the  years  1808  and  1869. 


A 

1 

=  ^ 

* 

S 

9 

d 

a     . 

9 

00 

« 

o 
i 

00 

5     i. 

t» 

X 

e 

jQ 

Years. 

a 

B 

^ 

a 

C3 

3 

Whole  ni 
taken  si 

Typhoid  fe 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrhoea 
tlysente 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  di 

1 

a 

02 

Rheumatisi 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal 
tions.* 

I 

1868  

104.  25 

4:n 

1 

26 

74 

4 

14 

1 

34 

115 

1869  

100.  25 

169 

4 

12 

1 

o 

5 

1 

72 

f 

'  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


388  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT  SULLY,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 

REPORTS  OF  SURGEON  C.  C.  GRAY  AND  SURGEON  J.  P.  WRIGHT,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Sully  is  situated  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Missouri  River,  twenty  miles  below  the  mouth 
of  Cheyenne  River;  latitude  44°  30'  north,  longitude  100°  50'  west,  at  an  elevation  above  the  sea 
of  about  2,000  feet.  The  nearest  town  is  Yancton,  300  miles  below  by  river.  The  nearest  posts  are 
Fort  Randall,  200  miles  below,  and  Fort  Rice,  about  the  same  distance  above.  The  post  is  about  half 
way  between  the  head  of  navigation  (Fort  Benton)  and  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri,  and  is  1,480 
miles  above  St.  Louis.  It  is  built  on  the  "third  terrace,"  a  level  plateau,  160  feet  above  low-water 
mark,  and  about  the  same  distance  below  the  summit  level  proper.  On  the  south  the  surface  slopes 
rapidly  into  a  deep  ravine,  dry,  except  in  early  spring.  On  the  west  the  descent  is  abrupt  to  the  second 
ten-ace,  a  strip  one  hundred  yards  wide,  on  which  are  the  stables,  granary,  saw-mill,  smithy,  inter- 
preter's house,  tavern,  &c.  Still  further  below  is  the  river  bottom,  of  varying  width,  frequently 
subject  to  overflow,  moderately  well  timbered  and  very  fertile.  Here  the  company  and  hospital 
gardens  are  situated. 

The  construction  of  the  present  post  was  begun  in  August,  1806.  The  original  post  of  the 
same  name  was  established  by  General  Alfred  Sully  in  the  fall  of  1863,  and  was  situated  on  the 
same  side  of  the  river,  thirty  miles  below.  It  was  abandoned  because  of  the  unhealthy  character 
of  the  site.  During  the  winter  succeeding  the  arrival  of  the  troops  at  the  present  site,  their  labors 
were  severe,  and  the  only  quarters  were  such  as  could  be  constructed  of  slabs  and  shelter  tents. 
The  barracks  for  the  men  were  completed  early  in  1867,  and  soon  after  the  post  hospital  and  store- 
houses were  occupied.  The  officers'  quarters  were  not  completed  until  1868. 

The  reservation  includes  about  27,000  acres.  The  geological  formation  belongs  to  the  creta- 
ceous period,  which  is  that  of  the  entire  region  of  the  Upper  Missouri.  It  is  overlaid  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Yellowstone  by  a  layer  of  modified  drift,  containing  boulders  of  large  size,  principally  of 
granite  and  syenite.  The  soil  is  fertile,  but  the  extreme  drought  of  mid-summer  and  the  intense 
heat  suspend  vegetable  growth  to  a  great  extent.  During  the  spring  and  early  summer  the  graz- 
ing is  excellent,  and  during  the  winter  cattle  graze  on  the  dried  grass  with  evident  relish  and 
advantage.  A  few  of  the  more  common  trees  are  the  cottonwood,  buttonwood,  white  and  scrub 
oaks,  ash,  red  cedar,  willows,  yellow  and  red  plums,  the  hackberry,  chokeberry,  Juneberry,  and 
wild  cherry.  Among  shrubs,  vines,  herbs,  &c.,  are  found  wild  roses,  wild  currants,  the  bull  or  buf- 
falo berry,  elder,  frost  grape,  poison  oak,  honeysuckle,  pea  vine,  pomme  blanche,  tower  and  hedge 
mustard,  artichokes,  winder  and  water  cresses,  horse  and  spear  mint,  catnip,  Turk's  cap,  and  Cana- 
dian garlic.  Some  of  the  more  important  animals  are  the  buffalo,  elk,  antelope,  common  and  black- 
tail  deer,  Rocky  Mountain  sheep,  grizzly  and  brown  bears,  the  American  lion  or  cougar,  white, 
gray,  and  prairie  wolves,  beaver,  common  and  white  weasels,  foxes,  the  otter,  mink,  badger,  rab- 
bit, hare,  lynx,  Canada  porcupine,  prairie  dog,  and  small  marmot.  Some  of  the  birds  are  the  swan, 
wild  goose,  brant,  mallard,  teal,  and  wood  duck,  the  pelican,  gull,  colored  and  whit©  cranes,  green- 
legged  and  killdeer  plover,  the  sand  piper,  snipe,  curlew,  grouse,  passenger  pigeon,  sparrow  hawk, 
buzzard,  snow  and  common  owls,  the  swallow,  cedar  bird,  sand  martin,  and  the  bald  eagle.  Among 
reptiles  are  the  rattlesnake,  moccasin,  black  snake,  frog,  and  common  and  tree  toads. 

The  cottonwood  greatly  outnumbers  all  other  trees  in  this  vicinity,  and  is  of  prime  importance 
to  both  native  and  sojourner.  It  is  the  sole  reliance  of  this  country  for  fuel  and  lumber,  serving  in 
the  latter  case,  however,  but  an  indifferent  purpose.  Red  cedar,  though  scarce,  isobrained  in  sufficient 
quantity  for  special  purposes.  The  wild  plum  and  grape,  the  service  berry,  and  berries  of  the  spe- 
cies ribes,  are  abundant  in  their  season.  The  fruit  styled  "buffalo  or  bull  berry"  is  abundant  in 
autumn  ;  and  an  esculent  root  called  "pomme  blanche"  is  much  used  in  early  spring,  and  highly 
esteemed  by  the  natives.  No  cultivated  fruit  grows  here.  There  are  no  trees  nor  shrubs  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  post. 

Of  the  carnivorous  mammalia,  the  small  wild  cat  and  several  of  the  varieties  of  wolf  and  fox 
are  quite  numerous.  The  cougar  and  grizzly  bear,  though  very  rare,  may  be  claimed  for  this 


FORT  SULLY,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 


389 


country.  Of  the  ruminants,  antelope  and  common  deer  abound.  Immense  herds  of  buffalo  have 
been  seen  here  within  eight  years.  Since  the  post  has  been  established  only  an  occasional  stray 
bull  has  been  observed  in  the  vicinity.  Beaver  are  numerous.  Of  the  birds,  those  most  interest- 
ing to  the  sportsman,  and  which  are  sufficiently  numerous,  are  the  pinnated  grouse,  wild  goose, 
duck,  plover,  snipe,  and  curlew.  (The  varieties  of  duck  are  very  numerous.)  Of  the  venomous 
reptiles  the  rattlesnake  and  moccasin  are  the  most  frequently  met  with.  No  cases  of  snake-bite 
have  occurred. 

The  range  of  temperature  is  great,  from  106°  F.  to  —  40°  F.,  the  average  for  the  year  being 
about  45°  F. 

The  post  is  intended  for  four  companies.  The  men's  quarters  consist  of  two  buildings,  each 
350  feet  long  by  17  feet  wide,  placed  end  to  end,  with  an  interval  of  15  feet,  which  forms  the  sally- 
port. They  are  built  of  cottonwood  logs,  covered  with  pine  siding,  are  lathed  and  plastered,  the 
ceilings  being  12  feet  high.  Transverse  partitions  divide  the  buildings  into  dormitories,  mess-rooms, 
kitchens,  &c.  The  squad-rooms  measure  20  by  17  feet,  are  intended  for  16  men  each,  allowing 
about  255  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man.  The  experiment  was  tried  for  one  company  of  removing 
the  partitions  and  throwing  the  small  rooms  into  one,  but  it  was  thought  that  this  weakened  the 
building  too  much.  There  are  no  wash  or  bath-rooms.  Ablution  must  be  performed  out  of  doors. 
It  is  in  contemplation  to  build  a  piazza  for  each  building.  The  dormitories  are  fitted  with  rough 
wooden  double  bunks  in  two  tiers.  The  privies,  ordinary  earth  latrines,  are  75  yards  distant.  The 
ventilation,  of  the  barracks  is  very  defective.  There  are  three  sets  of  laundresses'  quarters,  in  a 
large  one-story  house  similar  to  the  officers'  quarters. 

For  officers'  quarters  there  are  nine  detached  frame  buildings,  built  of  pine,  on  brick  founda- 
tions, with  cellars  underneath.  Each  set  has  a  back  building  of  one  story,  as  a  kitchen.  All  the 
rooms  are  lathed  and  plastered.  Three  of  the  houses  are  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  and  contain  each 
four  rooms,  a  hall,  store-room,  and  pantry.  Two  cottages  are  of  one  story,  while  two  others,  of 
one  and  a  half  stories,  are  divided  each  into  two  sets  of  quarters  of  four  rooms.  None  of  these 
quarters  have  bath-rooms.  The  guard  and  prison-rooms  are  in  the  ends  of  the  barrack  building 
next  the  sally-port.  The  prisoners'  room  is  15  by  15  feet.  The  quartermaster's  store-houses,  two 
in  number,  measure  230  by  22  feet  and  120  by  24  feet.  The  commissary's  store-houses,  also  two 
in  number,  measure  228  by  17  feet  and  50  by  22  feet. 

The  hospital  is  located  near  the  brink  of  the  ravine,  to  the  south  of  the  post.  The  dimensions 
and  general  arrangement  are  shown  in  Figure  52. 

A,  ward ;  B,  bath-room,  8  by  15£  feet ;  D,  dispensary,  15£  by  16T9^  feet ;  E,  steward's  room,  15  by 
15J  feet ;  K,  kitchen,  14  by  15£  feet ;  M,  mess-room, 
14  by  15£  feet ;  O,  office,  15£  by  15J  feet ;  P,  piazza,  8 
feet  wide;  S,  store-room,  15£  by  20J feet.  The  ward  is 
intended  for  twelve  beds,  allowing  810  cubic  feet  air 
space  to  each.  The  dispensary  is  dark,  and  the  general 
arrangement  is  bad.  Although  there  is  a  bath-room, 
water  cannot  be  obtained  for  bathing. 

There  is  a  good  library  of  about  800  volumes  at 
the  post. 

The  labor  of  supplying  the  post  with  water  is  great. 
There  are  no  springs,  wells,  or  cisterns,  and  two  eight- 
mule  teams  are  constantly  employed  in  hauling  water 
from  the  river,  the  nearest  available  point  for  this  pur- 
pose being  one  mile  distant.  The  hospital  has  been 
restricted  to  the  amount  absolutely  required  for  cook-  Figure  52.— Scale,  29|  feet  to  l  inch, 

ing  and  for  the  laundry,  with  the  smallest  possible  amount  for  ablution.  It  seems  impracticable  to 
procure  water  from  wells,  and  even  if  thus  obtained,  it  would  be  unfit  for  use,  because  of  impregna- 
tion with  saline  matters.  The  cost  of  establishing  a  permanent  and  sufficient  water  supply  has 
been  officially  estimated  at  $13,500,  not  including  cost  of  transportation  of  materials.  The  natural 
drainage  of  the  post  is  excellent,  and  requires  little  artificial  aid.  The  garden  includes  about 
nine  acres.  Owing  to  drought  and  insects,  especially  grasshoppers,  the  crop  cannot  be  depended 


K 


M 


J 


F 


D 


0 


390 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


upon,  although  sometimes  the  yield  is  fair.  The  supply  of  ice  is  ample,  being  obtained  from  the 
river,  and  stored  in  blocks  18  inches  thick.  Officers  generally  keep  their  own  cows  and  poultry. 

Mail  wagous  run  from  Sioux  City  to  this  point  during  the  entire  year,  leaving  Sioux  City  on 
Friday  and  reaching  the  post  the  following  Thursday.  This  means  of  communication  is  regular,  but 
liable  to  interruption  in  winter  from  snow.  It  is  almost  impracticable  for  passenger  travel,  the 
wagons  being  open,  and  there  being  no  stopping  places  at  night.  The  river  is  navigable  from  April 
till  October.  Time  from  Sioux  City  by  boat  is  from  8  to  16  days.  There  are  no  inhabitants  in  the 
vicinity,  except  Indians.  Some  of  these  have  turned  to  cultivating  the  soil,  and  have  raised  good 
crops  of  corn. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  fair,  no  diseases  occurring  that  can  be  fairly  charged  to 
locality. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sicTc,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Sully,  Dakota  Terri- 
tory, for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  Iiichulo  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  RICE,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  WASHINGTON  MATTHEWS,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Rice  is  located  in  latitude  46°  40'  north,  longitude  from  Greenwich  100°  30'  west,  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  Missouri  River.  Owing  to  the  inconstancy  of  the  channel  of  the  river,  and 
other  causes,  the  distances  between  different  places  on  its  banks  are  with  difficulty  estimated; 
hence  the  position  of  Fort  Rice,  with  regard  to  other  points  on  the  river,  is  not  well  ascertained, 
and  is  laid  down  variously  by  different  authorities.  The  distance  from  St.  Louis,  as  given  in  the 
report  of  Colonel  D.  B.  Sackett,  in  1866,  is  1,810  miles,  but  navigators  on  the  river  reckon  it  as 
high  as  1,846  and  1,850  miles.  To  Sioux  City,  the  nearest  railway  terminus,  it  is  about  836  miles; 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Cannonball,  the  nearest  affluent  of  size  below,  it  is  about  10  miles;  and  to  the 
Hart  River,  the  next  good-sized  stream  above,  the  distance  is  estimated  at  50  miles.  Fort  Sully, 
the  neighboring  military  post,  down  the  river,  is  supposed  to  be  from  250  to  275  miles  distant;  and 
Fort  Stevenson,  the  nearest  garrison  above,  is  perhaps  150  miles.  The  last  two  mentioned  places 
are  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  The  ruins  of  old  Fort  Clarke,  and  of  the  village  formerly 
occupied  by  the  Gros  Ventres  and  Maudans,  is  120  miles  above,  on  this  side  of  the  river.  The 
military  reservation  at  Fort  Rice  is  taken  from  the  lands  of  the  Oukpapas,  one  of  the  tribes  of  the 
Sioux  Nation.  It  has  not  yet  been  declared  by  the  President,  and  there  is  no  record  at  the  post  of 
the  amount  of  land  held  reserved.  The  land  is  generally  sterile,  and  sparsely  timbered  and  watered. 
No  crops  have  been  raised,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  any  can  be.  Various  attempts  at  gardening  have 
been  made  at  the  post  by  different  commands,  but  never  with  any  great  degree  of  success.  Drought 
is  one  of  the  chief  difficulties,  but  not  the  only  one — for  what  the  drought  spares,  the  grasshoppers 
are  apt  to  devour.  Some  years  there  is  a  pretty  fair  rain-fall,  and  a  scarcity  of  grasshoppers,  but 
even  the  best  years  are  not  encouraging.  In  the  bottom  lands  of  the  Missouri,  where  they  are 
covered  with  timber  and  underwood,  the  soil  is  rich  and  rendered  tolerably  moist  by  percolation 
from  the  river,  and  because  the  melted  snow  and  rain  and  water  of  overflows  are  retained  long  on 
the  surface  in  consequence  of  the  flatness  and  peculiar  composition  of  the  soil;  and  on  these 


FORT  RICE,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY.  391 

bottoms,  not  many  miles  from  the  post,  the  Indians  have  cultivated  for  many  years  with  fair  success, 
and  without  irrigation,  such  plants  as  "squaw  corn"  and  squash,  which  it  seems  the  grasshoppers 
cannot  easily  destroy. 

The  timber  of  the  country  consists  of  cottonwood,  elm,  ash,  and  oak  in  limited  quantities. 

The  principal  wild  animals  of  the  vicinity  are  the  elk,  buffalo,  black-tailed  deer,  long-tailed 
deer,  mule-deer,  antelope,  beaver,  panther,  black  bear,  cinnamon  bear,  otter,  large  gray  wolf,  coyote, 
red  fox,  gray  or  silver  fox,  crossed  fox,  wild  cat,  badger,  common  mink,  small  black  mink,  and 
white-tailed  weasel. 

Of  birds  the  following  are  the  most  important:  Great  horned  owl,  great  snowy  owl,  bald  eagle, 
gray  eagle,  war  eagle,  prairie  hen,  sand-hill  crane,  blue  heron,  meadow  lark,  wild  pigeon,  jack 
snipe,  land  snipe,  curlew,  robin  red-breast,  pelican,  common  wild  duck,  swan,  and  wild  goose. 

The  climate  is  generally  dry.  The  summers  are  short  and  hot;  thermometer,  90°  to  110°  F. 
The  winters  are  long  and  intensely  cold;  thermometer  sometimes  40°  F.  below  zero.  The  average 
temperature  for  the  year  is  about  42°  F.  The  amount  of  rain-fall  was  6.28  inches;  of  snow,  2.29 
inches,  during  the  year  1869. 

Fort  Rice  was  established  in  1804.  The  buildings  of  the  post  were  erected  by  the  Thirtieth 
regiment  Wisconsin  infantry,  and  consisted  of  rude  huts  of  cottonwood  logs,  with  roofs  of  p  oles 
and  slabs  covered  with  earth.  During  the  year  1868  the  fort  was  rebuilt,  the  old  quarters  demol- 
ished, and  new  buildings  erected  on  the  same  sites.  But  one  building  of  the  old  fort  remains;  this 
is  occupied  temporarily  as  officers'  quarters.  It  is  60  feet  long  by  24  feet  wide,  and  one  and  a  half 
stories  high,  containing  four  sets  of  quarters.  Exclusive  of  the  kitchens,  there  are  four  rooms  in 
each  set,  two  on  the  first  floor  and  two  on  the  second  floor. 

Fort  Rice  is  about  300  yards  from  the  margin  of  the  river,  and  at  an  elevation  of  35  feet  above 
low-water  mark.  It  has  the  form  of  a  quadrangle,  544  by  868  feet,  inclosed  by  a  stockade,  10  feet 
high,  made  of  two  inch  oak  planks  secured  to  a  strong  frame.  There  are  two  sally  ports,  and  two 
projecting  bastions,  two  stories  high,  built  of  squared  and  dove-tailed  logs.  The  upper  story  is 
placed  in  such  a  manner  on  the  lower  that  the  corners  of  the  former  correspond  to,  and  project 
over,  the  sides  of  the  latter.  On  top  is  a  platform  and  an  octagonal  sentry-box.  Each  story  of  the 
bastions  is  20  feet  4  inches  square  and  7  feet  high ;  the  lower  story  projects  13  feet  3  inches  beyond 
the  walls  of  the  fort.  The  new  buildings  within  the  stockade  are  as  follows,  viz :  Five  store-houses, 
four  company  quarters,  seven  sets  of  officers'  quarters,  a  hospital,  guard-house,  bakery,  offices,  &c. 
These  buildings  surround  the  parade  ground;  each  is  parallel  to  the  contiguous  wall  of  the  fort. 
The  barrack  on  the  extreme  north  approaches  within  22  feet  of  the  north  Avail  of  the  fort;  the 
most  southerly  of  the  four  is  58  feet  from  the  south  wall,  the  post  bakery  standing  between  the  one 
and  the  other.  Between  the  contiguous  ends  of  each  pair  of  the  barracks  is  an  alley  of  10  feet  in 
width,  which  is  considered  sufficient  to  admit  light  to  the  windows  that  open  upon  it,  and  to  retard 
the  progress  of  a  fire.  These  barracks,  one  story  high,  have  balloon  frames  of  good  pine  lumber ; 
all  the  rest  of  the  wood- work,  except  the  finishing,  is  of  coftonwood,  sawed  at  the  post.  The 
frames  are  sheeted  and  weather-boarded  outside,  and  well  shingled ;  some  of  the  apartments  are 
ceiled  with  half-inch  boards ;  the  walls  are  lined  between  the  studding  with  adobe.  The  buildings 
are  laid  upon  good  stone  foundations  or  piers,  which  are  banked  with  clay,  to  prevent  the  wind 
from  entering  through  the  floors.  Each  barrack  consists  of  a  main  building  and  two  L's  or  wings, 
extending  at  right-angles  toward  the  stockade,  within  15  feet  of  which  they  terminate.  The  build- 
ing thus  incloses  on  three  sides  a  yard  60  by  50  feet.  The  main  building  is  90  feet  long  by  30 
feet  wide,  and  is  occupied  by  a  dormitory,  office,  and  store-room.  Each  wing  is  20  by  60  feet, 
and  all  apartments  are  10  feet  from  floor  to  ceiling.  One  wing  is  divided  into  kitchen  and  mess- 
room;  the  other  wing  contains  four  rooms  occupied  as  laundresses'  quarters,  company  schools* 
&c.  The  barracks  are  well  lighted  by  doors  and  windows,  and  warmed,  in  the  colder  seasons,  by 
stoves.  There  is  no  special  arrangement  for  ventilation.  Each  dormitory  Ifas  an  area  of  30  by 
74  feet,  and  an  average  air  space  of  480  cubic  feet  per  man.  The  bunks  are  two  tiers  high  and 
sufficient  in  number  to  accommodate  fifty  men  in  each  dormitory.  The  sinks  are  outside  the  stock- 
ade. The  barrack  kitchens  are  sufficiently  commodious.  The  mess-rooms  are  each  about  44  by  22 
feet.  There  are  three  new  buildings,  containing  five  sets  of  officers'  quarters,  completed,  and  four 
more,  containing  also  five  sets,  erected  but  not  completed ;  these  are  good  balloon  frame  buildings 


302  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 

The  first  three  mentioned  are  neatly  finished,  and  contain  two  double  sets  of  quarters  with  garrets, 
and  one  single  set  without  garret ;  a  space  of  ten  feet  separates  the  buildings  from  each  other.  All 
of  these  quarters  stand  on  good  foundations  of  hewn  rock,  and  have  cellars  under  the  kitchens. 
The  occupied  rooms  are  finished  inside  with  lath  and  plaster,  while  the  company  quarters  are  not 
covered  inside,  and  the  partitions  and  ceilings  are  of  cottonwood ;  in  the  former  the  floors  are  of 
planed  and  matched  pine  flooring;  in  the  latter,  of  unplaned  cottonwood;  in  the  single  set  of 
officers'  quarters,  burned  brick,  a  fair  quality,  made  at  the  post,  is  used  between  the  studding  of 
the  outside  wall  instead  of  adobe.  The  same  article  of  brick  is  used  in  the  chimneys.  Each  set  of 
double  quarters  consists  of  a  body  and  rear  addition  or  wing.  The  body  has  an  area  of  46  by  30 
feet;  each  half  of  it  contains  a  hall,  7  by  30  feet;  a  sitting  room,  15  by  15  feet,  and  a  bed-room 
behind  the  sitting-room,  12  by  15  feet,  all  communicating  with  each  other.  There  are  also  three 
closets,  one  under  the  staircase  in  the  hall,  and  two  included  in  the  walls  that  separate  the  rooms. 
The  extension  in  the  rear  is  26  by  30  feet ;  each  half  of  this  is  divided  into  a  dining-room,  13  by  15 
feet,  and  a  kitchen,  15  by  15  feet,  and  here  again  another  staircase,  with  closet  under  it,  leads  to 
the  garret. 

In  the  single  set  of  officers'  quarters,  the  main  building  is  30  by  27  feet  on  the  ground  floor ; 
the  rear  extension  or  wing,  18  by  30  feet;  the  former  contains  a  tall,  6  by  20  feet,  two  front  rooms, 
15  feet  square,  and  two  rooms  behind,  9  by  15  feet,  with  four  closets  arranged  in  the  walls.  The 
latter  is  partitioned  off  into  a  dining-room,  14  by  18  feet,  a  kitchen,  10  by  16  feet,  a  pantry,  4  by  8 
feet,  and  a  servants'  room,  8  by  11  feet.  The  building  for  the  headquarters  of  the  post  is  frame, 
finished  inside  with  lath  and  plaster,  and  painted  outside.  The  five  store-houses  mentioned  are 
substantial  frame  buildings,  sheathed,  sided  and  well  roofed  with  cottonwood  shingles.  They  are 
not  yet  ceiled  or  lined  inside.  Pour  of  them  are  20  by  90  feet,  and  10  feet  from  floor  to  eaves.  One 
of  these,  used  as  a  commissary  store-house  and  issuing  room,  is  built  over  an  excellent  cellar  which 
extends  the  whole  length  of  the  building.  This  cellar  has  stone  walls  22  inches  thick,  is  7  feet 
deep,  has  a  graded  floor,  and  is  continued  2  feet  above  ground,  where  it  is  lighted  by  four  small 
windows.  This  cellar  is  used  for  storing  potatoes  and  other  subsistence  stores  which  would  be 
injured  by  exposure  to  extremes  of  temperature.  The  more  westerly  of  the  store-houses  is  built 
upon  stout  logs,  about  12  inches  in  diameter,  set  perpendicularly  in  the  ground  and  rising  2  feet 
above  the  surface,  leaving  thus  a  large  air  space  between  the  ground  and  the  floor  of  the  building ; 
each  one  of  these  supporting  logs  is  surmounted  by  an  inverted  iron  pan,  rendering  the  building 
rat-proof. 

The  magazine  is  a  substantial  stone  building,  24  by  33  feet  on  the  outside,  and  4  feet  from  the 
ground  to  the  eaves.  The  roof  is  covered  with  sods,  and  from  its  summit  projects  a  wooden  ven- 
tilator, with  over-lapping  boards ;  in  the  walls  also  are  two  ventilating  holes,  about  a  foot  above 
the  ground,  protected  by  curved  iron  spouts.  The  floor  is  nearly  2  feet  below  the  level  of  the 
ground  outside.  The  walls  are  2  feet  thick  at  the  bottom,  tapering  up  to  18  inches. 

In  the  ravine,  at  a  distance  of  less  than  an  eighth  of  a  mile  from  the  fort,  is  a  small  steam  saw- 
mill. At  this  mill  was  cut  almost  all  the  lumber  used  in  the  rebuilding  of  the  post.  A  shingle- 
machine,  lath,  and  cord-wood  saw,  have  been  attached  to  steam-power.  All  the  shingles  used  in 
the  rebuilding  were  sawed  here. 

The  guard-house,  situated  within  the  stockade,  is  a  temporary  frame  building,  20  by  40  feet, 
lined  inside  with  cottonwood  planks,  lighted  by  seven  windows,  and  entered  by  two  doors  in  the 
south  sides,  one  entering  the  guard-room,  the  other  the  sergeant's  room.  It  is  divided  into  a 
guard-room,  18  by  20  feet;  a  prison  room,  14  by  18  feet ;  three  strong  cells,  each  3  by  4  feet,  opening 
into  it,  and  inclosed  in  the  walls  that  divide  it  from  the  guard-room,  and  a  room  for  the  sergeant. 
The  guard-house  is  warmed  by  stoves,  and  ventilated  by  doors  and  windows ;  the  cells  above 
described  are  dark  and  small ;  this  guard-house  is  considered  sufficient  for  the  need  of  the  post. 

The  post  hospital  is  constructed  on  a  nearly  similar  plan  to  that  of  the  company  quarters,  but 
the  dimensions  are  somewhat  different,  the  body  of  the  building  being  90  by  24  feet,  and  the  L's, 
20  by  40  feet.  It  is  built  on  a  good  rock  foundation,  which  rises  2  feet  above  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  and  is  banked  all  around  with  clay.  It  is  constructed  of  .similar  materials  to  those  used 
in  the  barracks,  except  that  the  ward,  dispensary,  steward's-room,  office,  linen-room,  and  bath- 
room are  floored  with  dressed  pine,  the  other  apartments  with  cottonwood.  The  dispensary,  ward, 


FORT  KICB,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY.  393 

kitchen,  steward's  room,  and  mess-room  are  ceiled  with  half-inch  cotton  wood  boards;  the  other 
apartments  are  as  yet  unceiled.  It  is  designed  to  finish  the  hospital  with  lath  and  plaster  as  soon 
as  practicable.  The  apartments  are  all  10  feet  from  the  floor  to  the  top  of  the  wall.  The  dispensary 
is  13  by  14  feet.  The  ward  is  63  by  24  feet,  contains  thirteen  beds,  and  an  air  space  of  nearly 
1,100  cubic  feet  to  each.  The  wash-room  adjoining  the  ward  is  supplied  with  a  bath-tub,  mirror, 
towels,  basin,  and  other  necessary  articles.  There  are  no  water-closets  for  the  special  use  of  the 
hospital.  The  hospital  is  warmed  by  stoves,  well  lighted  and  ventilated. 

The  post  bakery  is  a  good  frame  house  on  a  solid  foundation,  lined  with  adobe  and  ceiled  with 
plank.  Its  dimensions  are  45  feet  8  inches  by  20  feet  5  inches,  and  10  feet  from  floor  to  ceiling. 
The  oven  has  the  capacity  for  baking  1,500  rations  of  bread  in  twenty-four  hours;  but  300  rations 
per  day  is  about  the  average  product. 

The  corral,  situated  outside  of  the  fort,  is  a  somewhat  irregular  inclosure,  about  325  feet  square, 
having  buildings  arranged  around  in  such  a  manner  that  their  exterior  sides  form  part  of  the  walls 
of  the  iuclosure;  the  remainder  of  the  walls  being  of  long  poles  or  logs  set  upright.  A  fine  frame 
store-house,  18  by  130  feet,  laid  on  a  very  substantial  foundation,  and  used  as  a  granary,  is  the  only 
new  building  in  the  inclosure.  Except  this  house,  all  parts  of  the  corral  building  and  palisades 
are  to  be  torn  down,  and  their  places  supplied  with  new  structures. 

There  are  two  ice-houses  built  of  logs ;  one  18  feet  square,  the  other  28  by  30  feet.  The  capa- 
city of  these  two  houses  is  estimated  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  tons;  here,  throughout  the  entire 
summer,  ice  is  kept  in  excellent  condition. 

The  only  drinking  water  used  at  the  post  is  obtained  from  the  Missouri  River,  and  is  the  best 
to  be  procured  in  the  country;  it  is  brought  around  daily  by  the  water-wagon,  and  allowed  to  stand 
in  barrels  until  it  settles,  when  it  is  tolerably  clear  and  quite  pleasant  to  drink.  Many  believe  the 
water  to  be  injurious.  A  large  amount  of  foreign  constituents  are  no  doubt  held  in  solution  or 
suspension,  as  no  water  can  possibly  be  more  turbid,  particularly  in  the  spring;  but  they  are  nearly 
all  mineral,  and  entirely,  or  almost  entirely,  innocuous.  Owing  to  the  barren  character  of  the 
country  through  which  the  Missouri  flows,  to  the  rapidity  of  its  current,  to  the  absence  of  sloughs 
and  lagoons  along  its  course,  and  to  the  sparsity  of  the  population  upon  its  banks,  the  amount  of 
decayed  organic  matter  contained  in  its  waters  must  be  comparatively  small.  Much  stress  is  laid 
by  some  upon  the  number  of  so-called  "alkali  springs"  and  "alkali  creeks"  that  flow  into  the 
Upper  Missouri;  but  the  evil  nature  of  these  is  usually  overrated,  and,  besides,  they  form  but  an 
infinitesimal  portion  of  the  waters  of  the  river,  the  chief  source  of  supply  being  doubtless  the 
snows  and  rains  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  Black  Hills.  The  small  and  inconstant  water-courses 
that  rise  in  the  plains  can  add  but  little.  It  may  be  remarked  that  among  those  Indians  who  have 
dwelt  for  generations  in  permanent  villages  on  the  Upper  Missouri,  drinking  almost  exclusively  of 
its  waters,  bronchocele  is  very  common ;  while  among  those  who  roam  at  large  over  the  steppes,  it  is 
not  noticed.  We  read  of  similar  facts  being  observed  of  permanent  dwellers  on  the  Saskatchewan, 
whose  head-waters  rise  near  those  of  the  Missouri. 

As  the  fort  is  at  a  good  elevation  above  the  river,  and  as  the  soil  is  dry,  no  great  amount  of 
artificial  drainage  is  required.  From  the  east  wall  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff  that  overhangs  the 
river,  a  drain  about  three  feet  deep  is  cut,  which  carries  off  any  excess  of  water  from  melted  snow, 
&c. ;  as  all  the  slops  and  other  refuse  of  the  fort  are  removed  daily,  drains  or  sewers  for  other  pur- 
poses are  unnecessary.  Three  hundred  yards  west  of  the  fort,  on  a  gently  sloping  hill,  is  the  post 
cemetery,  a  quadrangular  inclosure,  95  by  101  yards,  with  a  board  fence  around  it.  It  contains 
about  one  hundred  and  forty  graves. 

The  nearest  supply  depots  are  at  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  about  750  miles  distant.  The  route  of 
supply  is  by  the  Missouri  River,  which  is  closed  from  the  1st  of  November  to  the  loth  of 
April  in  each  year.  Twelve  months'  supply  is  usually  kept  on  hand  at  the  post. 

The  means  of  communication  between  the  post  and  the  nearest  town,  Yaucton,  C25  miles  dis- 
tant, is  by  steamboat  on  the  Missouri  River,  and  by  wagon  road.  A  sworn  agent  of  the  Post  Office 
Department  was  appointed  at  the  post  in  I860,  but  the  carrying  and  distributing  of  the  mail  con- 
tinued, and  still  remains,  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  military.  A  regular  weekly  mail  communi- 
cation with  the  East,  in  winter  as  well  as  in  summer,  was  not  successfully  in  operation  until  the 
winter  of  1867-'G8.  A  regular  semi-monthly  mail  between  Forts  Rice  and  Stevenson  was  established 
50 


394 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


tbe  same  winter.  In  1806  a  route  was  opened  to  Fort  Wadsworth,  which  was  the  most  jdirect  way 
of  communication  with  department  headquarters;  but  owing  to  the  numerous  impediments  to  travel 
by  this  route  in  winter  and  spring,  and  to  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  men  able  and  willing  to  perform 
the  journey,  it  was  fouud  necessary  to  abandon  it.  At  present  a  party  of  mounted  Indian  scouts  start 
every  Monday  morning  (with  the  easternmail)  for  the  Indian  reserve  at  Grand  River;  here  they  meet 
another  party  from  Fort  Sully,  and,  exchanging  mail  matter,  return  on  the  following  Friday.  Every 
second  Monday,  a  mounted  party  (with  mail  for  the  up-river  posts)  start  for  a  half-way  station 
between  this  post  and  Fort  Stevenson,  and  return  on  the  following  Wednesday. 

The  post  is  surrounded  by  lands  of  the  Sioux  nation,  from  which  the  reservation  is  taken. 
The  Sioux,  who  more  frequently  visit  the  post,  are  tall,  muscular,  enduring,  and  healthy,  but  are 
becoming  deteriorated.  There  are  comparatively  few  of  these  Indians  in  the  surrounding  country 
at  present,  they  having  gone  to  the  reserve  at  Grand  River.  There  are  no  settlements. in  the 
vicinity  of  the  post. 

In  summer  dysentery,  diarrhoaa,  and  other  diseases  of  the  alimentary  canal  prevail;  in  winter, 
catarrhal  affections  to  a  slight  extent.  There  are  no  diseases  of  a  local  origin  to  be  particularly 
ascribed  to  any  peculiarity  of  climate  or  position.  Intermittents  often  recur,  but  probably  never 
originate  here.  During  the  first  years  of  occupancy,  scurvy  was  a  formidable  malady,  destroying 
many  lives,  and  otherwise  seriously  reducing  the  efficiency  of  the  garrison;  but  since  the  commis- 
sary has  been  better  supplied,  the  disease  has  almost  entirely  disappeared. 

Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Rice,  Dakota  Territory, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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FORT  STEVENSON,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  WASHINGTON  MATTHEWS,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Stevenson  is  situated  in  the  northwestern  part  of  Dakota  Territory,  about  eighty-six 
miles  south  of  the  international  boundary  line,  on  the  left  (north)  bank  of  the  Missouri,  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  river,  and  half  a  mile  west  of  the  nearest  landing  place  for  a  steamer. 
Latitude  47°  34'  north,  longitude  101°  18'  west.  It  is  40  yards  from  the  bluff  which  bounds  the 
bottom  lands,  36  feet  above  low-water  mark  of  the  river,  and  12  feet  above  the  flood  mark  of  1866. 
To  Fort  Rice,  the  nearest  garrison  below  on  the  river,  is  150  miles  by  water,  95  miles  by  land.  To 
Fort  Bnford,  the  nearest  post  up  the  river,  is  250  miles  by  water,  150  iniles  by  land.  Fort  Totten, 
the  nearest  post  to  the  east,  is  130  miles  distant.  To  Yancton,  the  nearest  town  of  importance  on 
the  river,  it  is  800  miles  by  water,  560  by  laud.  To  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  the  nearest  railway  terminus 
on  the  Missouri,  is  950  miles  by  water,  COO  by  land.  To  Fort  Sully  is  420  miles ;  to  Fort  Abercrom- 
bie,  350  miles.  The  two  posts  last  named  are  the  nearest  points  to  which  regular  post  roads 
extend,  and  from  these  to  Fort  Stevenson  the  mail  is  carried  at  the  expense  of  the  Quartermaster's 
department.  The  history  of  this  post,  including  that  of  Fort  Berthold,  is  as  follows : 

Fort  Clarke,  around  which  once  lay  the  villages  of  theRee,  Gros  Ventres,  audMandan  Indians, 
stood  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Missouri,  some  thirty-five  miles  below  the  present  site  of  Fort  Ste- 


FORT  STEVENSON,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY.  395 

vensoii.  In  1845  the  Gros  Ventres,  and  part  or  all  of  the  Maudans,  moved  up  the  river,  and  built 
their  village  on  the  promontory  where  it  now  stands,  and  in  the  same  year  the  American  Fur 
Company  commenced  the  building  of  a  stockade  on  the  extreme  point  of  the  bluff  "overlooking  the 
Missouri.  This  was  named  Fort  Berthohl,  in  honor  of  a  Mr.  Berthold,  of  St.  Louis.  In  1859  an 
opposition  trading  company  erected  another  stockade  about  two  hundred  yards  south  of  the  former 
building.  This  was  called  Fort  Atkinson.  It  being  found  unadvisable  to  maintain  trading  estab- 
lishments so  close  together  as  Forts  Clark  and  Berthold,  the  former  was  broken  up  in  the  spring 
of  1860.  In  the  winter  of  18GO-'G1,  the  Itees  dwelt  on  a  timbered  point  about  eight  miles  above  the 
site  of  Fort  Stevenson.  In  the  winter  of  18G1- '02  they  had  temporary  quarters  above  Fort  Ber- 
thold, and  in  March,  1802,  they  commenced  the  erection  of  a  permanent  village  whose  ruins  may 
now  be  seen  on  the  prairie  nearly  opposite  Fort  Berthold.  Ilere  on  the  3d  of  August,  1862, 
before  their  village  was  finished,  or  their  first  corn  crop  had  ripened,  they  had  a  severe  battle  with 
the  Sioux,  and  on  the  next  day  they  abandoned  their  village  and  moved  across  the  river;  they  then 
built  their  lodges  around  Fort  Berthold,  and  joined  once  more  with  the  Gros  Ventres  and  Mandans. 
In  the  fall  of  1802,  the  two  trading  companies  having  been  consolidated,  the  old  fort  erected  in 
1845  was  abandoned,  and  the  stores  and  employes  of  the  American  Fur  Company  were  moved  into 
Fort  Atkinson,  to  which  the  name  of  Fort  Berthold  was  transferred.  This  fortification  stands  and 
retains  the  name  of  Berthold.  On  Christmas  Eve  of  1862,  while  most  of  the  friendly  Indians  were 
absent  at  their  winter  quarters,  the  post  was  attacked  by  a  large  party  of  Sioux,  who  reduced  the 
old  fort  and  the  greater  part  of  the  village  to  ashes,  and  nearly  succeeded  in  capturing  the  inhab- 
ited stockade.  The  citizen  garrison,  however,  defended  itself  bravely,  and  aided  by  the  timely 
arrival  of  some  Indians  from  winter  quarters,  succeeded  in  driving  off  the  Sioux  with  great  loss  to 
the  latter. 

In  the  spring  of  1803  the  Isantee  Sioux,  who  had  been  driven  out  of  Minnesota  after  the  mas- 
sacre of  the  previous  year,  came  to  Berthold  to  form  an  alliance  with  the  Berthold  Indians  against 
the  whites.  The  two  parties  met  at  a  ravine  about  three  miles  from  the  post,  when,  instead  of 
advancing  to  shake  hands,  a  Ree  brave  suddenly  fired  upon  the  Sioux,  and  a  battle  ensued,  in  which 
two  Gros  Veutres  and  nine  Isantees  were  killed.  Other  difficulties  with  the  enemy  quickly  followed, 
and  the  condition  of  the  post  becoming  dangerous,  an  application  for  military  assistance  was  made. 
General  Alfred  Sully,  on  the  return  march  of  his  second  northwestern  Indian  expedition,  arrived 
at  Berthold  on  the  29th  of  August,  1804,  and  detached  from  his  expedition  a  company  as  garrison 
for  the  post.  On  the  3d  of  September  the  company  moved  into  the  stockade,  and  then,  for  the  first 
time,  troops  were  quartered  at  Fort  Berthold.  Owing,  however,  to  some  disagreement  with  the 
agent  of  the  Fur  Company,  log  buildings  were  erected  outside  of  the  fort,  and  the  troops  moved 
into  them  in  April,  1865.  The  health  of  the  command  was  good.  It  was  a  season  of  plenty  while 
they  remained,  there  being  an  abundance  of  buffalo  constantly  around  the  fort;  and  although  the 
commissary  was  poorly  supplied,  and  there  were  no  vegetables  to  be  obtained,  they  did  not  have  a 
single  case  of  scurvy. 

General  Sully's  third  northwestern  Indian  expedition  arrived,  on  its  return  march,  at  Berthold , 
August  8,  1805,  and  here  General  Sully  issued  an  order  directing  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Union  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Yellowstone.  The  evacuation  was  completed  on  the  31st  of  August,  and  from 
this  time  until  the  establishment  of  Fort  Buford,  in  1860,  Berthold  was  the  most  extreme  garrison 
in  the  valley  of  the  Upper  Missouri. 

The  troops  consequently  suffered  from  scurvy.  No  death  from  disease  is  known  to  have  ever 
occurred  among  any  troops  at  Berthold.  On  the  14th  of  June,  1807,  the  troops  moved  from  Fort 
Berthold  to  a  point  17  miles  further  east,  where  a  post  at  that  time,  designated  as  ''New  Fort  Ber- 
thold," was  about  to  be  established.  Fort  Berthold  was  never  owned  by  the  Government,  nor,  as 
far  as  I  am  able  to  learn,  was  any  rent  ever  paid  for  it.  The  use  of  it  was  given  by  the  agent  of  the 
Northwest  Fur  Company,  who  erected  offices,  quarters,  and  warehouses  for  himself  outside  of  the 
fort,  which  he  occupied  as  long  as  the  military  remained. 

It  was  considered  necessary  to  retain  a  garrison  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Ber- 
thold for  the  following  reasons :  First,  as  an  intermediate  post  on  the  Missouri  between  the  distant 
forts  of  Rice  and  Buford;  second,  as  a  link  in  the  chain  of  posts  along  the  proposed  "Northern 
emigrant  route,"  from  Minnesota  to  the  gold  mines ;  third,  as  a  base  of  supplies  to  the  post  then 


396  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAET  POSTS. 

about  to  be  built  at  Devil's  Lake,  (now  Fort  Totten  ;)  and  fourth,  perhaps  as  affording  military  pro- 
tection to  the  village  of  friendly  Indians,  and  whites  at  Fort  Berthold.  But  it  was  also  considered 
imperative  that  the  garrison  should  be  removed  from  Fort  Berthold,  as  no  suitable  military  reserve 
could  be  made  which  would  not  include  the  buildings  or  cornfields  of  the  friendly  Indians,  and  it 
was  not  considered  just  or  politic  to  interfere  with  their  improvement.  As  a  base  of  supplies  to 
Fort  Totteu  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  put  the  post  at  the  point  where  the  Missouri  quits  its  east- 
erly course  and  bends  to  the  south,  (a  point  some  seven  miles  east  of  Stevenson  ;)  but  as  there  was 
not  sufficient  timber  at  that  place,  it  had  to  be  built  elsewhere  in  the  vicinity.  A  better  steamboat 
lauding  and  a  closer  proximity  to  good  timber  might  have  been  found  about  three  miles  west  of 
here,  but  the  contiguity  of  two  small  streams  and  of  some  springs  of  (rather  impure)  water,  proba- 
bly influenced  the  selection  of  this  particular  site. 

During  the  summer  of  1807  the  Sioux 'made  three  raids  on  the  camp  in  force,  and  one  attack 
in  a  small  party.  The  troops  were  compelled  to  labor  very  hard  after  the  building  of  the  post  was 
commenced,  and  as  their  food  was  deficient  in  variety,  and  being  lodged  in  tents  during  the 
severest  weather,  they  suffered  greatly  in  health.  Acute  dysentery  was  the  first  prevailing  disease. 
This  reached  its  height  in  September,  1867,  when  there  were  some  fifty  five  cases  on  the  report, 
besides  a  number  of  mild  attacks  not  recorded.  After  thisscurvy  prevailed.  This  reached  its  height 
in  April,  1868,  during  which  mouth  there  were  sixty-one  cases  reported  among  the  enlisted  men 
alone,  besides  some  forty  or  fifty  able  to  perform  light  or  partial  duty,  whose  names  were  not  taken 
upon  the  sick-list.  The  scorbutic  taint  was,  however,  even  more  widespread  than  these  numbers 
would  seem  to  indicate.  The  men  were  prone  to  contract  diseases,  slow  to  recover,  and  little  able  to 
bear  their  hard  labors  and  the  rigors  of  the  climate  ;  frost-bites  were  common.  The  troops  were 
uot  completely  housed  until  January  3,  1868. 

The.  military  reservation  of  Fort  Stevenson  has  not  yet  been  surveyed  or  determined.  It  is 
believed,  however,  that  it  will  be  laid  off  in  a  rectangular  form,  extending  about  nine  miles  east, 
seven  miles  west,  one  mile  north,  and  two  miles  south  of  the  flag-staff. 

The  bottoms  of  the  Missouri  have  in  this  neighborhood  an  average  width  of  about  a  mile  and 
a  half.  The  most  elevated  parts  are  about  fifteen  feet  above  low- water  mark,  but  three  times  within 
the  last  twenty  years  they  have  been  entirely  overflowed ;  from  side  to  side  in  these  bottom  lands 
the  Missouri  winds  cutting,  at  each  bend,  almost  or  entirely  through  the  first  bench,  and  sometimes 
through  this  to  the  second  bench.  In  the  latter  case  we  find  the  stream  bounded  on  one  side  by  a 
high  and  precipitous  bank.  This  rapid  winding  of  the  Missouri  divides  the  bottom  lands  into 
sections,  called  here  "  points,"  somewhat  semicircular  in  form,  and  situated  alternately  upon  op- 
posite sides  of  the  river.  A  typical  "point"  on  the  Missouri  may  be  described  as  follows  :  At  its 
upper  extremity,  which  is  always  at,  or  immediately  below,  the  convexity  of  a  bend,  the  river 
rushes  against  the  bank  with  great  force;  the  channel  is  deep,  the  bank  steep,  and  the  laud  is  being 
constantly  worn  away.  At  the  lower  half  of  the  point,  which  is  at,  or  immediately  below,  the  con- 
cavity of  a  bench,  the  river  is  slower  and  more  shallow ;  the  shore  slopes  down  gradually  to  the 
water,  and  the  laud  is  increasing.  The  sloping  shore  here  referred  to  is  always  a  long,  barren  bar 
of  sand  and  mud,  partly  covered  with  drift-wood.  Behind  this  bar,  as  the  ground  becomes  grad- 
ually more  elevated,  we  find  willows  in  all  stages  of  growth  ;  further  up  there  are  young  forest  trees  • 
and  on  still  higher  ground  we  find  the  mature  forest  of  cottonwood,  elm,  ash,  and  box  elder.  This 
forest  is,  however,  usually  but  a  narrow  belt,  and  behind  it  on  the  older  deposits  of  the  bottom 
there  is  sparse  timber  or  great  treeless  spaces,  covered  sometimes  with  good  grass,  but  more 
frequently  with  bull-berry  shrubs,  and  rose  and  coral-berry  bushes.  Almost  the  only  arable  land 
in  the  country  is  to  be  found  on  the  "points,"  and  but  little  timber  grows  beyond  their  limits. 
There  are  five  of  these  points  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Stevenson,  which  will  be  entirely  or 
partly  included  in  the  reservation.  As  a  result  of  this  action  of  the  Missouri,  in  tearing  down  the 
land  in  one  place  to  build  it  up  in  another,  we  have  a  slow  movement  of  the  points  down  the 
stream. 

The  first  bench  or  terrace  rises  abruptly  from  the  bottoms  to  a  height  of  from  ten  to  twenty 
feet,  and  extends  backward  (becoming  gradually  more  elevated)  to  the  bluffs  which  form  the  edge 
of  the  second  bench.  It  is  a  treeless,  arid  prairie.  The  strip  of  this  bench  upon  which  Fort 
Stevenson  is  built  extends  some  nine  miles  up  the  river  and  about  seven  miles  down,  and  it  has  an 


FORT  STEVENSON,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY.  397 

average  width  of  about  one  mile.  The  second  bench  is  at  its  edge  from  two  hundred  to  three  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  Missouri;  it  is  au  elevated  plain,  producing  only  stunted  and  scanty  herbage; 
it  stretches  far  to  the  northwest  and  southeast,  and  rises  gradually  into  the  elevated  table-land 
known  as  the  "  Coteau  du  Missouri,"  whose  eastern  limit  is  forty  miles  east  of  Fort  Stevenson. 
To  the  south,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  it  is  bounded  by  a  higher  plain,  whose  seamed  and 
barren  edge  is  known  as  the  "  Mauvaises  Terres"  or  "  Bad  Lands." 

The  term  "  bad  lands"  is  often  of  very  general  application.  Portions  of  the  lower  plain  or 
"  secoiul  bench,"  when  furrowed  by  deep  ravines,  and  presenting  a  series  of  barren  buttes  and  deep 
gullies,  are  frequently  called  bad  lauds,  but  it  is  a  proper  name  when  applied  to  the  locality  referred 
to  in  the  last  paragraph.  Deep  ravines  in  some  places  stretch  from  the  Missouri  up  into  the  prairie. 
There  are  five  of  these  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Stevenson;  two  hcive  water-courses  which  run 
all  the  year  except  in  very  dry  seasons. 

The  deposits  along  this  portion  of  the  Missouri  Valley  belong  to  the  cretaceous,  tertiary,  and 
post-tertiary  periods.  The  cretaceous  rocks  rise  in  some  places  to  a  considerable  height,  and  show 
themselves  along  the  river  bluffs,  but  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Stevenson  the  tertiary  rocks 
predominate.  These  rocks  consist  chiefly  of  hardened  mud,  (too  soft  to  merit  the  name  of  rock 
except  in  a  geological  sense,)  in  layers  of  different  colors.  These  layers  are  interspersed  with  seams 
of  lignite,  varying  in  width  from  three  or  four  inches  to  as  many  feet.  Again  there  are  irregular 
and  interrupted  deposits  of  sandstone.  As  these  resist  erosion  much  better  than  the  indurated  mud 
that  surrounds  and  underlies  them,  in  some  cases  large  flags  of  the  harder  rocks  are  supported 
on  long  slender  pillars  of  the  softer.  Silicified  wood  is  very  commonly  found  in  this  neighborhood, 
in  pieces  from  one  to  three  feet  in  diameter,  and  imprints  of  the  leaves  and  branches  of  various 
exogenous  plants  are  abundant.  Some  of  the  sandstone  will  do  well  for  building  purposes.  The 
lignite  mined  near  Fort  Stevenson  makes  good  fuel,  but  it  burns  away  very  rapidly  and  disinte- 
grates on  exposure  to  the  air. 

Limonile  and  pumice  are  found  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  lignite  seams.  Above  these  tertiary 
beds  is  a  great  drift  deposit  containing  boulders  of  every  description,  some  of  immense  size.  The 
foundations  of  all  the  buildings  at  Fort  Stevenson  are  made  of  trimmed  boulders,  (mostly  granite.) 
There  are  many  good-sized  fragments  of  marble  and  dolomite  in  the  drift,  and  at  some  posts  in 
the  department  these  have  been  collected  and  burned  into  excellent  lime. 

As  before  intimated,  the  general  surface  is  not  fertile.  The  deeper  ravines  and  bottom  lauds 
produce  grass  sufficiently  long  to  be  made  into  hay,  but  on  the  higher  ground  the  grass  is  too  short 
to  be  cut.  Even  on  the  better  soil  the  second  crop  of  hay  is  not  as  abundant  as  the  first.  At  the 
present  time  a  wide  extent  of  country  must  be  searched  to  obtain  sufficient  hay  for  the  post,  and 
some  time  hence  it  will  probably  be  much  scarcer.  For  agricultural  purposes  only  the  lower  lands 
seem  to  be  available,  but  without  irrigation  none  but  the  hardier  vegetables  will  thrive.  In  most 
seasons,  and  when  grasshoppers  are  not  as  abundant  as  usual,  careful  husbandry  may  be  rewarded 
by  fair  produce.  At  Fort  Berthold,  and  other  points  in  this  neighborhood,  the  Indians  have  raised 
on  the  bottoms  of  the  river,  without  irrigation,  corn,  squashes,  and  beans,  with  varying  success  for 
probably  more  than  a  century. 

Among  the  wild  animals  of  the  vicinity  may  be  mentioned  buffalo,  elk,  deer,  antelope,  wolf, 
gray  and  red  fox,  coyote,  wild  cat,  lynx,  skunk,  mink,  beaver,  otter,  gopher,  prairie  dog,  and  mice. 
Birds:  prairie  chicken,  duck,  plover,  snipe,  geese,  brant,  snowbird,  crow,  gull,  sage  hen,  crane, 
pelican,  and  magpie. 

In  the  Missouri  River  may  be  found  catfish,  perch,  shovelnose,  and  sturgeon. 

The  average  temperature  is  about  43°  F.  Extremes  105°  F.  and  —  30°  F.  The  atmosphere  is 
frequently  saturated  with  moisture.  The  rainy  season  commences  in  April  and  ends  in  October. 

The  post  is  built  in  the  form  of  a  parallelogram,  the  sides  of  which  are  occupied  by  neat  adobe 
buildings,  one  story  in  height,  set  up  in  cottouwood  frames,  on  rock  foundations.  The  parade  is 
220  feet  square,  and  the  general  arrangement  of  the  buildings  is  shown  in  Figure  53. 

Two  buildings  are  used  as  barracks,  one  to  each  company.  Their  walls  are  11  feet  from  founda- 
tion to  eaves;  are  plastered  outside  with  a  brown  cement,  and  marked  to  imitate  cut  stone.  On 
the  inside  the  walls  are  roughly  plastered,  and  very  uneven;  they  will  average  12  to  13  inches  in 
thickness,  but  when  finished  they  will  be  about  14  inches  thick.  The  chimneys  are  of  brick,  brought 


398 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


from  the  States ;  they  pierce  the  roof  about  half  way  between  eave  and  ridge  pole,  and  are  built 
upon  the  tie  beams;  the  stove-pipes  consequently  enter  the  chimneys  above  the  level  of  the  walls 

and  close  to  the  roof.  There  are  no  special  means  for 
ventilation.  Each  of  these  buildings  incloses  three 
sides  of  a  yard,  60  by  68  feet,  and  may  be  described 
as  consisting  of  a  body  100  by  22  feet,  and  two  wings 
or  L's,  each  measuring  68/2  by  20  feet.  The  body  of 
the  building  is  occupied  entirely  by  the  dormitory, 
"]  which  is  97-jTj  by  19TS^  feet,  lighted  by  six  windows, 
entered  by  four  doors,  and  warmed  by  three  coal  stoves. 
The  west  wing  is  divided  into  a  dining-room,  42T2^  by 
17T»_  feet,  and  a  kitchen,  24J  by  17^  feet.  The  east 
wing  is  divided  into  an  orderly  room,  12T\  by  17Tsf 
feet;  a  company  store-room,  14  by  17TS^  feet;  a  com- 
pany laundry,  13T9¥by  17TRTjfect;  a  room  for  laundresses' 
quarters,  13T35  by  17^  feet ;  and  a  wash-room,  14T2^  by 
feet. 


M 


Figure  53.—  Scale,  180  feet  to  1  inch. 


T8-j 


A  B,  temporary  log  houses;  C,  Company  F  barracks;  D,  hospital;  E,  sally-port;  F,  officers' 
quarters;  H,  Company  C  barracks;  I,  quartermaster's  store-house;  J,  temporary  log  house;  K 
L  M,  officers'  quarters. 

The  air  space  is  240  cubic  feet  per  mau  in  each  dormitory.  This  does  not  include  the  space 
contained  between  the  roof  and  the  horizontal  joists  or  tie-beams  which  rest  on  the  walls,  for  the 
room  may  yet  be  ceiled. 

There  are  in  each  dormitory  ten  new,  neatly  finished,  two-tier  double  bunks,  capable  of  accom- 
modating eight  men  each,  or  eighty  in  all. 

The  wash-room  is  supplied  with  a  heating  stove,  a  trough  for  the  basins,  a  water  barrel,  and  a 
slop  barrel.  There  are  also  wash-tubs  for  those  who  wish  to  bathe  themselves  ;  beside  these  there 
are  no  arrangements  for  bathing  in  winter,  but  in  summer  the  men  go  to  the  river. 

Three  buildings  are  now  used  as  officers'  quarters.  All  the  floors  are  of  tougued  and  grooved 
pine,  the  chimneys  built  from  the  ground,  the  partitions  of  lath  and  plaster,  the  apartments 
ceiled,  and  all  the  walls  plastered  on  the  inside.  On  the  outside  the  adobes  are  uncovered,  but 
it  is  intended  either  to  plaster  and  mark  them  after  the  manner  of  the  barracks,  or  to  cover  with 
weather-boards.  The  walls  are  fourteen  inches  thick. 

The  guard-house,  situated  in  the  center  of  the  side  opposite  the  commanding  officer's  quarters, 
is  60  feet  long  and  20  feet  wide,  with  a  passage,  10  feet  wide,  across  the  center,  surmounted  by  a 
tower,  10  feet  square,  from  which  the  flagstaff  rises. 

The  hospital,  like  the  barracks,  incloses  three  sides  of  a 
rectangular  yard.  The  plan  is  shown  in  Figure  54. 

A,  ward,  running  between  the  main  buildings,  and  used  as 
bath  and  wash-room;  A,  ward,  17T^  by  44185  feet;  D,  dispen- 
sary, 15-Jf  by  17T\  feet;  E,  steward's  room,  12-^  by  12T2T  feet;  F, 
post  bakery,  17^  by  30T%  feet  ;  K,  kitchen,  14  by  17^  feet  ; 
L,  laundresses'  quarters,  16  by  17T8j  feet;  M,  messroom,  17T"j 
by  20}§  feet;  S,  store-room,  13  by  12T2^  feet  ;  height  of  rooms, 
11  feet. 

The  yard  inclosed  is  70  by  38  feet.  The  outer  walls 
of  the  hospital  form  the  southeast  corner  of  the  fort.  They 
are  built  of  the  same  material  as  the  barracks,  adobe  on  rock 
foundation,  one  story  high.  There  are  as  yet  only  cotton- 
wood  floors,  but  it  is  designed  to  lay  down  some  matched 
pine  flooring  on  the  ward  and  dispensary  in  the  spring.  All 
the  rooms  are  ceiled  and  plastered  inside,  with  the  exception 
of  the  laundry  and  wash-room,  and  with  one  exception  the 
partitions  are  all  about  6  inches  thick,  of  lath  and  plaster.  The  description  of  the  roof  and  win- 
dows of  the  barracks  applies  to  the  hospital  ;  the  walls  are  cemented  and  marked  outside. 


M 

A 

A, 

IT" 

K 

L 

s  t 

D 

F 

Figure  54. 


FOKT  STEVENSON,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 


399 


The  post  library  occupies  a  room,  furnished  with  stove,  chairs,  tables,  and  book-cases.  It  is 
designed  as  a  reading-room  for  the  men,  as  well  as  a  library,  and  contains  850  well-selected  vol- 
umes, including  standard  works  on  the  physical  sciences,  travels,  history,  biography,  and  the  better 
class  of  fiction  and  poetry. 

All  the  water  used  at  this  post  is  brought  from  the  Missouri  River  by  water-wagon.  There  are 
streams  and  springs  in  the  neighborhood,  but  their  water  is  impregnated  with  salts,  rendering  it 
unpalatable.  The  Missouri  water  is  the  best  in  the  country.  It  is  sweet,  and  although  very  muddy, 
particularly  in  the  spring  time,  it  becomes  clear  when  allowed  to  settle.  There  are  no  cisterns  or 
reservoirs.  The  fort  is  built  on  sloping  ground,  and  the  subsoil  consists  mostly  of  gravel.  The 
natural  drainage  is  perfectly  efficient,  hence  there  are  no  artificial  drains,  and  none  needed.  In 
winter  there  is  no  arrangement  for  bathing,  except  the  tubs  in  the  wash-rooms  already  described. 
In  summer  the  men  bathe  in  the  Missouri,  and  in  a  stream  named  Douglas  Creek,  which  flows 
close  by. 

On  the  bottoms  near  the  mouth  of  Douglas  Creek,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  post, 
an  irregularly  shaped  piece  of  ground,  containing  between  four  and  five  acres,  was  cultivated  as  a 
post  garden.  Irrigation  by  hand  was  practiced  during  the  dry  season.  Peas,  beans,  and  lettuce 
grew  well ;  cabbages  and  potatoes,  being  later  in  season,  were  eaten  up  by  the  grasshoppers  before 
maturity.  There  are  no  hospital  nor  officers'  gardens. 

During  six  mouths  of  the  year  there  is  communication  with  the  States  for  commercial  purposes, 
by  means  of  the  Missouri  River.  During  the  remaining  six  months  there  is  no  communica- 
tion except  by  mail.  Heretofore  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  Leavenworth  have  been  the  chief  markets, 
but  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  the  nearest  railroad  point  on  the  river,  is  now  taking  a  large  share  of  the 
trade,  on  account  of  its  greater  proximity.  Steamers  from  St.  Louis  take  from  twenty-five  to  sixty 
days  to  reach  this  point.  We  have  two  mail  routes  from  here  to  the  States.  The  first  is  via  Forts 
Totten  and  Abercrombie,  to  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  it  requires  probably  from  three  to  six  weeks  for 
a  letter  to  go  to  department  headquarters.  In  1808  the  Indians  caused  considerable  trouble  on  the 
road  between  here  and  Fort  Totten.  They  captured  the  mail  twice  and  killed  five  mail  carriers, 
three  of  whom  were  soldiers,  and  two  citizens,  but  last  summer  they  gave  no  trouble.  The  second 
route  is  via  Forts  Rice,  Sully,  and  other  posts  on  the  river  below  us,  to  Sioux  City,  Iowa.  On  this 
the  mail  is  carried,  when  practicable,  every  second  week. 

The  only  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  are  the  Indians  and  whites  at  Fort  Berthold,  some  seven- 
teen miles  distant.  The  village  contains  some  2,500  Indians,  of  the  tribes  of  Arickarees  or  Rees, 
Gros  Venires,  and  Maudaus,  who  eke  out  a  meager  subsistence  by  agriculture,  hunting,  and  the 
annuities  received  from  the  Government. 

The  present  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  is  excellent.  Venereal  diseases  of  various  forms 
are  the  most  prevalent  throughout  the  year.  In  summer  we  have  many  cases  of  acute  diarrhoea, 
and  acute  dysentery  of  mild  types.  Slight  scorbutic  symptoms  have  again  manifested  themselves 
this  winter,  but  they  are  readily  dispelled.  I  do  not  believe  that  true  malarial  disease  ever  origin, 
ated  here,  but  it  may  recur  to  those  who  have  formerly  suffered.  Pulmonary  disease  is  almost 
unknown ;  we  have  had,  since  the  post  was  established,  two  or  three  cases  of  phthisis,  supervening 
on  scurvy,  or  contracted  by  the  patient  before  he  came  into  the  country.  The  records  of  this  post 
and  Fort  Berthold,  since  June  1,  1865,  (nearly  five  years,  show  but  two  cases  of  pneumonia,  and 
these  cases  were  so  slight  that  the  diagnosis  was  made  with  difficulty. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Stevenson,  Dakota 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


b 

Years. 

1 
a 
S 

i 

£ 

S  •* 

n 

d 

V 

al  fevers. 

B 

C5 

b 

s 

cs   a 
8   1 

tc 

a 

al  disease 

Uj 

1 

09    * 

00 

3  § 

• 

1 

^ 

1 

i 

*  -S 
|* 

F 

1 

•g   ^ 

B    'O 

S 

'x 

1 

1 

V 

> 

t 

i 

1 

g  •* 
i 

o 

% 
O 

1 

1868  

245  83 

382 

6 

66 

5 

45 

79 

g 

56 

3 

1869....  

142  5 

157 

6 

27 

1 

22 

5 

5 

12 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


400  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT  BUFORD,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT   SURGEON  J.  P.  KIMBALL,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Buford,  located  in  latitude  48°  north,  longitude  from  Greenwich  104°  west,  is  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  Missouri  River,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Yellowstone. 

The  reservation  has  not  been  declared.  Thirty  miles  square  is  held  reserved,  as  described 
and  announced  in  General  Orders  No.  21,  Headquarters  Department  of  Dakota,  dated  July  1C,  1808. 

The  Missouri  River  averages  in  this  vicinity  about  one-half  mile  in  width  in  its  usual  channel- 
It  has  a  flood  plain  which  is  from  forty  rods  to  several  miles  wide,  and  which  is  covered  with  water 
in  the  occasional  great  floods  that  occur  once  in  several  years.  This  flood  plain  or  bottom  land  is 
generally  well  timbered,  and  covered  with  a  dense  undergrowth  of  willows  and  shrubs.  Above 
this  is  a  grassy  plain  from  one  to  four  or  five  miles  in  width,  extending  back  to  the  hills  or  "  bad 
lauds,"  and  abounding  in  sage-brush  and  cactus.  The  structure  of  this  plain,  as  observed  in  dig- 
ging wells,  consists,  for  the  first  eleven  feet  from  the  surface,  of  a  porous  clay;  then,  for  about  three 
feet,  a  fine  gravel ;  next  is  white  sand  for  fifteen  feet,  and  black  sand  for  two  feet,  below  which  is  a 
stratum,  about  twenty-two  or  twenty -three  feet  in  thickness,  of  a  very  tough,  grayish-blue  clay.  As 
soon  as  this  layer  of  clay  is  perforated  water  in  large  quantity  rises  through  the  opening  and 
affords  an  unfailing  supply.  The  average  depth  of  the  three  wells  at  the  post  is  52  feet.  The  sur- 
face of  the  ground  in  which  they  are  located  is  38  feet  above  the  river  at  the  ordinary  stage  of  water. 
Through  this  plain,  at  distances  of  one-half  to  two  or  three  miles  apart,  are  ravines,  or  "  coolies," 
as  they  are  called  here,  running  from  the  hills  to  the  bottom  lands  of  the  river,  constituting 
an  excellent  system  of  drainage.  But  few  of  them  contain  water,  however,  except  in  very  wet  sea- 
sons. The  water  of  the  few  small  streams  that  do  run  through  them  is  intensely  alkaline,  contain- 
ing sulphate  of  soda  in  large  quantity.  These  coolies  are  generally  of  sufficient  depth  to  conceal 
from  observation  a  party  of  horsemen  until  the  observer  approaches  to  within  a  few  yards  of  them, 
and  are  invaluable  to  the  Indian  for  purposes  of  secret  approach  and  ambuscade. 

The  striking  feature  of  this  vicinity  lies  in  the  "  mauvaises  terres,"  or  "bad  lands,"  which  con- 
sist of  a  succession  of  barren  hills,  or  "  buttes,"  averaging  from  two  to  three  hundred  feet  in  height- 
These  buttes  are  chiefly  composed  of  compact  clay,  very  tough  and  elastic,  considered  to  be  a  ter- 
tiary deposit.  They  bear  abundant  evidences  of  erosion  by  water,  some  having  been  molded  into  a 
conical  form,  while  others  have  assumed  a  pyramidal  shape,  and  others  again  have  been  worn  away 
on  one  or  more  sides  until  they  present  a  perpendicular  face  hundreds  of  feet  in  height.  At  this 
point  these  lands  extend  back  from  the  plain  for  five  or  six  miles,  beyond  which  is  a  rolling  prairie. 
Their  general  course  here  is  from  west  to  east  along  the  Missouri  River,  which  approaches  them 
closely  at  some  points.  Near  the  bases  of  these  buttes  there  not  unfrequently  crops  out  a  seam  of 
lignite,  averaging  from  four  or  five  inches  to  aa  many  feet  in  thickness.  It  is  of  fair  quality  for 
fuel,  and  the  indications  are  that  the  deposit  is  sufficiently  extensive  to  render  it  of  great  value  for 
local  uses  should  the  population  of  the  country  ever  be  sufficient  to  require  it.  It  is,  however,  so 
prone  to  crumble  to  a  fine  powder  upon  exposure  to  the  air,  that  it  would  probably  be  impractica- 
ble to  transport  it  a  long  distance  to  market. 

The  only  stratified  rock  that  has  been  observed  in  the  vicinity  is  a  calcareous  sandstone  ter- 
tiary, free  from  fossils,  which  crops  out  abundantly  among  the  clay  hills.  This  stone  is  valuable 
for  building  purposes,  hardening  by  exposure  to  the  weather.  It  contains  too  much  carbonate  of 
lime  to  be  used  in  the  construction  of  ovens,  since  it  crumbles  after  long-continued  exposure  to 
heat.  Metamorphic  rock  occurs  only  in  the  granite  and  mica  schist  of  boulders,  which  have  been 
brought  to  their  present  places  in  the  drift. 

Deserving  of  notice  are  the  numerous  and  beautiful  specimens  of  petrified  wood,  entire  logs 
and  stumps  of  which,  supposed  to  be  chiefly  cedar,  are  frequently  found  in  the  hills  of  a  pearly 
white  color,  finely  tinted  with  various  shades  of  red  and  crimson. 

The  country  around  the  post  is  not  arable.  The  plain  just  described  would  produce  crops  if 
it  could  be  irrigated.  The  country  is  badly  watered.  Occasionally  along  the  river  strips  of  land  are 


FORT  BUFORD,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY.  401 

found  capable  of  producing  corn  and  vegetables.  Some  of  the  more  common  representatives  of  the 
vegetable  kingdom  are  the  ash-leaved  maple  or  rose  elder,  (Negundo  accroides,)  sparsely  scattered 
along  the  river  banks ;  the  red  osier  dogwood  (Cornus  stolonifera)  is  plentiful  in  the  same  locality. 
The  kinnikiunik,  which  the  Indians  sinoke,  is  the  inner  bark  of  this  shrub  scraped  off  and  dried. 
They  call  it  "Chah-shah-shah."  The  green  ash  is  found  in  varying  quantities  on  the  wooded  river 
bottoms.  Red  cedar  is  sparingly  found  on  the  hills  and  in  the  rocky  ravines,  usually  of  a  small 
stunted  character.  A  species  of  the  willow  family  finds  a  place  in  the  low  moist  grounds.  It  is  a 
shrub  from  5  to  8  feet  high,  and  is  probably  the  low  bush  willow,  (Salix  humilis.)  The  cottonwood 
(Populus  monilifera)  constitutes  the  bulk  of  the  forest  in  this  vicinity,  and  is  the  only  wood  availa- 
ble in  any  quantity  for  fuel  or  building  purposes.  The  low  bottom  lands  along  the  Missouri  and 
Yellowstone  Rivers  are  for  the  most  part  covered  with  cottonwood  forests.  The  wild  yellow  or  red 
plum  (Prunus  Americanus)  is  found  in  the  ravines  and  on  the  prairie  side  of  points  of  timber  located 
on  the  river  lands.  It  is  edible,  and  of  good  flavor,  being  the  best  fruit  the  vicinity  affords.  The 
number  of  trees,  however,  are  limited,  and  the  supply  consequently  scanty.  The  choke  cherry 
(Prunus  Virginiana)  is  found  in  much  the  same  places  and  quantities.  A  variety  of  service  berry 
(AmelancMer  Canadensis)  is  abundant  along  the  streams  as  a  shrub.  The  smooth,  wild  gooseberry 
(Ribes  hirtellum)  is  sparingly  found  in  ravines.  The  Missouri  currant  (Ribesia  aureum)  is  more  com- 
mon in  the  same  locality.  The  buffalo,  or  bull  berry,  (ShepJierdia  argentea,)  an  edible,  acid,  red  fruit, 
ripening  late  in  the  season,  occurs  abundantly,  usually  in  the  bottom  lauds.  It  is  very  valuable 
to  the  Indians,  who  often  subsist  on  it  almost  entirely  for  several  weeks  during  the  fall,  at  times 
when  there  happens  to  be  great  scarcity  of  game.  The  poinrne  blanche,  or  Indian  turnip,  (Psoralea 
esculenta,)  is  abundant  in  the  high  grounds  and  sandy  soil.  It  is  much  used  as  food  by  the  abo- 
rigines. The  prickly  pear  (Opuntia  Missouriensis)  is  extremely  abundant  in  the  prairie,  and  by  its 
sharp,  stiff  spines  is  rendered  a  very  annoying  obstacle  to  the  traveler,  whether  mounted  or  on 
foot.  Lambs'  quarters  ( Chenopodium  album)  grows  plentifully  in  the  low  moist  bottoms,  and  is 
highly  prized  and  much  used  during  the  spring  and  early  summer  for  greens.  The  wild  onion 
(Attium  stellatum]  is  common  upon  the  hill-sides  and  steep  banks.  A  species  of  wild  mint  finds  a 
place  on  the  moist  banks  of  streams  in  the  vicinity. 

Some  of  the  more  important  animals  are  the  American  bison  or  buffalo,  mountain  sheep,  white 
and  black-tailed  deer,  elk,  antelope,  Canada  lynx,  wild  cat,  American  gray  wolf,  coyote,  common 
red  fox,  swift  fox,  prairie  fox,  silver  gray  fox,  Indian  dog,  grizzly  bear,  black  bear,  long- tailed 
ermine,  mink,  badger,  common  skunk,  American  otter,  fisher,  American  sable,  Canada  porcupine, 
jack  hare,  gray  rabbit,  beaver,  gopher,  and  niuskrat. 

The  climate  is  one  of  extremes,  being  excessively  hot  in  summer  and  extremely  cold  in  winter. 
The  extreme  heat  of  summer  is  of  short  duration,  and  the  nights  are  always  cool.  Winter  sets  in 
early  in  December,  and  lasts  until  near  the  1st  of  April.  The  cold  is  continuous  and  severe. 
Wind  and  snow  storms  are  of  common  occurrence.  Snow  sometimes  falls  to  a  depth  of  two  feet, 
which  is  the  greatest  depth  ever  known  here.  The  atmosphere  is  dry,  and  the  variations  in  tem- 
perature are  not  as  observed  as  in  more  humid  climates.  The  fall  of  rain  is  very  small,  the  annual 
average  for  two  years  being  about  nine  and  a  quarter  inches. 

Fort  Buford  was  first  established  as  a  one-company  post  in  1866,  and  increased  to  five  compa- 
nies in  1867,  since  which  time  the  work  of  building  the  fort  has  been  in  progress.  It  is  built  upon 
a  rectangular  plot  of  ground,  333  yards  in  length  by  200  in  breadth.  This  plot  is  inclosed  on  three 
sides  by  a  wooden  stockade,  12  feet  in  height.  The  south  side,  facing  toward  the  river,  is  not  stock- 
aded. The  parade  ground,  460  by  350  feet,  is  bounded  on  the  north  side  by  the  officers'  quarters, 
on  the  east  by  the  commissary  store-room  and  office,  quartermaster's  store-room  and  office,  and 
one  company  barrack ;  on  the  south  by  four  company  barracks,  and  on  the  west  by  the  hospital, 
post  library,  adjutant's  office,  and  guard-house.  East  of  the  buildings  forming  the  eastern  bound- 
ary of  the  parade  ground,  and  separated  from  them  by  a  street  twenty  feet  in  width,  are  the  grana- 
ries, stables,  corral,  butcher  shop,  blacksmith  shop,  bakery,  and  magazine. 

The  barracks,  five  in  number,  are  rectangular  adobe  buildings,  each  124  feet  in  length,  by  24 

feet  wide,  and  10  feet  high  to  the  eaves,  not  ceiled.    Walls  17  inches  thick.    Roofs  of  boards  and 

slabs,  covered  with  dirt.    Each  barrack  is  divided  into  a  first  sergeant's  room,  12 by 24  feet;  men's 

quarters,  70  by  24  feet ;  mess-room,  30  by  24  feet,  and  kitchen,  12  by  24  feet.    The  natural  illumina- 

51 


402  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

tion  of  the  quarters  is  insufficient.  Iii  the  dormitory  there  are  but  three  windows,  each  2  feet  6 
inches  wide,  by  4  feet  8  inches  high,  not  affording  sufficient  light  to  read  by  except  in  their  immediate 
vicinity.  The  quarters  are  at  all  times  dark  and  gloomy,  the  exact  reverse  of  what  they  should  be 
were  the  health  and  comfort  of  the  occupants  considered.  The  ventilation  of  the  quarters  by  means 
of  flues  immediately  beneath  the  eaves,  and  the  large  open  fireplaces,  is  sufficient  in  this  climate,  if 
the  rooms  are  not  overcrowded.  The  air  space  in  the  men's  quarters  is  18,480  cubic  feet,  and  the 
average  occupancy  sixty  men,  allowing,  therefore,  but  308  cubic  feet  of  air  to  each  man.  The 
quarters  are  well  warmed  by  fireplaces  and  stoves.  A  serious  fault  in  these  buildings  is  the  entire 
absence  of  a  room  for  bathing  purposes;  the  only  facilities  the  men  now  have  for  washing  being  a 
basin  of  water  out  of  doors,  and  the  Missouri  River,  which  last  is  so  rapid  and  dangerous  at  this 
point  that  but  few  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  it  gives  during  a  few  months  in  the  summer. 
The  bunks  are  badly  arranged  in  three  tiers  one  above  the  other,  each  bunk  holding  two  men.  The 
company  sinks,  two  in  number,  are  situated  110  feet  distant  from  the  fort,  each  consisting  of  a  ditch, 
30  feet  in  length  by  8  feet  wide  and  12  feet  in  depth,  with  a  building  erected  over  it. 

The  kitchens  are  of  ample  size,  but  their  location  is  objectionable,  as,  being  in  the  same  building 
and  in  close  proximity  to  the  men's  quarters  and  communicating  with  them,  much  of  the  steam 
and  effluvia  pass  in,  frequently  rendering  the  quarters  very  disagreeable.  The  same  objection  of 
locality  might  be  raised  against  the  mess-rooms.  The  fact  that  there  is  no  store  or  lumber-room 
connected  with  the  barracks  is  made  evident  by  the  accumulation  of  sundry  articles  in  the  kitchens, 
mess-rooms,  and  sleeping-rooms,  to  the  great  detriment  of  the  good  order  and  neatness  of  the 
quarters. 

The  laundresses  occupy  an  adobe  building,  20  by  100  feet,  which  is  divided  into  five  rooms, 
each  20  feet  square.  On  a  line  with  this  building  are  the  quarters  of  the  citizen  employe's,  an 
adobe  building,  20  by  50  feet,  divided  into  three  rooms,  «ach  16  by  20  feet.  In  rear  of  the  laun- 
dresses' quarters  is  an  adobe  building,  12  by  20  feet,  now  occupied  by  the  interpreter. 

The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  three  adobe  buildings  and  two  wooden  ones.  The  adobe  build- 
ings are  each  45  by  48  feet,  and  10  feet  high  to  the  eaves,  and  divided  by  a  hall  through  the 
center  into  two  sets  of  quarters  of  three  rooms  each,  each  room  14  by  13J  feet.  The  wooden  build- 
ings were  built  in  I860,  when  the  fort  was  first  established.  One  building  is  45  by  22  feet,  the 
other  36  by  20  feet.  Each  one  is  divided  into  three  rooms  and  a  hall.  The  officers'  quarters  are 
all  well  warmed,  lighted,  and  ventilated. 

The  adjutant's  office  and  the  post  library  are  in  an  adobe  building  formerly  used  as  a  hospital,  54 
by  22  feet,  divided  into  three  rooms  of  equal  size,  one  of  which  is  vacant. 

The  commissary  store-rooms  and  office  are  contained  in  one  adobe  building,  24  feet  wide  by 
200  feet  long,  and  10  feet  high  to  the  eaves.  These  rooms  are  well  warmed  and  ventilated,  and  are 
kept  in  admirable  order  and  police.  Extending  in  a  line  with  the  commissary  building  is  the 
quartermaster's  store-room  and  office,  contained  in  an  adobe  building,  24  by  124  feet,  and  10  feet 
high  to  the  eaves. 

The  guard-house,  40  by  22  feet,  and  10  feet  high,  consists  of  two  rooms,  each  20  by  22  feet ;  one 
built  of  adobe  used  as  the  guard-room,  and  one  built  of  logs  for  the  prisoner's  quarters.  The 
building  is  well  warmed  by  stoves.  The  illumination,  both  natural  and  artificial,  is  bad.  Ventila- 
tion very  bad.  The  present  guard  house  is  intended  to  be  used  only  temporarily  until  a  good  one 
can  be  built. 

The  hospital  was  originally  erected  in  the  summer  of  1867,  for  a  company  barrack,  and  was 
used  as  such  until  June,  1868.  Its  dimensions  and  structure  are  similar  to  those  of  the  barracks 
already  described.  It  is  divided  into  a  dispensary,  12  by  24  feet,  store-room,  16  by  12  feet,  ward, 
68  by  24  feet,  bath-room,  10  by  8  feet,  mess-room,  16  by  24  feet,  and  kitchen,  12  by  24  feet.  The 
ward  is  furnished  with  twelve  beds,  giving  to  each  136  square  feet  of  superficial  area,  and  1,496 
cubic  feet  air  space.  The  ventilation  of  the  ward  is  excellent.  It  is  effected  by  numerous  small 
openings  in  the  walls  immediately.beneath  the  eaves,  and  by  two  large  open  fireplaces.  The  room  is 
well  warmed  by  these  fireplaces  and  two  wood-stoves.  The  natural  illumination  of  the  ward 
by  means  of  four  windows,  each  2  feet  6  inches  wide,  4  feet  8  inches  high,  is  insufficient.  The 
kitchen,  of  sufficient  size  and  accommodations,  is  badly  located  in  too  close  proximity  to  the  ward 
The  hospital  sink  is  built  twenty  feet  from  the  hospital. 


FOET  BUFORD,  DAKOTA  TERRITORY.  403 

The  post  bakery  is  an  adobe  building,  30  by  45  feet,  with  walls  2£  feet  thick.  It  contains  two 
ovens,  each  13  by  12  feet,  well  constructed. 

The  stables  are  two  wooden  buildings,  one  32  by  250  feet,  and  one  17  by  218  feet.  They  are 
well  constructed  and  adapted  to  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  built.  The  corral  is  250  feet 
square,  including  a  shed,  16  by  250  feet,  built  for  the  cattle.  At  the  east  side  of  the  corral,  and  near 
the  center  of  the  east  side  of  the  fort,  is  the  butcher's  shop,  a  wooden  building,  20  by  24  feet. 
Near  the  corral  and  stables  are  three  temporary  wooden  buildings,  two  of  them  roofed  with  tar- 
paulins. One  is  30  by  85  feet,  and  used  as  an  additional  commissary  store-room  ;  one  30  by  80  feet, 
and  one  30  by  260  feet,  both  filled  with  grain. 

The  library  consists  of  73  volumes. 

The  post  is  chiefly  supplied  with  water  from  the  Missouri  River.  There  are,  however,  three 
wells  within  the  fort,  one  of  which  was  dug  in  the  winter  of  1866  and  1867,  at  a  time  when  the  gar- 
rison was  surrounded  and  besieged  by  hostile  Indians.  The  other  two  were  sunk  in  the  fall  of  1867, 
near  the  corral,  for  the  supply  of  the  cattle  and  horses,  and  to  serve  in  case  of  emergency.  The 
water  from  these  wells  is  hard,  clear,  and  transparent,  and  has  a  slightly  saline  taste.  It  contains 
a  small  amount  of  lime  and  chlorine.  A  small  amount  of  organic  matter  is  present.  The  water 
from  these,  wells  is  now  used  only  for  the  cattle  and  horses,  the  entire  supply  for  the  command 
being  daily  brought  in  carts  from  the  river,  750  yards  distant.  The  river  water  contains  a  large 
amount  of  suspended  matter,  principally  clay  and  sand.  A  careful  measurement  in  the  month  of 
September,  at  a  season  when  the  water  of  the  river  is  comparatively  clear,  gave  eighty-four  grains 
of  suspended  matter  in  one  gallon  of  the  water.  In  the  spring  and  during  the  early  part  of  the  sum- 
mer, when  the  river  is  high,  the  amount  of  suspended  matter  is  at  least  doubled.  The  addition  of 
six  grains  of  alum  to  the  gallon  of  water  renders  it  perfectly  clear  and  transparent  after  standing 
twelve  hours.  Cleared  of  the  suspended  matter,  it  is  excellent  water,  much  superior  to  that 
of  the  wells.  During  the  winter  of  1866-'67,  when  the  well  water  was  used  exclusively  by  the  gar- 
rison, the  records  show  that  diarrhoea  was  the  prevalent  disease.  In  the  fall  of  1867  a  sudden  increase 
in  the  number  of  cases  of  diarrhoea  was  charged  to  the  use  of  the  water  from  the  well,  which  was 
used  on  account  of  being  colder  than  the  river  water.  The  well  was  closed,  and  the  epidemic  imme- 
diately abated.  During  the  summer  and  fall  of  1868  the  river  water  was  used  exclusively.  The 
daily  amount  of  water  furnished  the  troops  averages  about  eight  gallons  per  head. 

The  natural  drainage  of  the  post  is  excellent.  In  front  the  ground  slopes  gently  to  the  river, 
and  on  both  the  east  and  west  ends  it  desceiids  gradually  to  shallow  ravines  running  parallel 
with,  and  emptying  into,  the  river.  Gardens  are  cultivated,  producing  lettuce,  radishes,  cucum- 
bers, and  green  corn  in  sufficient  amount  to  furnish  a  fair  supply  to  the  entire  garrison  dur- 
ing the  season  ;  also  a  limited  amount  of  green  peas,  cabbages,  turnips,  and  beets.  Tomatoes  have 
not  done  well,  the  season  being  too  short.  Potatoes  have  proved  a  failure  during  the  last  two 
years,  producing  nothing  but  tops.  The  corn  raised  is  a  variety  cultivated  by  the  Ree  Indians, 
which  comes  quickly  to  maturity. 

Rations,  procurable  from  the  commissary,  are  of  good  qualityand  sufficient  in  quantity.  Dur- 
ing the  fall  of  1868  and  the  winter  of  1868-'69,  after  the  supply  of  vegetables  from  the  garden  was 
exhausted,  the  following  articles  of  food,  in  addition  to  the  regular  ration  issued  from  the  commis- 
sary department,  in  the  quantities  stated,  were  found  effectual  in  preventing  scurvy  and  maintain- 
ing the  command  in  excellent  health,  viz :  Per  100  rations,  ten  pounds  of  dried  fruit  and  five  gallons 
of  krout  or  curried  cabbage  twice  a  week;  one  gallon  of  molasses,  twenty-five  pounds  of  corn  meal, 
and  two  and  one-half  gallons  of  pickles  once  a  week. 

The  nearest  supply  depots  are  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  2,233  miles  distant.  The  route  of  supply 
is  by  the  river,  which  closes  for  navigation  early  in  the  fall.  Supplies  should  be  sent  early  in  the 
spring,  as  many  articles  spoil  later  in  the  season.  Fresh  vegetables  are  always  needed,  and  some 
means  should  be  devised  to  supply  potatoes  at  least.  Communication  between  the  post  and  nearest 
town  is  by  the  Missouri  River.  There  is  no  public  land  conveyance.  Mail  communication  is  very  irreg- 
ular and  uncertain.  The  post  has  twice  been  nearly  three  months  without  receiving  a  mail.  Dur- 
ing the  past  year  a  mail  has  been  received  about  once  a  month.  It  is  carried  on  horseback,  via 
Forts  Stevenson  and  Totteu,  Dakota  Territory,  490  miles,  to  Fort  Abercrombie,  Dakota  Territory, 


404  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

the  nearest  mail  station.  The  length  of  time  required  for  a  letter  to  go  to  department  head- 
quarters is  about  thirty  days. 

The  territory  on  the  north  side  of  the  Missouri  River  is  claimed  by  the  Assiniboine  Indians,  from 
White  Earth  River,  65  miles  east  of  the  post,  to  Milk  River,  about  170  miles  west  of  it.  The  Assin- 
iboines  were  originally  a  part  of  the  Yanctou  tribe  of  the  great  Dakota  or  Sioux  Nation,  and,  accord- 
ing to  tradition,  split  off  from  that  tribe  and  became  a  separate  people  through  some  difficulty  that 
arose  about  a  woman.  They  call  themselves  Hokes,  and  claim  to  be  Dakotas.  The  name  "Assin- 
iboine," meaning  stone-boilers,  was  given  to  them  by  the  Crees,  their  neighbors  on  the  north,  on 
account  of  a  singular  method  practiced  by  them  of  boiling  meat  by  holding  in  the  water  heated 
stones.  Catlin  states  that  in  1832  the  Assiniboines  numbered  7.000.  At  present  they  do  not  exceed 
2,000.  Small-pox  and  war  have  been  their  destroyers.  The  Assiniboiues  are  athletic,  well-formed, 
fine-looking  Indians,  and  since  the  establishment  of  this  post  have  been  uniformly  friendly  to  the  whites, 
and  have  frequently  rendered  valuable  services  to  the  Government.  During  the  winters  of  1866-'67 
and  1867-'68,  they  kept  the  command  apprised  of  the  movements  of  the  hostile  Sioux,  and  during  the 
past  season,  (1868,)  after  the  capture  of  the  Government  herd  of  beef  cattle  from  this  post  by  the 
Sioux,  they  sent  a  courier  between  60  and  70  miles  to  give  information  of  the  direction  in  which 
some  of  the  cattle  had  strayed,  and  afterward  drove  in  to  the  fort  several  head  which  they  had 
found  upon  the  prairie  nearly  one  hundred  miles  distant.  The  Assiniboines  are  very  anxious  to 
have  an  agency  established  among  them,  similar  to  those  among  the  Indians  lower  down  the  river. 
They  are  poor  in  horses  and  few  in  number,  and  consequently  unable  to  pursue  the  buffalo,  their 
chief  source  of  subsistence,  to  any  great  distance  from  home,  and  their  hunting  grounds  are  con- 
stantly encroached  upon  by  other  tribes,  the  Crows  on  the  west,  the  Crees  and  British  half-breeds 
on  the  north,  the  Yanctonais,  Gros  Ventres,  Rees,  and  Mandans  on  the  east,  and  the  Tetons 
(Sioux)  on  the  south.  Owing  to  the  inroads  of  these  tribes  on  the  lands  of  the  Assiniboines,  game 
is  becoming  scarce,  and  they  are  at  times  almost  in  a  state  of  starvation.  During  the  spring  of 
1868,  a  camp  of  30  or  40  lodges  near  the  fort  chiefly  subsisted  themselves  for  several  weeks  upon 
the  offal  from  the  butcher's  shop  and  corn  picked  out  of  dung  heaps.  They  are  keenly  alive  to  the 
fact  of  the  increasing  scarcity  of  game,  and  are  anxious  to  learn  to  cultivate  the  soil  before  they 
shall  be  overtaken  by  starvation.  Their  poverty  in  horses  arises  principally  from  their  traffic  with 
the  British  half-breeds  from  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  who  make  frequent  trading  expeditions 
into  their  country  with  powder  and  whisky.  The  Assiniboines  are  now  mostly  encamped  on  the 
Missouri  River,  from  60  to  100  miles  west  of  the  post.  In  the  immediate  vicinity  are  the  Gros 
Ventres,  Mandans,  and  Yanctonais  on  their  winter  hunt.  All  these  Indians  are  friendly. 

On  the  opposite  or  south  side  of  the  Missouri  is  the  country  of  the  Teton  Sioux,  who,  since 
the  establishment  of  the  post,  have  proved  as  uniformly  hostile  as  the  Assiniboines  have  friendly. 
The  band  of  the  Sioux  that  most  infest  this  vicinity  is  the  Oukpapas,  although  in  some  of  their 
raids  other  bands  have  been  recognized.  Since  the  establishment  of  this  fort  in  1866,  they  have 
killed  at  the  post,  or  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  eleven  men — five  soldiers  and  six  citizens.  Six  of 
these  men  have  been  killed  since  May,  1868.  On  the  20th  of  August,  1868,  they  made  an  attack  in 
force  upon  the  Government  herd  of  beef  cattle  at  this  post,  and  captured  over  200  of  them.  In  this 
fight  two  men  were  killed  and  four  wounded,  one  mortally.  In  addition  to  their  relentless  war 
upon  the  whites,  the  Sioux  are  constantly  harassing  the  Assiniboines,  killing  men,  women,  and 
children  because  of  their  friendship  for  the  whites. 

The  health  of  the  locality  is  excellent,  and  there  are  no  prevailing  diseases.  The  most  common 
diseases  are  venereal  and  acute  rheumatism.  The  fatigue  duty  performed  by  the  troops  has  been 
hitherto  extremely  onerous,  but  with  the  exception  of  the  exposure  of  the  workmen  in  the  adobe 
yard  during  a  few  excessively  hot  days  in  the  summer  of  1868,  from  which  several  cases  of  disease 
resulted,  and  once  or  twice  the  moral  depression  produced  by  being  hard  driven,  I  have  seen  no 
injurious  effect  produced  upon  the  men  of  the  command,  but  on  the  contrary  I  consider  a  reasonable 
amount  of  fatigue  duty  performed  in  the  open  air  during  pleasant  weather  as  beneficial  to  them. 
Especially  is  this  the  case  during  the  winter,  when  the  labor  of  getting  fuel  in  good  weather  not 
only  gives  needed  and  healthful  exercise,  but  furnishes  an  agreeable  relief  to  the  monotony  of  sit- 
ting and  standing  around  a  fire  in  crowded  quarters,  and,  by  occupying  the  mind  and  attention,  does 
much  to  prevent  that  ennui  and  nostalgia  which  frontier  garrison  life  is  apt  to  generate.  Amuse- 


FORT  BENTON,  MONTANA  TERRITORY. 


405 


ments  of  the  soldier  consist  of  base  ball,  cricket  playing,  and  hunting.  A  theatrical  performance 
is  given  once  a  week  by  a  troupe  composed  of  men  in  the  command.  Situated  on  the  west  side  of 
the  parade  ground  is  a  wooden  building,  75  by  30  feet,  originally  erected  for  a  store-room,  now  used 
as  a  theater. 

Statement  showing  mean  xtrength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  disease*  at  Fort  Buford,  Dakota 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1809. 


Years. 

t 

•g 

it 
H 

a 

s 

1 

1— 

1 

"3 

* 

'C' 

*  * 

§   § 

rh 

al  diseases. 

1 
"S 

X 

V 

i 

A 

J  I 

deaths. 

g 

1  ~ 

o 

i 

•3  >. 

a  13 

a 

E 

o 
a 

C 

g 

£ 

i 

^    -t- 

4H 

O 

i 

£ 

1 

s 

1 

& 

s 

S 

o 

^ 

1868 

401.  58 

444 

i 

13 

57 

1 

80 

33 

25 

J 

80 

1 

1869 

195 

322 

7 

40 

18 

34 

30 

1 

61 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  BENTON,  MONTANA  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  A.  B.  CAMPBELL,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  DATED  JULY  13,  1870. 

Fort  Beuton,  Montana  Territory,  is  located  on  the  Missouri  River,  at  the  head  of  navigation, 
in  latitude  48°  north,  longitude  110°  40'  west ;  altitude  about  6,500  feet  above  sea-level.  It  is  about 
5,000  miles  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico;  64  miles  east,  by  water,  of  Port  Shaw;  nearly  due  north 
of  Fort  Ellis,  distant  about  245  miles  by  circuitous  road,  and  144  miles  east  of  Helena.  The  post 
adjoins  the  town  called  Benton  City  on  the  east.  It  is  about  25  miles  east  of  the  Bell  range  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  45  miles  south  of  the  Bear  Paw  Mountains.  It  was  originally  built  for  an 
Indian  trading  post  by  the  American  Fur  Company,  in  1846;  was  sold  in  1864  to  the  Northwest 
Fur  Company,  and  was  occupied  by  United  States  troops  in  October,  1869,  to  receive  and  forward 
the  freight  for  Forts  Shaw  and  Ellis.  The  reservation  is  one  mile  wide  and  three  miles  long.  Ex- 
cept the  depression  through  which  the  river  runs,  it  is  a  prairie.  There  are  no  springs  or  ponds 
on  the  reservation.  There  is  a  small  alkaline  pond  28  miles  on  the  road  to  Fort  Shaw,  and  a  small 
spring  8  miles  from  there  on  the  same  road.  The  wells  in  town  differ;  some  have  cold  and  delight- 
ful water;  others  adjoining  are  warmer,  alkaline,  and  offensive  to  the  taste.  The  highest  tempera- 
ture observed  in  the  shade  was  104°  F. ;  in  the  sun,  139°  F. ;  the  lowest,  — 30°  F.,  and  the  mean  about 
47°  F.,  which  I  think  below  the  truth ;  it  is  nearer  to  50°.  The  rain-fall  is  4.24  inches,  and  the  snow, 
melted,  2.25  inches.  Snow  seldom  lies  deeper  than  8  to  10  inches.  There  was  quite  a  snow-storm 
on  the  31st  of  May  and  1st  of  June,  1870,  the  minimum  thermometer  on  the  1st  of  June  showing 
29°,  and  on  June  3  going,  in  the  sun,  above  130°.  Winds  prevail  from  the  east  and  south,  fre- 
quently blow  with  great  violence,  and  change  in  a  short  time.  The  winter,  in  the  main,  is  mild 
and  genial,  but  interspersed  with  sudden  falls  of  temperature,  the  cold  lasting  but  a  few  days  at 
a  time,  but  being  then  excessively  severe. 

The  fort,  built  of  adobe,  is  located  40  yards  from  the  river,  12  feet  above  low  water.  Its 
capacity  is  sufficient  for  one  superintendent  and  about  20  employes,  but  not  for  a  company  of  sol- 
diers. One  adobe  building,  two  stones  high,  is  used  as  barracks,  the  first  story  containing  orderly 
room,  kitchen,  and  mess-room ;  the  second  the  dormitory.  The  building  is  85  by  18  feet  inside,  and 
14  feet  to  the  eaves,  being  7  feet  for  each  story.  The  quarters  are  warmed  by  stoves,  and  lighted 
and  ventilated  by  the  door  and  small  windows.  The  air  space  per  man,  with  the  present  force,  is 
252  cubic  feet.  When  the  company  is  filled  up  there  will  be  91  cubic  feet  per  man.  The  bunks  are 
double,  and  two-storied.  The  wash-room  is  in  a  tent ;  there  is  no  bath-room.  The  water-closets 
are  ordinary  privies  outside  the  inclosure. 


406  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

The  laundresses  occupy  tents  outside  the  walls. 

Parts  of  three  buildings  are  used  as  officers'  quarters ;  they  are  built  of  adobe,  finished  with 
whitewash  over  the  bricks  and  canvas  over  the  beds  to  keep  dirt  and  dust  from  falling;  heated  by 
stoves,  and  lighted  and  ventilated  by  windows  and  doors.  There  are  no  water-closets  or  bath- 
rooms. 

The  quartermaster's  store-house  and  commanding  officer's  office  is  a  building  of  hewn  logs  with 
shingle  roof. 

The  guard-house,  formerly  the  stable,  is  31  by  18  feet  inside,  warmed  by  a  stove  and  ventilated 
by  a  door  and  window ;  its  capacity  is  sufficient,  but  it  is  insecure. 

There  is  no  hospital ;  one  hospital  tent,  containing  four  beds,  is  used  as  a  ward ;  it  is  warmed 
by  a  stove. 

The  general  water  supply  is  from  the  Missouri  River ;  it  is  brought  in  buckets  as  needed,  and 
is  impure  from  the  oftal  from  the  town. 

The  natural  drainage  is  sufficient ;  one  wooden-box  drain  leads  from  the  middle  of  the  yard  to 
the  river. 

There  are  no  gardens  at  the  post.  Abundant  food,  good  and  of  sufficient  variety,  is  procura- 
ble from  the  post  commissary.  There  is  also  plenty  in  the  town,  but  very  high-priced.  Milk  is  60 
cents  per  gallon,  butter  $1  per  pound,  eggs  $1  50  to  $2  per  dozen,  chickens  $2  each. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  once  a  year  from  St.  Louis,  by  steamboat ;  the  amount  on  hand 
is  large,  and  is  stored  in  a  loft  over  the  magazine,  not  well  protected  from  the  weather. 

The  means  of  communication  are  by  telegraph  and  stage ;  the  latter  is  regular,  but  sometimes 
interrupted  by  snow.  Mail  is  received  three  times  a  week.  The  length  of  time  required  for  a  let- 
ter to  reach  department  headquarters  is  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  days. 

There  are  four  Indian  trading  or  outfitting  houses  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post ;  one  brewery, 
one  bakery,  two  blacksmith,  one  carpenter,  one  tailor,  one  butcher,  and  one  shoemaker  shops,  and 
about  a  dozen  drinking  and  gambling  shops.  It  has  also  a  court-house,  a  school,  and  a  small  jail. 
It  is  said  to  have  180  inhabitants. 

No  malarial  or  pulmonary  diseases  occur  here  unless  imported.  Rheumatism  is  rare,  but  very 
severe  when  it  is  encountered.  Bowel  diseases  are  at  present  prevailing,  probably  owing  to  the 
combined  influences  of  impure  water  and  excessive  heat. 


FORT  ELLIS,  MONTANA  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED   BY  SURGEON  P.  C.   DAVIS  AND  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CLARENCE  EWEN, 

UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  post  of  Fort  Ellis  is  situated  in  the  southern  portion  of  Montana  Territory,  in  latitude  46° 
30'  north,  longitude  112°  west,  30  miles  from  Gallatin  City,  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Missouri,  and 
three  miles  from  Bozeman  City.  Elevation  above  the  level  of  the  sea  about  6,000  feet.  The  post 
is  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Gallatin  River,  and  at  the  upper  end  of  the  Gallatin  Valley,  situated 
on  the  north  side  of  an  elevated  prairie,  which  is  surrounded  on  the  north,  east,  and  south  by  high 
mountains.  The  post  was  established  August  27,  1867,  by  order  of  Brevet  Major  General  Terry, 
commanding  the  Department  of  Dakota.  In  November,  1867,  the  commissary  and  quartermaster 
store-houses  aud  stables  were  completed.  The  company  quarters,  three  buildings  for  officers'  quar- 
ters, and  the  post  bakery,  were  completed  in  December  of  the  same  year,  and  in  January,  1868,  the 
hospital,  headquarter  building,  guard-house,  and  blacksmith  shop.  In  February,  1868,  an  ice-house 
was  built,  and  in  October  and  November  of  the  same  year  two  more  sets  of  officers'  quarters  were 
finished,  aud  the  stockade  completed  at  the  same  time. 

The  climate  at  the  post  is  dry  and  pure,  but  snow-storms  and  severe  frosts  are  not  uufrequent, 
even  in  summer.  The  ground  upon  which  the  post  stands,  owing  to  its  greater  elevation,  and  being 
somewhat  sheltered  from  the  sun's  rays  by  the  adjacent  mountains,  is  colder  than  the  neighboring 
valley. 

Cultivation  is  confined  to  the  river  bottoms,  as  the  small  amount  of  rain  renders  irrigation 


FORT  ELLIS,  MONTANA  TERRITORY. 


407 


necessary.  The  soil  is  very  fertile,  and  large  crops  of  wheat,  rye,  oats,  aud  barley  are  raised,  and 
all  the  more  hardy  vegetables,  such  as  potatoes,  turnips,  beets,  carrots,  &c.  The  river  bottoms  are 
covered  with  groves  of  cottonwood  and  aspen,  and  thickets  of  willow.  The  passes  to  the  Yellow- 
stone River  and  the  country  to  the  south  of  it  open  into  the  valley  a  few  miles  from  the  fort.  The 
valley  of  the  Yellowstone  is  described  as  being  as  fertile  as  the  Gallatin  Valley,  but  is  unsettled. 

The  neighboring  mountains  are  very  broken  and  precipitous,  with  huge  cliffs  of  sandstone  and 
limestone,  clothed  to  their  summits  with  vast  forests  of  white  pine,  red  fir,  and  cedar,  and  contain 
immense  beds  of  bituminous  coal  of  good  quality.  Gold  is  found  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
post,  aud  at  Emigrant  Gulch,  about  thirty  miles  distant,  gold  mining  is  carried  on  extensively.  The 
rivers  and  mountain  streams  are  well  stocked  with  trout,  and  the  forests  and  plains  abound  in 
game — elk,  black-tailed  deer,  antelope,  mountain  sheep,  grizzly  and  black  bear,  wolf,  mink,  ermine, 
and  beaver. 

There  has  been  but  little  communication  with  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  vicinity.  The  Crows 
occupy  the  country  south  of  the  Yellowstone.  They  number  about  250  lodges.  Although  small-pox 
and  syphilis  have  made  great  ravages  among  them,  they  are  said  to  be  increasing  in  number. 

The  ground  upon  which  the  fort  is  built  slopes  gently  from  the  south  to  the  river.  The  soil  is 
argillaceous,  with  a  subsoil  of  gravel.  The  buildings  of  the  post  are  of  unhewn  pine  logs,  the 
interstices  are  plastered  with  mortar,  and  the  floors  are  of  pine.  The  buildings  inclose  the  parade 
ground,  and  are  surrounded  by  a  stockade,  390  by  458  feet,  and  10  feet  high.  The  plan  of  the  post 
is  shown  in  Figure  55. 

A,  headquarters  building ;  B  E  K,  barracks ;  C,  hospital ;  D,  carpenter  shop  and  bakery ;  F 
H,    commissary  store-houses;    I,   officers' 
quarters;  J,  quartermaster's  storehouse; 
L,  post  library ;    M,  parade   ground ;    O, 
bastion ;  P,  guard-house. 

There  are  three  sets  of  company  quar- 
ters at  the  post,  of  the  following  dimen- 
sions each :  123  feet  long,  22  feet  wide,  10 
feet  high  on  the  sides,  and  13  feet  in  the 
center,  with  two  wings  at  the  rear  22  feet 
long  aud  20  feet  wide.  They  contain  each 
a  kitchen  and  mess-room,  40  feet  long  and 
20  feet  wide,  and  a  dormitory,  102  feet  Ion  g 
and  22  feet  wide.  These  rooms  are  not 
ceiled.  The  dormitories  contain  a  double 
tier  of  bunks,  are  lighted  by  five  small 
windows,  and  are  occupied,  each  by  one 
company.  They  are  warmed  by  stoves. 
The  only  means  of  ventilation  are  the  win-  Figure  55.— Scale,  151J  feet  to  l  incli. 

dows  and  the  holes  cut  for  the  stove-pipes.  The  mess-rooms  and  kitchens  of  these  barracks  are 
provided  with  large  cellars.  The  allotment  of  air  space  to  each  man  is  about  600  cubic  feet.  The 
sinks  for  the  men  are  placed  outside  of  the  stockade,  about  150  feet  distant. 

There  are  four  buildiugs  used  for  officers'  quarters,  containing  two  sets  of  quarters  each;  four 
rooms  to  each  set  in  three  of  the  buildings,  and  three  to  each  set  in  the  other.  The  rooms  are  not 
ceiled.  The  building  containing  the  headquarter  offices  is  42  feet  long  and  30  feet  wide.  It  con- 
tains the  post  commander's,  adjutant's,  quartermaster's,  and  commissary's  offices,  and  the  sergeant 
major's  quarters. 

The  commissary's  and  quartermaster's  store-houses  are  each  62  feet  long  and  22  feet  wide,  with 
two  wings  at  the  rear  22  feet  long  by  20  feet  wide. 

The  guard-house  at  the  fort  is  in  one  of  the  bastions;  the  lower  story  used  as  a  guard-room, 
the  upper  story  as  quarters  for  the  prisoners ;  it  is  20  feet  square;  ceiling,  10  feet  high ;  lighted  by 
two  small  windows,  warmed  by  an  open  fireplace,  and  ventilated  by  a  ventilator  in  the  ceiling. 

The  hospital,  located  on  the  northeast  corner  of  the  post,  is  built  of  rough  pine  logs,  and 
roofed  with  boards.  It  is  42  by  30  feet,  and  contains  a  ward,  28  by  18  by  8£  feet,  which  occupies  the 


408 


DI'SCKIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


central  portion  of  the  building,  the  dispensary  and  steward's  room  communicating  on  the  one 
side,  the  kitchen  and  store-room  on  the  other.  The  ward  contains  seven  beds,  with  612  cubic  feet 
of  air  space  to  each.  It  is  warmed  by  a  stove,  and  lighted  by  two  windows,  one  at  each  end.  Ven- 
tilation is  secured  by  ventilators  in  the  ceiling.  There  is  no  bath  or  wash  room.  The  sink  is 
located  outside  of  the  stockade.  The  hospital  building  is  small  and  ill  adapted  to  its  present  use. 
A  new  hospital  is  in  course  of  erection,  consisting  of  a  main  building  with  L  attached.  The  main 
portion  has  an  attic.  The  ground  floor  is  divided  into  six  rooms,  each  15  by  16  by  9  feet,  designed 
for  dispensary,  office,  steward's  room,  kitchen,  and  laundry.  The  office  and  dispensary  are  in  front, 
being  divided  by  a  partition,  and  communicate  with  a  hall,  6  by  32  feet,  which  extends  across  the 
building  to  the  L  containing  the  ward.  At  the  other  end  of  the  hall,  and  attached  to  the  main  build- 
ing, is  the  dead-house,  12  by  12  feet.  A  stairway  ascends  to  the  attic,  which  is  designed  for  a 
store-room.  The  ward  is  40  by  24  feet,  and  12  feet  high ;  two  small  rooms  are  partitioned  off  at  the 
further  end  for  wash-room  and  water-closet.  The  ward  is  well  lighted  by  eight  windows  placed 
in  opposite  sides,  and  two  at  the  free  end ;  the  latter  looking  out  from  the  small  rooms  before  men- 
tioned. No  special  provision  is  made  for  ventilation. 

The  quartermaster's  stables  are  located  100  yards  west  of  the  post.  They  are  built  of  logs, 
and  roofed  and  floored  with  earth.  Their  lighting  and  ventilation  are  deficient.  At  a  distance  of  100 
yards  southwest  of  the  post  are  the  cavalry  stables,  consisting  of  four  log  buildings,  each  150  by 
30  feet,  with  board  roofs. 

The  library  contains  210  volumes,  principally  histories  and  standard  works  of  fiction. 

The  East  Gallatin  River,  about  200  yards  from,  and  above  the  post,  supplies  the  command  with 
water,  which  is  brought  to  the  post  in  tanks.  The  quality  of  the  water  is  excellent,  and  the  quan- 
tity sufficient  for  the  necessities  of  the  garrison. 

The  natural  drainage  of  the  post  is  good,  the  ground  sloping  to  the  river. 

There  are  no  arrangements  for  bathing  in  winter;  in  summer  the  men  frequently  bathe  in  the 
river. 

The  farmers  in  the  vicinity  bring  in  a  plentiful  supply  of  potatoes  and  other  vegetables. 
Game,  such  as  deer,  elk,  mountain  sheep,  and  antelopes,  is  procured  by  hunters,  and  sells  at  ten 
cents  per  pound. 

The  mail  is  received  regularly  once  a  week.  A  letter  requires  fourteen  days  to  reach  depart- 
ment headquarters  or  Washington. 

The  prevailing  diseases  during  the  past  year  were,  bronchitis,  rheumatism ,  neuralgia,  tonsillitis, 
and  diarrhoea.  The  diseases  of  the  respiratory  organs  are  doubtless  owing  to  the  overheated  and 
ill  ventilated  quarters  in  cold  weather. 

The  population  of  Gallatin  County  is  1,200. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  side,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Ellis,  Montana  Terri- 
tory, for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

1 
o 

1 

ft 
W 

CD 
1 

a 

9 

| 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions.* 

No.  of  deaths. 

1868  

204.  08 

522 

2 

126 

25 

42 

4 

1 

55 

27 

1869  

191.66 

322 

4 

61 

19 

42 

36 

11 

1 

40 

•Include  laryngitis,  lironchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  SHAW,  MONTANA  TERRITORY.  4Q9 


CAMP  BAKEK,  MONTANA  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CLARENCE  EWEN,  UNITED  STATES  ABMV,  JULY  18,  1870. 

Cam])  Baker,  Montana  Territory,  is  situated  in  latitude  47°  north,  longitude  111°  west,  at  an 
elevation  above  the  sea  of  about  7,000  feet.  It  is  on  Smith's  River,  or  Deep  Creek,  which  empties 
into  the  Missouri  about  fifty  miles  below.  The  nearest  post  is  Fort  Shaw,  situated  about  seventy 
miles  northwest  in  a  direct  line,  and  200  miles  by  the  road.  Fort  Ellis  is  120  miles  south.  The 
nearest  town  is  Diamond  City,  25  miles  southwest. 

The  post  was  established  in  November,  1SG9,  to  protect  Diamond  City  and  other  mining  camps 
of  the  vicinity  from  Indian  depredations,  this  being  considered  one  of  the  most  dangerous  locali- 
ties in  the  Territory. 

A  reservation  has  been  selected  about  twelve  miles  south  of  here,  and  a  new  post  will  be  built. 

The  rocks  of  the  vicinity  are  granite,  syenite,  and  limestone.  The  trees  are  red  and  yellow  pine 
and  cedar,  growing  on  the  hills,  aud  cottonwood,  aspen,  and  willow,  on  the  river  bottom. 

Game  is  abundant;  deer,  elk,  antelope,  mountain  sheep,  and  black  and  cinnamon  bears,  are 
the  principal  wild  animals.  The  streams  contain  trout  and  grayling. 

The  post  is  on  the  west  bank  of  Smith's  River,  about  150  yards  from  and  80  feet  above  it.  The 
buildings  are  of  pine  logs,  and  consist  of  seven  small  huts,  each  16  by  25  feet,  roofed  with  pine 
slabs  covered  with  earth,  lighted  by  a  small  window  in  the  door,  and  warmed  by  open  fireplaces; 
three  are  used  for  officers'  quarters,  and  have  board  floors;  the  one  used  for  headquarter  offices,  and 
the  three  remaining,  occupied  by  the  enlisted  men,  have  dirt  floors ;  the  other  buildings  are  the 
stables,  116  by  26  feet,  the  post  bakery,  16  by  15  feet,  and  the  commissary  store-house  and  com- 
pany cook-house  in  the  same  building,  42  by  15  feet. 

The  hospital  and  guard-house  are  in  tents. 

The  water  is  obtained  from  Smith's  River,  and  brought  to  the  quarters  in  barrels.  It  is  warm. 
and  muddy,  some  of  its  tributaries  being  used  for  mining  purposes.  There  is  no  post  garden. 
Fresh  beef  of  good  quality,  potatoes,  and  a  good  variety  of  canned  fruits  aud  vegetables,  can  be 
procured  from  the  post  commissary.  Game  of  all  kinds  can  be  procured  iu  the  vicinity,  and  milk 
and  butter  from  the  neighboring  ranchmen. 

The  medical  supplies  have  been  limited  to  a  pannier,  and  a  tew  articles  procured  from  Fort 
Ellis.  A  portion  of  the  stores  of  the  post  have  been  received,  and  when  all  arrive  the  supply  will  be 
ample.  They  are  procured  from  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  are  either  shipped  up  the  Missouri  to 
Benton,  Montana  Territory,  by  steamer,  or  by  the  Union  Pacific  railroad  to  Corinne,  and  from 
thence  by  wagons  to  this  post. 

A  mail  is  received  twice  a  week.  It  takes  about  fourteen  days  for  a  letter  to  reach  Washington . 
and  about  the  same  time  to  reach  department  headquarters. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  are  engaged  iu  gold  mining  or  grazing. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  post  has  been  very  good.  All  oft'al  is  carted  away  some 
distance  and  burned.  The  prevalent  diseases  are  neuralgia  and  rheumatism. 


FORT  SHAW,  MONTANA  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  SURGEON  F.  L.  TOWN,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Shaw,  Montana  Territory,  is  located  on  Suu  River,  about  twenty  miles  above  its  mouth, 
iu  latitude  47°  30'  north,  longitude  111°  4'  west.  The  elevation  above  the  sea-level  is  probably  not 
less  than  5,000  feet.  The  valley  of  Suu  River  is  about  fifty  miles  in  length,  with  a  variable  width 
of  two  to  five  miles,  and  its  general  direction  is  nearly  due  east  and  west.  Fort  Shaw,  as  a  military 
post,  may  be  said  to  date  from  June  30,  18G7,  when  four  companies,  under  command  of  Major 
William  Clinton,  Thirteenth  Infantry,  moved  on  to  the  selected  site  and  went  iuto  camp.  The  new 
52 


410  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MIL1TAKY  POSTS. 

post  was  iiiiinetl  Camp  Reynolds.  The  object  of  a  military  post  on  Sim  River  is  to  protect  arid 
keep  open  the  route  from  Helena  to  Fort  Benton,  on  the  Missouri,  and  prevent  as  far  as  possible 
the  incursions  of  Indians  into  the  settlements  to  the  south.  The  Thirteenth  Infantry  had  moved 
up  the  Missouri  Eiver  during  the  summer  of  I860,  and  the  first  battalion,  under  Major  Clinton, 
took  post  that  fall  and  built  Camp  Cooke,  Montana  Territory,  (since  abandoned,)  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Judith  River.  August  1,  1867,  the  name  of  the  new  post  was  changed  to  Fort  Shaw,  pursuant 
to  department  orders,  dated  July  4,  1867,  in  remembrance  of  the  services  of  the  late  Colonel 
Robert  G.  Shaw,  Fifty-fourth  Massachusetts  volunteers,  (colored,)  who  lost  his  life  at  the  assault  on 
Fort  Wagner,  July  18,  1863.  In  August,  1867,  all  were  in  tents  and  very  little  had  been  accom- 
plished towards  building  a  post  or  sheltering  the  troops  during  the  ensuing  winter.  By  hard  labor 
the  command  erected  that  fall  (1867)  one-half  of  each  set  of  company  quarters,  a  small  part  of  the 
post  hospital,  a  temporary  wooden  store-house,  and  three  sets  of  officers'  quarters.  The  troops  did 
not  get  into  barracks  until  late  in  the  fall  and  after  the  weather  became  quite  cold.  The  officers 
were  somewhat  later  in  getting  into  their  quarters.  None  of  the  buildings  occupied  were  completed 
further  than  to  afford  habitable  shelter.  The  winter  of  1867-'68  was  not  of  great  severity,  and 
though  officers  and  men  were  necessarily  greatly  crowded,  no  one  suffered.  Early  in  the  spring 
of  1868  the  building  of  the  post  was  resumed,  and  during  the  season  the  walls  of  the  remaining 
buildings  at  the  post  were  put  up  and  roofed.  The  following  season  (1869)  was  occupied  exclu- 
sively in  finishing  the  quarters  already  erected  and  rendering  them  comfortable.  At  present  all 
labor  is  suspended. 

The  military  reservation  of  Fort  Shaw  occupies  the  whole  valley  for  ten  miles  at  least.  The 
valley  basin  is  simply  an  extensive  depression  in  the  elevated  plains  of  the  country,  and  presents 
iu  the  main  a  prairie  bottom  from  two  to  three  miles  wide,  with  a  higher  prairie  surface  of  moderate 
width  extending  along  the  foot-hills  on  either  side.  The  bluff's  are  therefore  merely  the  steep 
ascents  to  higher  levels  beyond.  Their  elevation  on  the  north  is  abrupt  and  in  the  vicinity  of  250 
to  300  feet ;  on  the  south  the  elevation  is  generally  less.  All  the  steeper  slopes  are  covered  with  a 
thin  soil,  hence  the  valley  has  not  that  exposm-e  of  the  bare  sandstone  strata  and  desolate  aspect 
so  universal  in  the  valley  of  the  Upper  Missouri. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  post  and  on  the  south  are  three  isolated  buttes  of  considerable  height, 
the  central  and  longer  of  which  encroaches  somewhat  upon  the  valley.  From  the  base  of  this 
butte  a  nearly  level  plateau  of  some  extent  slopes  with  a  gentle  incline  to  the  river,  and  ends  in  an 
abrupt  bank.  This  plateau  is  two  or  three  miles  iu  width,  and  considerably  higher  than  the  prairie 
bottom,  which  it  trenches  upon  very  considerably.  At  the  extremity  of  this  bench,  immediately  on 
the  southern  bank  of  Sun  River,  is  the  site  of  the  post.  The  elevation  above  the  river  is  some  forty 
feet.  The  post  commands  an  extended  view  of  the  valley  toward  the  west,  and  of  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains in  the  background. 

Sun  River  is  a  stream  of  moderate  size  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  and  runs  in  a  suc- 
cession of  short  curves  iu  a  shallow  channel.  It  is  a  clear  stream,  gliding  over  a  bed  of  rounded 
stones  and  gravel;  the  descent  is  considerable  and  current  strong.  It  is  scarcely  more  than  twenty 
yards  wide,  and  is  fordable  anywhere  except  toward  its  mouth.  The  river  forks  several  times 
near  the  head  of  the  valley.  These  forks  are  said  to  be  of  considerable  length,  and  drain  the 
eastern  slopes  of  the  extensive  belt  of  mountainous  country  to  the  west  and  north.  During  the 
spring  and  early  summer  the  snow  melting  in  the  mountains,  and  the  rains  which  prevail  at  this 
season,  swell  the  river  to  many  times  its  usual  volume.  At  this  time  it  is  an  exceedingly  rapid  and 
somewhat  dangerous  stream.  The  river  is  only  moderately  well  supplied  with  fish,  and  usually 
affords  but  indifferent  sport  to  the  angler.  Trout  are  found,  but  other  and  less  desirable  varieties 
are  more  common. 

The  valley  is  almost  destitute  of  wood  for  fuel.  A  growth  of  bushes,  and  a  few  scattering 
trees,  fringe  the  river  along  the  reservation,  and  afford  in  summer  a  ribbon  of  green  foliage. 
Elsewhere  upon  the  grassy  country  there  is  not  even  a  shrub  visible.  The  tree  is  a  species  of 
willow,  with  a  very  thick  rough  bark,  resembling  cottouwood.  Extensive  sparsely  wooded  tracts 
of  clumpy  pines  cling  to  the  steep  slopes  of  the  mountain  sides,  degenerating  into  the  scrubbiest  of 
saplings  toward  the  summits.  Pine  wood  is  delivered  at  the  post  by  contract  at  about  $10  per 
cord,  and  is  now  obtained  not  less  than  eighteen  or  twenty  miles  distant.  In  a  few  years  the  cost 


FORT  8 II AW,  MONTANA  TERRITORY.  411 

of  wood  at  the  post  will  probably  be  much  increased.  Lignite  beds  of  considerable  extent  arc 
found  on  the  Dearborn  River,  not  more  than  thirty  miles  distant.  A  small  quantity  of  this 
coal  was  delivered  at  the  post  for  trial.  It  appears  to  burn  freely,  with  the  strong  odor  incident  to 
lignite,  and  left  unconsumecf  only  a  small  percentage  of  earthy  residuum.  It  is  scarcely  probable 
that  lignite  deposits  will  be  found  in  the  valley.  These  lignite  beds,  if  properly  worked,  should 
afford  an  abundance  of  fuel  at  reasonable  rates.  Below  the  reservation  a  few  ranches  have  been 
taken  up  in  the  valley  by  settlers.  Several  other  ranches  are  located  in  the  hills  to  the  south.  These 
settlers  raise  quite  a  supply  of  vegetables,  which  they  bring  to  the  post  and  retail  to  officers  and 
men  at  high  prices.  The  larger  valleys  of  the  Territory,  viz.,  those  of  the  Gallatiu,  Deer  Lodge, 
Bitter  Root,  and  other  rivers,  have  extensive  areas  under  cultivation.  All  of  them  contain  much 
more  arable  land  than  Sun  River  Valley.  These  valleys  produce  already  large  quantities  of  oats, 
barley,  and  wheat,  as  well  as  vegetables  of  nearly  all  kinds.  Grain  for  the  use  of  public  animals  is 
therefore  obtained  exclusively  in  the  Territory.  Vegetables  are  likewise  purchased  each  fall  by 
the  commissary  department  in  reasonable  amounts.  The  wheat  grown  in  the  Territory  looks 
bright  and  plump  enough,  but  for  some  cause  the  flour  is  altogether  of  inferior  quality  compared 
with  that  brought  from  the  States,  and  the  bread  made  of  it  has  a  dark  color  and  is  generally 
heavy.  Even  the  best  brand  of  Montana  flour  is  entirely  unreliable.  The  variety  known  as  spring 
wheat  is  alone  raised,  because  the  winters  are  open  and  withal  windy.  Ranchmen  say  that  the 
winds  in  winter  are  liable  not  only  to  blow  away  the  surface  soil  of  their  winter  wheat  fields,  but 
the  sown  grain  also  with  it.  The  lack  of  winter  wheat,  and  perhaps  of  first-class  mills,  may  account 
for  the  comparatively  poor  grade  of  mountain  flour.  Corn  will  not  ripen  well  in  the  valley,  neither 
will  tomatoes  mature.  Frosts  are  liable  to  occur  late  in  the  spring  and  early  in  the  fall. 

The  valley  as  a  whole  is  not  very  well  adapted  to  agricultural  purposes.  The  nature  of  the 
subsoil  is  extremely  unfavorable,  since  whatever  moisture  the  soil  absorbs  is  almost  immediately, 
drained  off1  into  the  underlying  beds  of  coarse  gravel  and  pebbles.  A  constant  supply  of  water  is 
necessary,  as  the  soil  is  unable  to  retain  its  moisture.  The  natural  result  of  this  condition  is,  that 
as  soon  as  the  spring  rains  cease  the  soil  and  country  rapidly  become  almost  as  dry  as  an  ash  heap. 
Wherever  a  different  subsoil  of  fine  sand  or  sand  and  clay  is  found  above  the  gravel  beds,  the  set- 
tler can  plant  with  a  reasonable  assurance  of  a  crop.  Irrigation  is  always  resorted  to,  and  for  vege- 
tables especially  is  probably  indispensably  necessary.  Owing  to  the  absence  of  springs  along  the 
foot-hills,  water  for  irrigation  must  be  obtained  from  the  river.  This  entails  great  labor  in  dig- 
ging and  maintaining  a  long  ditch  to  convey  the  water.  Hence,  only  selected  portions  of  the  prairie 
bottom  are  eligible  for  cultivation,  although  it  is  not  altogether  impracticable  to  convey  water 
for  irrigation  on  the  higher  levels.  The  valley  bottom  is  well  carpeted  each  spring  with  a  fine 
expanse  of  grass,  but  as  the  season  advances  and  the  moisture  fails  a  partial  arrest  of  growth  takes 
place,  and  the  mature  grass  is  rarely  sufficiently  abundant  for  mowing.  The  hay  used  at  the  post 
is  therefore  furnished  by  contract  from  the  valley  of  the  Missouri. 

The  country  is  well  adapted  to  grazing.  The  short  and  dry  upland  grass  is  even  more  nutri- 
tious than  the  more  succulent  herbage  of  the  prairie  bottom,  and  animals,  if  left  to  their  own  choice 
will  seek  the  higher  prairies.  Cattle  will  live  and  thrive  on  this  dried  grass  throughout  the  entire 
winter,  hence  ranchmen  usually  allow  their  animals  to  graze  on  the  prairie  without  shelter  the 
year  round.  There  are  thousands  of  working  cattle  employed  in  freighting  across  the  country,  and 
always  on  the  approach  of  winter  they  also  are  driven  into  the  valleys,  or  localities  where  no  great 
depth  of  snow  falls,  and  required  to  forage  for  themselves.  Some  of  these  cattle  are  annually  win- 
tered in  this  way  in  Sun  River  Valley,  although  in  latitude  47°  30'  north;  they  are  reduced  by 
hard  usage  and  constant  labor,  yet  are  driven  up  recruited  and  active  in  the  spring. 

The  ordinary  surface  rock  of  the  country  is  sandstone.  Occasionally  the  high  plateau  to  the 
north  terminates  abruptly  in  a  vertical  escarpment  of  50  to  100  feet  elevation  facing  the  valley, 
and  giving  a  view  of  the  successive  layers.  Superiorly  the  sandstone  is  friable  and  of  a  light, 
color;  lower  down  the  rock  is  somewhat  harder,  and  darker  shades  prevail.  A  broad  band  of  a 
noticeable  dark  color  is  suggestive  of  lignite  beds.  Exceptionally  and  from  local  causes,  though 
not  in  this  immediate  vicinity,  the  beds  are  more  or  less  tilted.  The  strata  on  both  sides  of  the 
valley  yet  maintain  a  very  nearly  horizontal  position.  Hence  the  valley  is  unquestionably  the 
result  of  extensive  denudation  and  excavation,  and  not  of  upheaval.  Generally  along  the  course 


412  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAUY   POSTS. 

of  the  valley  the  whole  thickness  of  the  sandstone  deposit  has  been  cut  through  mid  removed, 
exposing  an  underlying  strata  of  shale  or  shaly  limestone,  where  it  is  not  buried  beneath  the  drift 
or  other  later  post-tertiary  deposits.  The  question  as  to  the  mechanical  means  by  which  such  vast 
excavations  of  rock  strata  have  been  effected  might  find  an  ample  solution  solely  in  the  wonderful 
but  well-recognized  erosive  power  of  running  streams  in  the  formation  of  valleys  or  river  courses. 
In  this  case  the  eroding  and  degrading  action  of  the  water  would  be  much  facilitated  by  the  com- 
paratively soft  nature  of  the  rock,  and  the  very  considerable  slope  of  the  land.  The  present  pitch 
of  the  valley  is  some  10  feet  or  15  feet  to  the  mile.  During  the  earlier  post-tertiary  period,  how- 
ever, glaciers,  fed  from  the  adjacent  mountain  range,  very  likely  crept  down  the  elevated  plateaux 
spread  at  their  base,  and  effectually  wrought  with  the  streams,  grooving  out  the  valleys,  planing 
down  the  surface,  and  molding  it  into  something  of  its  present  conformation  of  high  rolling  prairie 
and  valley  interval.  The  sandstone  found  in  the  valley  is  probably  a  conglomerate.  In  it  are  seen 
abundant  concretions  of  a  spheroidal  shape,  as  well  as  flattened  concretionary  layers.  These  con- 
cretions are  apparently  developed  only  after  exposure  to  atmospheric  agencies,  and  are,  therefore, 
not  seen  in  the  unaltered  rock.  As  decomposition  progresses  they  often  become  very  numerous; 
so  much  so  that  the  whole  exposed  ledge  appears  as  if  made  up  of  rounded,  or,  more  commonly, 
flattened  concretions,  with  crumbling  rock  between.  The  concretions  are  frequently  more  or  less 
calcareous,  especially  those  of  an  ovoidal  shape,  and  in  some  localities  contain  fossil  remains. 
Along  the  slope  of  the  sandstone  strata  on  the  north  side  of  the  valley,  opposite  the  post,  numer- 
ous concretions  are  seen  in  the  rock,  which  are  filled  with  fossil  shells.  They  are  of  considerable 
size,  fissured  and  shaly,  and  readily  break  to  pieces  with  a  slight  blow,  leaving  the  casts  of  shells 
exposed.  These  casts  themselves  are  generally  fragile  and  quite  imperfect.  Higher  up  the  valley, 
on  the  south  side,  round  boulder-like  concretions,  of  various  sizes,  are  freely  met  with.  Being  much 
harder  than  those  containing  rock,  they  are  gradually  set  free  by  its  slow  wear  and  disintegration. 
After  their  release  they  lie  on  the  crumbling  surface  or  roll  down  the  incline  and  repose  along  the 
foot-hills.  In  places  these  rounded,  boulder-like  developments  must  have  progressed  in  the  sand- 
stone with  unusual  energy,  for  they  are  exceedingly  abundant  over  the  slopes  and  foot-hills. 
About  eight  miles  above  the  post  are  several  acres  so  thickly  strewn  with  them  as  almost  to  cover 
the  ground.  These  boulders  are  regularly  oval  in  shape,  some  of  them  weighing  several  tons  each, 
and  are  themselves  apparently  very  slowly  acted  on  by  the  frost  and  atmosphere.  They  are  un- 
doubtedly calcareous.  The  disintegration  of  the  sandstone  formation  has  produced  other  curious 
results  in  some  localities.  The  rock  has  crumbled  away,  leaving  a  small,  spherical  concretion  sup- 
ported on  a  short  column ;  or  a  flattened  concretion  rests  on  a  low  pedestal  not  unlike  a  table. 
Sometimes  these  capped  columns  stand  in  a  row,  and  at  a  distance  appear  much  like  a  file  of  men 
marching  up  the  bluff's.  The  shaly  limestone,  as  seeu  undisturbed  in  the  beds,  has  a  moderately 
compact  laminated  structure,  apparently  easily  worked  and  an  excellent  stone  for  buildings.  It 
comes  out  truly  without  difficulty  in  fine  rectangular  slabs,  some  of  which  are  of  a  blue  color,  hard 
and  almost  crystalline;  others,  however,  are  softer,  and  have  a  black  slaty  look  calculated  to 
awaken  suspicion.  In  fact,  the  stone  is  almost  worthless  for  any  use  whatever.  Soon  after  being 
quarried  it  begins  to  fissure,  and,  readily  separating  into  thin  lamina,  crumbles  rapidly.  An 
exposure  of  a  few  mouths  only  will  reduce  any  but  fragments  of  the  harder  layers  to  a  shapeless 
mass.  The  harder  layers  are  decidedly  calcareous  and  react  freely  with  any  acid.  It  was  inferred 
by  some,  therefore,  that  portions  of  the  rock  might  be  successfully  burned  into  lime.  The  experi- 
ment with  the  stone  in  this  direction  likewise  signally  failed.  After  driving  oft'  the  carbonic  acid 
gas  a  very  little  lime,  much  sand,  and  some  clay  remained. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  post  and  standing  just  on  the  borders  of  the  valley  are  three  distinct 
bluff's  or  buttes,  separated  by  an  interval  of  a  inile  or  more,  and  rising  even  to  a  greater  height 
than  the  opposing  country  to  the  north.  These  buttes  present  a  somewhat  novel  and  interesting 
feature;  they  are  topped  out  with  a  layer  of  dark  igneous  rock  overlying  the  sandstone.  The.more 
easterly  of  these  is  widely  known  throughout  the  country  as  the  "  Crown  Butte."  It  is  a  large  oval- 
shaped  hill,  entirely  isolated,  and  rising  abruptly  to  a  height,  I  should  judge,  of  500  or  600  feet 
above  the  valley  bottom.  The  overlying  stratum  of  trap  exhibits  a  perpendicular  ledge,  of  from 
50  to  100  feet  in  thickness,  encircling  the  top  of  the  mountain.  This  vertical  ledge  of  dark  igneous 
rock  gives  the  butte  a  very  bold  aspect,  and  appears  not  unlike  a  crown  resting  on  its  summit. 


TOUT  SEIAVT,   MONTANA  TKIMMTORV.  413 

The  biitte  to  the  west  is  also  a  -'crown  butte;"  and  though  of  lesser  circumference  i»  strikingly 
similar  in  form  and  appearance.  The  intervening  buttc  is  longer  and  more  irregular  in  ontline, 
with  dark  ridges  of  igneous  origin  breaking  the  uniformity  of  its  slopes. 

The  summit  of  the  "Crown  Unite,"  which  is  somewhat  higher  than  tlic  others,  is  a  compara- 
tively level,  oval-shaped  area,  about  one  and  one-half  miles  across  on  its  longer  by  one  mile  on  its 
shorter,  or  conjugate  diameter.  The  peculiar  formation  of  I  he  "Crown  Bnttc"  is  such  that  except 
for  two  or  three  partial  breaks  in  the  trap  ledge  it  would  be  nearly  impossible  to  climb  to  its  sum- 
mit. As  it  is  the  ascent  is  somewhat  difficult.  Standing  on  the  buttes  their  outspread  prairie 
summits  look  to  be,  as  they  undoubtedly  once  were,  simply  a  continuation  of  the  high  prairie  level 
to  the  north,  the  continuity  of  surface  having  been  evidently  only  severed  by  the  valley  excava- 
tion. The  ledges  which  surmount  the  buttes  are  evidently,  as  before  stated,  true  igneous  rocks, 
which  have  been  ejected  in  a  molten  state  up  through  fissures  in  the  earth's  crust.  It  is  a  coarse 
rock,  and  in  the  ledges  very  compact ;  in  other  situations  it  is  not  so  compact,  and  consists  of 
feldspar  and  hornblende  or  augite,  the  latter  in  small  elongated  prisms.  The  rock  belongs,  there- 
fore, to  the  augitic  series,  and  is  properly  a  variety  of  dolerite.  It  has  a  high  specific  gravity  and 
a  dark  color,  ordinarily  a  dark  gray  or  greenish  black.  ^Vherever  found  it  is  more  or  less  jointed 
or  basaltic,  and  in  the  ledges  presents  often  a  beautiful  compact  columnar  appearance.  A  dike- 
wall  intersects  Sun  lliver  Valley  about  one  and  one-half  miles  above  the  post.  In  the  river  bottom 
it  has,  however,  been  mostly  swept  away  and  buried  beneath  the  alluvium.  It  comes  out  of  the 
sandstone  strata  on  the  north  side  of  the  valley  as  a  well  jointed  wall,  and  looks  not  unlike  the 
remains  of  an  ancient  race.  To  the  south,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  butte,  one  can  see  this  same 
dike-wall  cutting  across  the  adjacent  valley  into  the  mountains  beyond.  Isolated  comb-like  ledges 
are  sometimes  unexpectedly  met  with.  The  most  interesting  illustrations  of  these  is  the  bird-tail 
rock,  fifteen  miles  to  the  south.  This  is  a  thin  fan-shaped  ledge  projecting  straight  up  in  air  100 
feet  or  more,  through  a  sandstone  hill  on  which  it  is  perched.  The  apex  of  the  ledge  is  probably 
200  and  300  feet  above  the  surface  level  below.  Among  the  fossil  remains  found  in  the  valley  the 
mollusks  are  apparently  in  the  ascendant.  So  far  as  I  am  able  to  form  an  opinion  they  seem  to 
bear  a  cleser  resemblance  to  the  species  of  the  cretaceous  period  than  to  those  of  tertiary  beds. 
One  specimen  especially,  jointed  and  of  some  length,  and  which  is  probably  the  Baculites  compressttx 
(Say)  of  the  Upper  Missouri,  is  very  abundant.  Ammonites  (probably)  of  a  very  large  size  are  also 
seen,  as  well  as  members  of  the  oyster  family,  and  many  other  species.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
strata  would  seem  to  be  of  the  same  formation  in  which  lignite  beds  occur,  and  which  are  generally 
considered  brackish  water  deposits  of  the  early  tertiary  period.  A  lignite  bed  is  found  in  the  valley  of 
the  Dearborn  Eiver,  thirty  miles  distant,  and  the  strata  occupying  the  intervening  country  appear  on 
the  whole  to  be  very  little  disturbed,  though  in  places  the  surface  is  broken  by  ridges  and  hills  of 
igneous  rock.  The  lignite  deposit  itself,  however,  is  considerably  tilted  to  the  west.  Hence  the 
bed  might  possibly  be  an  earlier  formation  than  the  strata  of  Sun  River  Valley,  especially  as 
the  latter  are  possibly  tertiary  also,  and  not  deposits  in  cretaceous  seas. 

Various  kinds  of  large  game  abound  in  the  country,  though  not  so  plentiful  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  post.  The  while  tail  deer  frequents  the  brush  along  the  river;  black-tail  deer 
are  found  on  the  higher  prairies,  and  antelopes  are  quite  numerous  everywhere.  Bands  of  elk 
graze  along  the  mountain  slopes,  and  the  mountain  sheep  ("big-horns")  inhabit  the  bolder  inclines. 
Hunting  these  animals  atfords  plenty  of  sport  for  those  who  have  much  patience  and  scorn  fatigue. 
The  buffalo  seldom  advances  west  of  the  Marias  Eiver ;  beyond  they  are  in  great  numbers.  The 
smaller  kinds  of  game  are  not  very  abundant.  A  few  wild  duck  of  various  species  frequent  the 
rivers  and  sloughs ;  likewise  wild  geese,  brant,  &c.  A  few  sage  hens  and  prairie  chickens  are 
found;  the  latter  are  on  the  increase.  Beaver  make  their  home  in  the  streams,  and  the  otter  and 
mnskrat  are  met  with.  Wolves,  coyotes,  foxes,  hares,  rabbits,  pole-cats,  prairie  dogs,  and  gophers 
inhabit  the  prairies,  while  grizzly  and  cinnamon  bears,  the  panther,  and  lynx  are  less  numerous, 
and  generally  confine  themselves  to  the  vicinity  of  mountains. 

The  valley  is  almost  destitute  of  water,  aside  from  the  river.  A  few  small  springs  flow  out  of 
the  foot-hills  along  the  valley,  but  generally  their  feeble  rills  scarcely  more  than  moisten  a  few 
.yards  or  rods  of  the  prairie  bottom,  in  which  they  are  speedily  lost.  A  large  spring  or  springs 
comes  up  in  the  prairie  bottom  opposite  to  and  about  one  and  a  half  miles  distant  from  the  post. 


414  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

and  forms  an  extensive  slough.  This  slough  remains  the  year  round,  and  is  a  favorite  resort  of 
various  species  of  wild  ducks. 

The  climate  of  the  Territory  is  exceedingly  dry  all  the  year  round.  The  aggregate  fall  of  rain 
and  snow  (melted)  for  the  year  1868  was  10.14  inches,  arid  for  1869,  7.46  inches.  At  other  seasons 
than  the  spring  and  early  summer,  the  showers  seem  scarcely  at  all  to  moisten  the  exsiccated  soil 
beneath  the  surface.  Snow  rarely  lies  on  the  ground  long  after  a  storm.  High  westerly  winds 
prevail  and  drive  much  of  it  into  drifts;  at  the  same  time  the  current  of  dry  atmosphere  moving- 
over  the  surface  melts  the  snow,  and  bears  away  the  moisture  quite  as  fast  as  melted.  It  is  inter- 
esting to  watch  the  snow  banks  thus  mysteriously  dwindle  away  and  disappear,  perhaps  altogether, 
without  leaving  the  customary  puddles  of  mud  and  water  behind.  Snow  on  the  mountains  is  usu- 
ally abundant  and  of  great  depth.  The  roads  in  winter  are,  as  a  rule,  in  fine  condition,  and  the 
wheeling  good.  The  want  of  humidity  in  the  atmosphere  is  to  be  ascribed  partially,  perhaps,  to  the 
altitude, but  is  also  largely  due,  probably,  to  the  obstructions  of  high  mountain  chains  to  the  west. 
The  Cascade  Range  is  a  formidable  obstacle  to  the  passing  inland  of  clouds  gathered  over  the  areas 
of  the  Pacific.  The  intervening  mountains  receive  contributions  in  rains,  as  the  vapors  climb  to 
the  higher  plains  and  cooler  atmosphere  beyond,  and  the  main  divide  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
offers  the  final  barrier  to  the  arrival  of  moisture  to  the  great  plains  on  their  eastern  slopes.  The 
extremes  of  mean  temperature,  although  considerable,  are  not  so  great,  perhaps,  between  the  sum- 
mer and  winter  months  as  one  might  anticipate,  considering  the  high  latitude.  The  mean  temper- 
ature for  the  year  1808  was  45.25°  F.,  and  that  of  18G9,  47.35°  F.  In  18G8,  total  increase  of  mean 
temperature  from  January  to  July  is  59.41°  F.,  and  the  corresponding  decrease  from  July  to  Decem- 
ber, 44.51°  F.  The  diurnal  oscillations  of  temperature,  however,  are  usually  quite  marked  at  all 
seasons  of  the  year.  The  variations  in  the  daily  observations,  which  are  registered  at  7  o'clock  a. 
m.  and  2  o'clock  and  9  o'clock  p.  m.,  respectively,  are  frequently  from  20°  to  30°  F.  Hence  it  fol- 
lows that  the  nights  are  generally  cool  in  summer,  although  the  temperature  may  be  high  at  mid- 
day. The  heat  of  summer  is  quite  inconstant ;  a  high  temperature  rarely  obtains  for  more  than 
three  or  four  days  iu  succession.  In  winter,  likewise,  the  periods  of  intense  cold  are  infrequent, 
and  scarcely  continue  for  more  than  a  week  at  a  time.  Winds  are  exceedingly  prevalent  at  all 
seasons  of  the  year,  though  they  relax  somewhat  during  the  summer  months.  The  fact  that  they 
attain  a  monthly  mean  force  of  three  and  four,  (which  is  the  equivalent  of  a  constant  and  uniform 
velocity  of  10  to  20  miles  an  hour,)  through  three-fourths  of  the  months  in  a  year  sufficiently  indi- 
cates this.  Their  usual  direction  is  down  the  valley  from  the  west.  The  location  of  the  post  is, 
however,  very  favorable  to  catch  the  full  force  of  winds.  The  valley  is  narrowed  slightly  here  by  an 
encroachment  of  the  bluffs  on  the  south.  The  air  currents  are  consequently  driven  by  the  post  at 
a  somewhat  higher  velocity  than  elsewhere. 

The  post  is  built  around  a  square  of  400  feet  side,  and  very  nearly  in  accordance  with  plans 
designed  by  General  Reeve  in  18G7.  The  adobe  brick  was  used  exclusively  iu  constructing  the 
walls  of  the  buildings.  The  dimensions  of  the  brick  used  are  6  inches  by  12  inches,  with  a 
a  thickness  of  4  inches.  All  outside  walls  of  buildings  are  18  inches  in  thickness,  and  the  inside 
walls,  likewise  of  adobes,  are  one  foot  iu  thickness.  The  officers'  quarters,  especially,  are  well  fin- 
ished inside  throughout ;  the  walls  are  plastered,  the  doors  and  windows  cased  and  painted  white. 
The  arrangement  of  the  post  is  shown  in  Plate  No.  9. 

The  company  quarters  are  four  barracks,  each  102  feet  front,  and  built  alike.  Each  contains 
orderly  sergeant's  quarters,  15  by  15  feet;  company  store-room,  15  by  14  feet;  four  dormitories,  each 
20  by  30  feet,  and  9  feet  high— 5,400  cubic  feet  air  space,  or  together,  21,600  cubic  feet  of  air  space; 
mess-room,  18  by  40  feet;  kitchen,  18  by  18  feet;  laundresses'  quarters,  each  room,  15  by  15  feet. 
The  21,600  cubic  feet  air  space  to  a  company  gives  313  cubic  feet  per  man,  when  the  company  is  at 
the  minimum  organization  of  G9  men,  or  about  190  cubic  feet  to  a  man  when  the  company  has  a 
maximum  of  119.  Each  dormitory  is  well  lighted  by  four  windows,  12  square  feet  of  glass  to  a 
window,  or  48  square  feet  of  glass  to  a  dormitory. 

Commissary  of  subsistence  and  quartermaster's  store-houses,  90  feet  front ;  office  of  commis- 
sary of  subsistence,  16  by  14  feet;  clerk's  room,  13  by  14  feet;  issuing  room,  30  by  15  feet;  store- 
rooms, each  27  by  30  feet ;  cellar  for  subsistence  stores,  full  size  of  back  store-room ;  quartermas- 
ter's issuing  room,  27  by  30  feet;  store-rooms,  each  27  by  30  feet.  Yard  30  by  GO  feet,  inclosed  at 


30  100  HO  200  350  3OO  350  400  4.50  JOO  .WO 


I' I. AN  OF 


SCALK:    150 feet  totincli. 

NOTES. 

A     Mens  Quarters  1  • 

H  . .  0rM.r&  C^y  S  „     Storehouses  M   Ma(/(f'*i'rtr 

l?Al?T    CUATAr  f    D  i  <-  -v    u'      •/•   , 

P  I  I  \\   I  1 1 1  ^  V\A  aojidtfuarlayk  biwrt/iotise  iN     trattT  lOnet 

D    (pMT& C,aftf.  Storehouse  0    Corral,  temporary, 

Montana    TerritOTy  .  '&-&Kaf1Kreriet£S'?(F!f  m    Sinks  &  Oulhoiisej 

~£  -  Post- Hospital  "p     ttmporeijy  jin Jcs. 

H  -  Offifers  -  Quarters 
I    Uiapfl_,Library&Cowtrnc[rtia.lftotmi 
Frencli.IanfranilcOgilvie.Lith.WisU^  K  OrttnanrtRomn,  School kHillard Room 


PLATE    N?  9. 


FOKT  SHAW,  MONTANA  TERRITORY. 


415 


the  rear  by  a  high  wall  and  gate.  Band  quarters  and  guard-house,  68  feet  front ;  all  rooms  9  feet 
high  in  the  clear.  Band  dormitory,  19  by  30  feet— 5,130  cubic  feet  air  space.  An  occupancy  of  16 
gives  320  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man.  Sergeant  and  drum-major's  rooms,  front  room,  15  by  15: 
back  room,  15  by  14  feet.  Band  mess-room,  15  by  15  feet;  band  kitchen,  15  by  15  feet.  Laun- 
dresses' quarters,  15  by  15  feet ;  guard-room,  17  by  .'50  feet;  officer  of  guard's  room,  10  by  15  feet ; 
sergeant  of  guard's  room,  10  by  14  feet;  general  prison,  18  by  1-s  feet,  and  9  feet  high — 2,916  cubic 
feet  air  space.  Separate  cells,  each  34.  by  64  feet,  and  without  windows.  These  arc  of  stone,  and 
partially  built.  One  could  scarcely  credit  the  construction  of  windowless  stone  dens  only  3  feet  6 
inches  wide,  and  6  feet  6  inches  long,  to  the  end  of  imprisoning  men  in  them. 

The  building  temporarily  occupied  by  the  quartermaster  and  commissary  as  a  store-house  is  a 
wooden  structure,  designed  to  be  replaced  by  one  of  adobe,  and  of  the  same  model  as  the  store- 
house marked  B. 

District  and  post  headquarters,  68  feet  front.  OHii-es,  district  headquarters,  front  rooms,  14 
by  15  feet ;  rear  rooms,  14  by  14  feet ;  offices,  post  headquarters,  front  rooms,  1.'5  by  15  feet ;  rear 
rooms,  13  by  14  feet;  non-commissioned  staff  quarters, 
each  15  by  15  feet;  hall,  7  feet  wide,  with  stairway. 

The  hospital  is  82  feet  front.  Its  arrangement  is 
shown  in  Figure  56. 

A,  ward,  24  by  44  feet ;  B,  bath  room,  Si  by  1 1 
feet;  G,  dead-room,  84  by  11  feet;  C,  office,  12  by  18 
feet;  D,  dispensary,  12  by  16  feet;  II,  main  hall;  K, 
kitchen,  12  by  16  feet;  L,  steward's  room,  12  by  15 
feet;  M,  small  ward  or  dining-room,  18  by  30  feet; 
X,  attendants'  room.  12  by  IS  feet;  V,  matron's  room. 
12  by  15  feet.  All  rooms  except  the  wards  are  9  feet 
high  in  the  clear.  The  small  ward  is  designed  for  six 
beds ;  mean  height,  12  feet ;  6,480  cubic  feet  air  space, 
or  1,080  cubic  feet  per  bed  ;  habitually  used  as  a  din- 
ing room.  Main  ward,  capacity  sixteen  beds,  24  by  44 
feet;  mean  height,  14  feet;  14,784 cubic  feet  air  space, 
or  924  cubic  feet  air  space  per  bed.  The  main  hall  isS 
feet  wide,  with  stairway  side  halls,  each  4  feet  wide; 
rear  hall,  6  feet  wide.  Shaft  ventilation  alone  is  used 


Kignn-  5r,.— Sx-aic.  30  c.-.-t  t<>  i  inch. 
in  the  wards,  because  of  winds  and  the  high  latitude.  A  commodious  store-room  is  finished  off 
under  the  roof  over  the  surgery,  dispensary,  &c.  The  hospital  grounds  are  limited  and  without 
shade  trees,  as  the  soil  is  a  bed  of  coarse  gravel  and  pebbles. 

The  commanding  officer's  quarters  contain  a  hall,  7  feet  wide,  with  stairway;  rooms,  each  15 
by  15  feet;  kitchen,  15  by  12  feet,  with  pantry  and  small  cellar  underneath;  sen  ants'  room,  15 
by  10  feet,  and  two  garret  rooms.  The  officers'  quarters  are  a  double  set,  under  the  same  roof; 
hall,  7  feet  wide,  with  stairway  :  front-room,  15  by  15  feet :  hack-room.  l.'J  by  15  fe.-t  :  small  mess- 
room  cut  off  from  hall,  9  by  15  feet;  kitchen,  15  by  12  feet,  with  a  pantry  and  small  cellar 
underneath ;  servants'  room,  15  by  10  feet.  Each  set  of  quarters  has  also  a  garret-room.  All  the 
officers' quarters,  the  store  house,  the  offices,  and  hospital  have  permanent  shingled  roofs;  other 
buildings  have  roofs  similarly  constructed,  but  boarded  temporarily.  Chapel  and  library  not 
erected;  ordnance-room  and  post  school  not  erected;  post  bakery,  a  temporary  wooden  building; 
magazine,  a  temporary  excavation  covered  with  earth.  Water  tanks,  with  wooden  pipes,  (not 
serviceable ;)  out-houses  and  sinks,  built  of  adobes,  except  those  used  by  the  men  toward  the  bank 
of  the  river,  which  are  wood,  and  temporary. 

The  supply  of  water  is  obtained  at  present  exclusively  from  the  river,  and  is  distributed  to  the 
post  by  means  of  a  water-cart.  The  water  is  comparatively  wholesome,  except  perhaps  during 
rains  or  the  melting  of  snow,  when  water  which  has  percolated  through  the  alkaline  soil  of  the 
valley  finds  its  way  into  the  river.  This  gives  the  water  a  saline  taste,  and  renders  it  liable  to 
disturb  the  bowels  somewhat.  Water  may  be  reached  in  wells  by  digging  a  little  below  the  level 
of  the  bed  of  the  river,  but  it  is  not  suitable  for  use,  for  the  reason  above  indicated.  The  com- 


416 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MIL1TAKY  POSTS. 


manding  officer  has  uudertakeu  to  bring  a  running  stream  of  water  on  the  parade  ground  from  the 
river.  A  ditch  receives  the  water  about  six  miles  above  the  post,  and  its  entire  length  is  some 
eight  miles.  The  river  at  that  point  is  sixty  feet  or  more  above  the  level  of  the  parade.  This  is 
an  enterprise  of  great  labor  and  not  a  little  difficulty.  The  stream  has  yet  to  be  brought  about 
one-third  of  the  distance.  Surface  drainage  only  is  employed ;  the  slope  towards  the  river  is  very 
gentle  ;  water,  however,  seldom  stands  on  the  surface  in  this  dry  climate. 

The  cemetery  is  located  about  half  a  mile  west  of  the  post. 

The  post  and  company  gardens  are  at  present  of  limited  size.  They  are  situated  in  the  prairie 
bottom,  about  a  mile  below  the  post.  A  suitable  irrigating  ditch,  upon  which  considerable  labor 
has  been  expended,  conveys  water  out  of  the  river,  just  below  the  post,  on  to  the  ground.  Either 
because  the  gardeners  were  scarcely  adepts  at  irrigating,  (as  is  most  probable,)  or  from  other 
causes,  the  gardens  have  afforded  as  yet  no  adequate  supply  of  any  vegetables,  except  per- 
haps lettuce  and  radishes.  It  is  in  contemplation,  however,  to  add  largely  to  the  gardens  with 
a  view  to  raising  an  abundance  of  vegetables  at  the  post.  The  grasshoppers  which  annually  swarm 
in  myriads  in  many  localities,  and  are  so  destructive  to  vegetation,  seldom  invade  the  valley  in 
numbers  sufficient  to  inflict  great  injury.  In  1807  they  were  quite  numerous,  and  where  they  pre- 
vailed the  crops  of  the  settlers  suffered. 

The  prevailing  diseases  of  the  post  and  vicinity  are  epidemic  catarrhs  during  the  fall  and 
winter,  and  catarrhal  inflammations  of  all  mucous  membranes;  acute  diarrhoea,  frequently  dysen- 
teric, has  been  especially  prevalent  at  the  post ;  at  the  same  time  many  cases  of  febricula  occur. 
Attacks  of  acute  rheumatism  are  very  common  notwithstanding  the  dryuess  of  the  climate;  prob- 
ably the  sudden  transition  from  a  dry  to  a  moist  atmosphere,  when  storms  occur,  which  are  often 
attended  with  considerable  fluctuations  of  temperature,  favors  the  development  of  this  disease. 
Eemittent  and  typho-inalarial,  and  probably  enteric  fevers  are  not  infrequent  in  the  spring  and 
fall,  especially  among  miners  and  hunters,  or  persons  who  are  generally  without  shelter;  these  in 
the  parlance  of  the  country  are  termed  "  mountain  fevers"  indiscriminately.  Three  cases  of  typho- 
malarial  fever  have  occurred  at  the  post,  two  of  citizens  and  one  a  soldier,  and  with  a  fatal  termi- 
nation in  each  instance.  I  have  known  of  no  cases  of  intermittent  fever  that  have  with  certainty 
originated  in  the  country;  neither  is  phthisis  pulmonalis  incident  to  the  climate,  so  far  as  I  have 
observed ;  incipient  phthisis  is  frequently  apparently  arrested  in  this  climate,  though  but  imper- 
fectly if  tuberculous  exudation  has  taken  place  to  any  extent.  Small-pox,  when  it  occurs,  makes 
dreadful  ravages  among  the  Indian  tribes.  A  Catholic  father,  who  is  laboring  with  the  Blackfeet 
Indians,  gave  me  the  following  statement  of  deaths  from  small-pox  in  the  Blackfeet  nation  alone, 
from  December  2,  18G9,  to  May  1,  1870:  Men,  081 ;  women,  37S ;  and  of  children,  341 ;  this  gives  a 
total  of  1,400  deaths  from  small-pox  in  a  population  of  perhaps  7,000  or  8,000  souls.  The  younger 
members  of  the  tribes  suffered  most,  since  many  of  the  older  members  had  previously  had  the 
disease.  A  famine  fever  (relapsing  fever  probably)  also  prevailed  in  connection  with  small-pox, 
and  increased  the  mortality.  The  white  population  has  also  suffered  from  small-pox  to  some  extent 
the  past  year. 

There  is  a  post  office  at  Fort  Shaw,  and  a  mail  route  from  Corinne,  on  the  Central  Pacific  rail- 
road, via  Helena,  to  Fort  Benton,  Montana  Territory.  Coaches  pass  regularly  over  the  road,  and 
bring  the  mail  three  times  a  week.  The  distance  from  the  post  to  Corinne  is  about  500  miles.  A 
telegraph  wire  extends  along  the  same  route,  with  an  office  at  Fort  Shaw. 

Statement  showing  mean  xtrengtlt,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  8 ha  IT,  Montana  Terri- 
tory, for  the  years  18G8  and  1809. 


r 

"3 

a 

S 

g 

•3 

-      /4 

t 

53 

1 

| 

1C 

SD 

t/ 

% 

s 

• 

Years. 

\ 

= 
3 
<-. 

a   x 

ll 

•o 

'o 

"E, 
£ 

Malarial  IV 

Diarrlia'ii 
ilysente 

X 

+3 

'3 

a 

1 

Venereal  di 

Rhoumatisi 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal 
tions.* 

1 

1868  

258.58 

365 

1 

25 

78 

12 

3 

32 

1869  

185.83 

215 

30 

16 

14 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  nnd  pleurisy. 


DEPARTMENT  OF   THE  COLUMBIA. 


POSTS  DESCRIBED. 


Fort  Cnlville.  Washington  Territory. 

Fort  Cape  Disappointment,  Washington  Territory. 

Fort  Vancouver,  Washington  Territory. 

Fort  Lupwai,  Idaho  Territory. 

Fort  lioUiS,  Idaho  Territory. 


Camp  Tliree  Forks  Owyhee,  Idaho  Territory. 
Fort  Stevens,  Oregon. 
Fort  Klamath,  Oregon. 
Camp  Warner,  Oregon. 
Camp  Ilaruey,  Oregon. 


FORT  COLVILLE,  WASHINGTON  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  E.  Y.  CHASE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Colville  is  situated  in  Washington  Territory,  in  latitude  48°  41'  north,  longitude  117°  55' 
west ;  altitude  above  the  sea,  2,800  feet.  It  is  about  35  miles  south  of  the  dividing  line  between 
the  United  States  and  British  Columbia,  and  14  miles  east  of  the  Columbia  River.  The  Cascade 
Range  of  mountains  is  about  150  miles  west.  Old  fort  Colville,  a  Hudson  Bay  trading  post,  is 
located  on  the  Columbia  River,  14  miles  west.  Forty  miles  north  of  Colville,  also  on  the  Columbia 
River,  is  another  Hudson  Bay  post,  Fort  Shepard,  which  has  but  one  employe,  and  is  not  of  much 
importance.  Fort  Lapwai  is  the  nearest  United  States  military  post.  The  Jesuits  have  a  mission 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  post,  and  a  church  on  the  Columbia  River,  at  the  Kettle  Falls,  16 
miles  distant. 

The  post  was  established  June  30,  1859,  to  guard  against  the  Indians  who  were  very  hostile, 
having  defeated  Colonel  Steptoe  near  the  Spokane  River  the  previous  year,  in  June.  The  Govern- 
ment reserve  consists  of  about  one  square  mile  of  land  of  a  very  irregular  form.  On  the  north  side  it 
is  bounded  by  a  small  stream  of  water,  which  runs  the  Government  saw-mill ;  on  the  east  and  west 
sides  by  hills  ranging  in  height  from  200  feet  on  the  east  side  to  800  or  900  feet  on  the  west.  On 
the  south  side  the  reserve  is  an  open  valley.  The  town  of  Colville  is  north  of  the  post  about  one- 
half  mile.  It  contains  a  post  office,  three  stores,  one  saloon,  one  blacksmith  shop,  and  one  carpen- 
ter shop,  a  boarding-house,  about  twenty  buildings,  and  50  inhabitants. 

The  soil  of  the  valley  is  very  fertile,  producing  in  abundance  all  the  cereals,  except  Indian  corn, 
for  which  the  nights  of  the  summer  are  too  cold.  Much  of  the  land  in  the  vicinity  is  too  dry  for 
any  farming  purposes,  except  where  it  can  be  irrigated,  when  any  of  it  will  produce  fine  crops  of 
wheat  and  oats. 

The  geological  formation  is  limestone,  interspersed  with  granite,  quartz,  and  slate.  Of  mineral 
productions,  gold  in  minute  quantities  is  found  in  the  sands  of  all  the  mountain  streams.  Galena 
is  also  occasionally  found  in  small  quantities.  Iron  is  generally  diffused.  But  a  small  portion  of  the 
soil  upon  the  reservation  is  tillable.  It  is  mostly  an  elevated  terrace,  composed  of  gravel,  but  on  the 
north  side,  near  the  creek,  the  soil  is  a  rich  loam,  containing  considerable  alkali ;  and  this  is  the 
location  of  the  post  garden.  Clay  of  good  quality  for  making  brick  is  found  in  abundance  in  the 
vicinity.  Pine  and  fir  grow  in  great  abundance,  suitable  for  rough  building  and  agricultural  pur- 
poses, especially  valuable  for  fire-wood;  also  white  cedar,  tamarack,  cotton  wood,  wild  cherry,  vine 
maple,  thorn,  hazel,  and  willow. 

White  and  black-tailed  deer  are  seldom  seen  in  this  vicinity;  black  and  brown  bears  are  in 
abundance;  cougar,  lynx,  coyote,  red  fox,  wolverine,  beaver,  otter,  marten,  mink,  fisher,  and  badger 
are  found.  Of  birds,  there  are  rufl'ed  grouse,  wood  or  blue  grouse,  caper  kelzie  or  cock  of  the  mount- 
ain, prairie  grouse,  curlew,  pigeon,  dove,  ducks  and  geese,  and  other  varieties  of  water-fowl  in 
great  abundance.  Of  fishes,  there  are  the  salmon  and  salmon  trout,  in  the  Columbia  River  and 
all  its  large  tributaries  not  too  much  obstructed  by  falls.  Trout  are  in  great  abundance  in  all  streams. 
53 


418  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

Tbe  mean  annual  temperature  for  ten  years  was  48.54°  P. ;  hygrometer,  44.30°.  The  coldest 
days  were  the  IGth,  17th,  and  18th  of  .January,  1802,  being — 32°;  greatest  heat,  August  11,  18(50, 
and  July  20,  1870,  being  00°  F.  in  the  shade.  Average  yearly  fall  of  rain  25.75  inches.  Snow 
sometimes  falls  during  the  first  week  in  November,  and  in  rare  instances  as  early  as  the  middle  of 
October,  but  in  these  instances  melts  soon,  and  begins  to  fall  steadily  about  Christmas,  when  it 
lies  on  the  ground  until  the  1st  of  March.  The  cold  is  extreme,  the  atmosphere  dry,  crisp,  and 
bracing. 

The  fort  is  located  very  near  the  center  of  the  reservation  npon  an  elevated  and  level  gravelly 
plain,  containing  about  150  acres  of  ground.  It  is  distant  from  the  creek,  bounding  the  reserve  on 
the  north  side,  about  500  yards,  and  elevated  above  it  about  GO  feet.  The  post  is  built  of  hewn 
logs,  the  buildings  being  arranged  on  four  sides  of  a  parallelogram.  At  the  post  are  four  buildings 
originally  intended  and  once  occupied  as  barracks  for  soldiers,  88  by  28J  feet  and  10£  feet  high  to 
the  ceiling;  they  are  built  of  logs,  not  hewn,  but  filled  between  with  mortar.  Only  one  of  these 
buildings  is  used  as  quarters  at  present.  It  is  well  ceiled  with  rough  boards,  and  against  its  north 
end  is  built  a  frame  building,  15  by  10  feet,  and  9  feet  high,  used  as  first  sergeant's  room.  Each  of 
the  barrack  buildings  is  intended  to  accommodate  a  full  company.  Of  the  other  three  buildings, 
the  middle  one  is  used  as  a  theater,  with  a  room,  20  feet  wide,  partitioned  oft'  for  ablution  room ;  one 
as  a  drill-room  during  wet  or  inclement  weather;  the  fourth  has  never  been  finished,  and  at  pres- 
ent is  the  quartermaster's  store-house.  The  barracks  are  warmed  by  two  immense  fireplaces,  one 
at  each  end  of  the  room,  and  lighted  by  two  windows  in  front  and  four  in  the  rear,  and  ventilated 
by  a  large  opening  in  the  ceiling,  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  communicating  with  openings  at  the 
ridge  of  the  roof,  protected  by  boxes  perforated  for  exit  of  the  air.  The  fireplaces  also  are  very 
efficient  ventilators.  When  the  quarters  are  full  the  air  space  per  man  is  572  cubic  feet,  bxit  as  it 
is  never  completely  full  the  real  space  per  man  is  much  greater.  The  room  contains  25  wooden 
bunks,  3i  feet  wide,  each  occupied  by  two  men.  The  only  wash  and  bath-room  for  the  soldiers  is 
the  room  before  mentioned,  as  a  portion  of  the  middle  barrack  building;  it  has  a  large  fireplace, 
and  sinks,  but  no  bath-tub.  Each  barrack  building  has  its  kitchen  and  mess-room  in  a  long  build- 
ing with  one  large  room,  situated  GO  feet  back,  with  its  long  diameter  perpendicular  to  the  barrack ; 
it  is  CO  by  20  feet,  and  10|  feet  high.  The  one  now  in  use  has  two  windows  on  each  long  side ;  one 
door  in  front  and  two  in  the  rear.  Three  small  rooms  are  partitioned  off  the  rear  end  of  the  room 
for  a  pantry,  wash-room,  and  wood  storage;  it  has  a  large  fireplace  and  fine  range.  There  are 
eleven  sets  of  laundresses'  quarters,  built  of  logs.  Four  bnildiugs  are  used  as  officers'  quarters ; 
three  more  were  built  for  that  purpose,  one  now  used  as  adjutant's  office  and  post  library  rooms ; 
two  have  never  been  finished.  All  are  built  of  hewn  logs,  and  well  finished  in  a  plain,  substantial 
manner;  are  lathed  and  plastered,  and  well  painted  inside.  Two  of  them  have  been  hung  with 
paper,  at  the  expense  of  officers  living  in  them.  They  are  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  the  rooms 
above  having  never  been  finished.  Each  set  contains  four  rooms  with  hall  between,  in  the  building 
proper,  and  kitchen  and  pantries  in  the  rear.  In  the  set  of  quarters  occupied  by  the  commanding 
officer,  (middle  set  in  the  row,)  the  main  building  contains  four  rooms,  with  a  hall,  7  feet  wide,  run- 
ning between  from  front  to  rear;  the  rooms  are  16  by  1C  by  9  feet,  the  upper  half-story  not  having 
been  finished.  In  the  rear  are  the  pantry,  9  by  9 £  by  8  feet,  and  the  kitchen,  14  by  14 J  by  8  feet ; 
then  a  porch,  0  feet  wide,  running  back  51  feet,  and  in  front  of  the  wood-shed  and  kitchen ;  the 
wood-shed  is  next  to  the  kitchen,  and  is  25  feet  long;  in  the  rear  of  the  wood-shed  is  the  privy. 
The  two  sets  of  quarters,  which  are  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of  the  commanding  officers'  quarters, 
were  originally  intended  as  double  quarters,  but  in  dividing  the  rooms  for  that  purpose  they  were 
made  entirely  too  small  for  comfort,  the  largest  room  in  the  building  having  been  only  12  by  13J 
feet  in  size ;  the  fault  was  remedied  by  removing  the  partition  between  one  of  the  halls,  closing  one 
front  door,  thus  giving  a  large  parlor,  12  by  21  feet  in  size ;  the  height  of  the  ceilings  in  both  build- 
ings is  9  feet ;  they  have  a  porch.  G  feet  wide  and  47  feet  long ;  a  hall,  7  feet  wide,  runs  from  front 
to  rear,  the  depth  of  the  front  rooms.  At  the  end  of  the  hall  is  a  small  room,  9  by  12  feet ;  on  the 
left  of  this  room  is  a  bed-room,  9  by  12  feet,  and  in  front,  left  side,  is  a  room,  12  by  13£  feet.  All 
the  buildings  are  heated  by  open  fireplaces  ;  supplied  with  water  by  an  iron  pipe  which  runs  through 
the  kitchens  from  the  reservoir,  and  have  no  bath-rooms. 

The  commissary  store-house  is  a  building,  101  by  30  by  13  feet ;  it  has  a  cellar,  7  feet  deep,  under 


FORT  COLVILLE,  WASHINGTON  TERRITORY.  419 

its  whole  length.  The  quartermaster's  store-house  is  an  old  set  of  barracks,  the  old  kitchen  in  its 
rear  being  used  as  a  granary  for  oats. 

The  guard-house  is  a  building  of  hewn  logs,  40£  by  30J  feet;  it  has  two  large  rooms  front,  1GJ 
by  15SJ  feet,  div ided  by  a  hall,  6  feet  wide,  and  four  rooms  back,  of  various  dimensions,  for  cells.  It 
is  warmed  by  two  large  fireplaces,  and  has  no  special  arrangement  for  ventilation.  It  is  abundantly 
large,  and  sufficiently  secure  and  gloomy ;  it  has  but  one  window,  and  that  is  in  the  guard-room. 

The  hospital  is  built  of  hewn  logs,  well  lathed  and  plastered,  and  is  whitewashed  within  and 
without;  it  is  42  by  30  feet,  the  part  forming  the  kitchen,  mess-room,  and  linen-room  joining  the 
main  building  at  right  angles ;  this  portion  is  45  by  18  feet,  and  has  an  uncovered  porch,  6 
feet  wide,  running  its  whole  length.  The  plan  is  similar  to  that  of  the  quartermaster's  office;  four 
rooms,  with  hall,  7  feet  wide,  between ;  the  room  on  the  left  of  the  front  door  is  14  by  1C  feet ;  the 
surgery,  in  the  rear  of  this  room,  14  by  16  feet.  The  room  on  the  right  of  the  front  door  is  13  by 
15  feet;  the  room  back  of  that,  15  by  16J  feet.  A  porch,  C  feet  wide,  runs  the  whole  length  of  the 
building  on  the  west  side  or  front.  Behind  the  surgery,  and  in  the  addition,  is  the  linen-rooin,  10 
by  12  feet,  with  shelving  all  around,  and  a  small  room,  7  by  12  feet,  used  as  a  sleeping-room  for  the 
steward.  Back  of  these  rooms  is  the  mess-room,  1G  by  10  feet,  and  back  of  that  the  kitchen,  10  by 
18  feet.  A  small  addition,  back  of  the  kitchen,  made  of  rough  boards,  is  used  as  a  wood-shed. 
The  height  of  the  ceilings,  in  the  main  buildings,  is  9  feet;  of  the  mess-room  and  kitchen.  8  feet. 
The  main  building  is  lighted  by  six  windows.  There  is  no  arrangement  for  ventilation,  except  by 
letting  down  the  top  sash  a  few  inches.  Three  rooms  are  used  as  wards ;  each  has  three  beds;  the 
air  space  per  man  is  from  585  to  720  cubic  feet.  No  bath  nor  wash-room ;  patients  wash  out  of 
doors  when  able,  otherwise  in  the  wards.  The  privy  is  a  small  building,  75  feet  to  the  rear  of  the 
hospital. 

The  Government  stable  is  117  by  31J  feet ;  it  is  built  of  unhewn  logs ;  is  9  feet  high  from  floor 
to  loft,  and  divided  in  the  middle  into  two  portions,  by  a  passage,  13  feet  4  inches  wide,  running 
from  side  to  side.  On  each  side  of  each  division  are  rows  of  stalls  against  the  walls.  The  whole 
building  has  but  one  window,  and  that  in  the  east  end ;  is  rough,  dark,  and  poorly  ventilated. 

The  library  contains  about  50  volumes. 

The  post  is  supplied  with  water  from  the  creek ;  it  is  raised  about  50  feet,  by  means  of  a  water- 
ram,  furnishing  1,080  gallons  per  day.  The  water  is  received  in  a  reservoir  of  50  barrels  capacity, 
and  is  distributed  throughout  the  garrison  by  means  of  iron  pipes;  the  supply  being  insufficient, 
daily  use  of  the  water-cart  is  necessary.  The  water  contains  a  small  quantity  of  lime,  and  is  of 
excellent  quality.  The  natural  drainage  is  excellent.  There  is  no  bath-house.  For  bathing  the 
men  go  to  the  creek. 

The  post  garden  is  situated  in  a  bend  of  the  creek,  and  contains  about  eight  acres  of  ground. 
All  the  ordinary  vegetables  do  well  here,  excepting  melons,  tomatoes,  cucumbers,  corn,  beans,  and 
squashes,  for  which  the  nights  are  too  cold  in  summer,  and  the  frosts  too  early  and  hard  for  them 
to  mature.  There  are  no  hospital  nor  officers'  gardens. 

The  mail  is  received  once  a  week,  is  regular  in  summer,  but  not  in  winter.  It  requires  ten  days 
for  a  letter  to  reach  department  headquarters  at  Portland,  and  one  month  to  Washington. 

Attached  to  the  Colville  agency  are  about  3,600  Indians,  in  various  localities,  and  of  the  fol- 
lowing tribes,  viz.:  Colvilles,  Spokanes,  Pend  d'Orielles,  Okanagaus,  Cceur  d'Aleues,  Sanpoils,  Lakes, 
Isle  de  Pierres,  and  Melhows. 

The  general  health  of  this  post  and  vicinity  is  unusually  good ;  there  was  no  prevailing  disease 
during  the  past  year.  Malarial  diseases  are  entirely  unknown  in  the  country.  Not  one  case  of 
phthisis  originated  at  this  place ;  but  two  or  three  cases,  which  were  imported,  rapidly  improved 
under  treatment ;  phthisis,  however,  is  very  prevalent  and  very  fatal  among  the  Indians.  But  two 
deaths  of  adult  whites  have  occurred  in  this  vicinity  during  the  past  two  years.  One  died  of  old 
age,  and  the  other,  a  soldier,  shot  himself.  Two  or  three  children  among  the  white  settlers  died 
during  the  same  period ;  one  from  croup,  the  other  from  infantile  diarrhoea. 


420 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  slioicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Colville,  Washington 

Territory,  for  the  yearn  1868  and  1809. 


4 
M 

1  -3 

S 

1 

1     . 

1 

a 

1 

M 

G     °° 

e£ 

3 

X 

la 

Years. 

i 

CP      § 

1  3 

Malarial 

1  I 

|r 

Tonsilliti 

Venereal 

Rheumat 

Phthisis. 

Catarrha 

tion 

1 

O 

1868 

57.91 

32 

g 

6 

1 

2 

2 

2 

1869 

69  25 

G9 

5 

8 

8 

G 

8 

1 

8 

'  Inrluile  l;u\\  n^itU,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  ami  pleurisy. 


FORT  CAPE  DISAPPOINTMENT,  WASHINGTON  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION    FURNISHED   BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS   W.   E.  WHITEHEAD  AND  RICHARp  POWELL, 

UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Cape  Disappointment  is  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River, 
latitude  40°  10'  32"  north,  longitude  124°  3'  13"  west.  The  reservation  contains  about  one  square 
mile.  The  surface  is  rocky  and  in  part  densely  wooded. 

The  barrack  for  enlisted  men  is  a  two-story  frame  building,  80  by  30  feet,  by  28  feet  high.  It  is 
situated  about  30  feet  from,  and  4  feet  above,  high-water  mark.  The  dormitories  afford  about  650 
cubic  feet  air  space  per  man.  They  have  ridge  ventilation,  and  are  well  lighted.  They  are  fitted 
up  with  bunks  in  two  tiers.  The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  three  small  frame  cottages,  each  con- 
taining three  rooms,  a  kitchen  and  two  attic  rooms.  They  are  on  a  narrow  sand-bank  between 
linker's  Bay  and  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  are  about  50  feet  above  tide-water.  Each  has  a  small 
cellar  and  cistern. 

The  guard-house  is  built  on  piles  over  the  water.  The  lower  story  is  built  of  hewn  logs,  and  is 
divided  into  fourteen  cells,  four  of  which  are  dark.  The  upper  story  is  of  plank,  and  is  occupied 
by  the  guard. 

The  hospital  is  a  one-story  building,  frame,  plastered  inside.  It  contains  two  wards,  15  by  18 
by  14J  feet  each,  and  intended  for  eight  beds.  The  wards  are  well  lighted  and  ventilated.  There 
is  an  office  and  dispensary  in  one  room,  a  bath-room,  and  a  store-room. 

The  water  supply  is  derived  from  a  spring,  the  water  being  conveyed  by  wooden  pipes  through 
a  filter  box,  and  thence  to  the  barrack  and  hospital.  The  drainage  of  the  post  is  good. 

The  post  is  a  healthy  one,  and  there  are  no  endemic  or  local  diseases. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Cape  Disappointment, 

Washington  Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


•3 

M 

jo 

m 

a 

ft- 

1 

1 

to 

—    o 

^ 

>> 

S 

S 

C3 

J3 

Years. 

Mean  stren 

Whole  n 
taken  si 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrluva 
tlysente 

cc 

'53 
1 

Epidemic  e 

Venereal  di 

Rhevmintis 

Catarrlial 

tions. 

a 
>§ 

^6 

1868  

66  41 

186 

2 

32 

9 

52 

14 

7 

5 

1869  

76  18 

142 

18 

38 

8 

11 

3 

'  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  VANCOUVER,  WASHINGTON  TERRITORY.  421 


FORT  VANCOUVER,  WASHINGTON  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  SURGEON   GENERAL  J.  K.  BARNES  AND  SURGEON  J.  H.  BILL,  UNITED 

STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Vancouver  is  situated  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Columbia  River,  120  miles  from  its  mouth 
and  live  miles  west  of  the  confluence  of  the  Willamette  River,  latitude  45°  40'  north,  longitude  125° 
30'  west.  Although  the  military  reservation  extends  from  the  river  bank,  the  garrison  proper  ia 
located  upon  high  ground  which  rises  gradually  from  a  delta  varying  in  width  from  a  half  to  two 
miles,  and  which  is  subject  to  overflow.  The  selection  of  this  site  in  1849  was  doubtless  owing  to 
its  being  the  extreme  western  point  of  a  high  plateau  which  extends  northeastwardly  to  the  foot- 
hills of  the  Cascade  range  of  mountains.  North  of  the  garrison  proper,  and  directly  between  it  and 
the  river,  are  the  extensive  stockade  and  trading  houses  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  near  to 
which  was  a  village  of  half-breeds,  Kanakas,  and  other  employes.  The  town  of  Vancouver  has 
sprung  up  along  the  Hue  of  the  western  boundary  of  the  reservation.  The  bottom  lauds  between 
the  garrison  and  river,  as  well  as  those  east  and  west,  are  subject  to  overflow,  and  it  has  been  not 
unusual  to  have  all  communication  with  the  Hudson  Bay  fort  cut  off"  except  by  bateaux  and  rafts. 
Immediately  in  rear  (north)  of  the  line  of  officers'  quarters,  the  red  fir  forest  commences,  which  con- 
tinues (with  several  intervals  of  prairie,  varying  in  size  from  one  to  four  or  six  miles  across)  to  the 
foot-hills.  These  prairies,  called  by  the  settlers  plains,  were  cultivated  by  the  Hudson  Bay  Com- 
pany, and  since  the  extinguishment  of  their  claim,  have  been  occupied  by  small  farmers.  The 
strip  of  land  lying  between  the  Columbia  and  Willamette  Elvers,  south  of  Fort  Vancouver,  and 
through  which  the  road  to  Portland,  Oregon,  passes,  is  thickly  timbered  bottom  land  with  occa- 
sional swale,  and  many  streams,  and  is  not  infrequently  overflowed  from  river  to  river.  The 
average  temperature  is  55°  F. ;  the  extremes  being  25°  F.,  in  January,  and  70°  F.,  in  July.  Yearly  rain- 
fall 45  inches ;  little  snow  falls  here.  The  east  and  west  winds  are  the  most  prevalent,  and  of  about 
equal  frequency,  the  former  bringing  rain.  Hoses  bloom  in  December,  and  frost  may  occur  in  June. 
The  summers  are  dry,  but  little  rain  falling  between  April  and  October.  The  winters  are  mild  and 
wet,  the  usual  rule  in  the  rainy  season  being  seven  rainy  days  in  a  week.  The  first  fall  rains 
restore  vegetation,  and  the  first  winter  snows  fall  upon  a  most  beautiful  and  luxuriant  herbage. 
Colored  snow,  blue  and  red,  was  observed  twice  during  the  past  winter.  In  the  last  instance 
patches  of  deep  red  or  purple  snow  twenty  yards  square  were  seen,  and  on  close  examination  this 
was  found  to  contain  immense  numbers  of  the  Podura  nimlis.  These  insects  collected  in  the  water 
barrels,  and  are  considered  to  have  been  a  cause  of  diarrhoea  in  some  instances. 

The  post  was  intended  for  six  companies,  and  occupies  about  1,100  yards  square.  The  general 
arrangement  of  the  post  is  shown  in  Plate  No.  10. 

The  barracks  now  occupied  are  two  frame  buildings,  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of  the  parade. 
The  east  barrack,  80  by  30  feet,  is  two  stories  high,-has  windows  on  opposite  sides,  and  is  intended 
to  accommodate  140  men.  It  is  furnished  with  double  bunks.  The  other  building,  75  bySOfeetby 
10  feet  high,  is  one  story,  and  intended  for  70  men,  each  having  a  separate  bed.  In  neither  build- 
ing is  there  any  provision  for  ventilation.  Average  air  space  per  man,  700  cubic  feet.  A  kitchen 
and  mess-room  are  in  the  basement  of  the  larger  and  rear  of  the  smaller  barracks.  Sheds  in  rear 
of  the  barracks  are  used  as  lavatories;  the  latrines  are  simple  earth  pits.  The  quarters  for  married 
soldiers  are  much  decayed,  damp,  and  leaky.  Six  buildings  are  used  as  officers' quarters,  three  log 
huts,  and  three  frame  cottages.  The  log  huts  were  built  of  carefully  selected  logs  of  red  fir,  well 
underpinned,  and  are  of  the  pattern  known. as  "four  pens  and  a  passage,"  giving  four  rooms  and 
two  attics,  with  kitchen  and  servants'  room  in  rear,  with  the  crevices  chinked  and  plastered,  and 
the  walls  and  ceilings  lined  with  dressed  lumber.  They  are  well  suited  to  the  locality  and  climate. 

The  hospital  is  a  large  building  on  the  eastern  line  of  the  parade  ground  facing  west.  It  has 
three  capacious  wards,  a  surgery,  store-room,  and  steward's  room,  and  two  large  attic  rooms,  with 
high  ceilings  and  large  windows  for  convalescents  in  the  main  building. 

The  arrangement  is  shown  in  Figure  57. 

A,  wards,  25  feet  6  inches  by  18  feet  6  inches ;  B,  wash-room,  6  feet  6  inches  by  12  feet ;  D, 


422 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


K 


M 


A 


D 


H 


dispensary,  14  feet  3  inches  by  18  feet  6  inches ;  E,  steward's  room,  10  feet  11  inches  by  11  feet  3 
inches;  G,  dead-house,  10  feet  C  inches  by  8  feet ;  H,  hall;  K,  kitchen,  17  by  14  feet;  M,  mess- 
room,  17  by  14  feet;  P,  piazza  in  front  of  hospital,  CL  feet  10 
inches  by  9  feet  3  inches;  P,  piazza  running  by  kitchen  and 
mess-room,  34  by  7  feet  10  inches ;  P,  piazza  running  in  rear  of 
ward,  32  feet  10  inches  by  8  feet  4  inches ;  S,  store-room,  10  feet 
11  inches  by  6  feet  10  inches ;  height  of  rooms.  13  feet.  The 
foundations  are  of  brick,  the  frame  of  red  fir,  weather-boarding 
and  shingles  of  cedar,  and  the  entire  interior  lathed  and  plastered 
throughout.  As  wood  is  the  only  fuel  obtainable,  the  wards  were 
each  provided  with  roomy  fireplaces.  Before  the  erection  of  this 
hospital  in  1858,  the  sick  of  the  command  had  been  very  poorly 
provided  for  in  one  of  the  outbuildings  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Com- 
pany, or  in  a  set  of  one-story  quarters,  which  the  reduction  of 
force  made  available.  Earth-closets  have  been  sent  to  this  hos- 
pital. 

The  guard-house  is  a  two-story  frame  building,  having  on  the 
lower  floor  a  prisoner's  room,  18J  by  30J  by  10  feet,  and  nine 
cells,  each  CJ  by  4J  by  10  feet.  The  guard-room  is  in  the  second 
story. 

The  water  supply  of  the  post  has  always  been  bad.     It  has 
J0  '       I  received  the  attention  of  several  commandants,    and    various 

Figure  57.— Scale,  30  feet  to  l  inch,  plans  have  been  proposed  as  remedies.  For  a  long  time  the 
water  was  hauled  in  water-wagons  from  the  river,  and  stored  in  casks  and  barrels  in  the  rear  of 
the  quarters.  A  company  has  brought  water  from  a  brook  six  miles  off  to  the  town  of  Vancouver, 
by  pipes  which  run  across  the  reserve.  The  supply  is  sufficient  for  10,000  people,  and  the  water  is 
pure,  cool,  and  well  aerated.  Since  January  1,  1870,  the  use  of  water  from  this  main  has  been 
allowed  as  a  favor.  It  is  distributed  by  a  water-wagon  as  before.  For  the  officers'  quarters  and 
hospital,  the  water  barrels  are  placed  over  the  sink  just  behind  the  latrines.  The  arrangement  is 
very  objectionable;  the  supply  for  the  men  is  often  scanty;  the  contents  of  the  casks  freeze  in  win- 
ter and  are  very  apt  to  become  offensive  in  summer.  The  quarters  of  the  ordnance  officer,  not  being 
under  the  control  of  the  quartermaster's  department,  are  supplied,  as  all  the  rest  should  be,  by 
pipes  communicating  with  the  main.  Cisterns  holding  1,000  gallons  are  attached  to  each  set  of 
quarters  and  to  the  hospital. 

The  natural  drainage  at  the  post  is  excellent.  Water  is  soaked  by  the  gravel  or  runs  off  down 
the  steep  declivity,  rendering  artificial  drainage  unnecessary. 

There  is  plenty  of  good  ground  that  could  be  used  as  a  post  garden.  The  hospital  garden  was 
most  excellent  and  productive  when  properly  cultivated,  though  for  the  want  of  efficient  gardeners 
the  result  now  hardly  pays  for  the  trouble.  All  the  most  esteemed  vegetables  of  the  middle  States 
can  be  raised.  Potatoes,  beets,  turnips,  &c.,  are  a  certain  crop.  Corn,  tomatoes,  egg-plant,  melons, 
&c.,  sometimes  fail  in  maturing,  owing  to  the  coolness  of  the  season. 

Portland,  Oregon,  the  nearest  city,  can  be  reached  by  a  row-boat  and  by  wagon  in  about  two 
hours ;  by  the  Columbia  and  Willamette  Rivers  on  steamboat  in  2J  hours.  The  latter  course  is 
not  liable  to  interruption,  unless  the  rivers  freeze.  It  takes  from  10  days  to  4  weeks  for  a  letter  to 
go  to  Washington. 

There  have  been  no  prevailing  diseases  at  the  post.  A  few  men  in  the  summer  of  18C9  had 
diarrhoea,  the  result  of  drinking  the  bad  water ;  but  this  was  the  only  disease  directly  traceable  to 
bad  sanitary  provisions.  Observation  does  not  show  that  the  climate  is  particularly  prejudicial  to 
pulmonary  complaints,  unless  they  are  tubercular.  Rheumatism  is  rare.  Myalgia  is  common 
enough,  but  the  climate  has  nothing  to  do  with  it. 


FORT  LAPWAI,  IDAHO  TERRITORY. 


423 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Vancouver,  Wash- 
ington Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1809. 


b 

ai, 

( 

i 

1 

E 

a 
a 

2 

2 

1 

CO 

Years. 

I 

"  g 

d 

<y> 

'S   - 

O  - 

5 

"s 

.2 

"S 

GO 

* 

1  5 

1 

1 

r  +- 

a 

'G  rt 

3 

i-  ^>-- 

8 

3 

a 

e3 

o 

a 

i 

a 

Q 

1 

9 

M 

1 

_a 

o 

1868         

188.  66 

307 

39 

55 

18 

27 

22 

i 

42 

1809  

164.  75 

313 

24 

56 

21 

19 

15 

i 

56 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleuriny. 


FORT  LAPWAT,  IDAHO  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED   BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  C.  R.  GREENLEAF,  AND  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SUR- 
GEON EDWARD  STORROR,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

I 

The  post  of  Fort  Lapwai  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  a  stream  of  the  same  name,  3  miles 
from  its  mouth ;  latitude  46°  32'  north,  longitude  40°  west  from  Washington.  The  Lapwai  is  a 
small  tributary  of  the  Cleanvater,  itself  a  tributary  of  the  Snake  River.  The  Blue  Mountain  range, 
about  twenty-five  miles  to  the  west  of  the  post,  are  the  nearest  mountains.  Lewiston,  a  city  of 
about  three  hundred  inhabitants,  is  12  miles  northwest  of  the  post,  and  located  on  a  sand  spit  at 
the  junction  of  the  Clearwater  and  Snake  Rivers.  The  nearest  occupied  post  is  Fort  Colville,  some 
three  hundred  miles  north  of  this  post,  and  near  the  line  of  British  America. 

The  post  was  first  established  in  November,  1863,  and  its  construction  completed  in  the  fall  of 
1804.  It  was  intended  to  accommodate  one  company  of  cavalry  and  one  of  infantry,  and  quarters 
for  the  men  and  stabling  for  the  horses  were  erected.  In  July,  1867,  the  post  was  abandoned,  and 
remained  unoccupied  until  the  following  November.  The  reason  for  stationing  troops  at  this  point 
was  to  protect  the  settlers  from  the  Indians.  The  military  reserve  embraces  a  square  mile,  within 
which  is  an  inclosed  space  of  10  acres  occupied  by  the  post. 

The  country  is  of  volcanic  formation,  with  terraces  of  basaltic  trap  cropping  out.  Patches  of 
land  in  the  neighborhood  are  impregnated  with  orthocluse. 

The  soil  in  the  Lapwai  Valley  is  admirably  fitted  for  the  growth  of  vegetation.  The  cereals 
and  tubers  of  the  temperate  zone  yield  abundantly  and  mature  well. 

The  trees  and  plants  indigenous  to  the  soil  are  the  cottonwood,  willow,  birch,  cedar,  and  pine 
trees ;  the  sumach,  elder,  wild  cherry,  with  strawberry  and  huckleberry  in  the  mountains.  A 
bulbous  root,  called  by  the  Indians  "camas,"  and  a  favorite  article  of  food  with  them,  grows  quite 
luxuriantly  on  the  prairies  south  of  us.  It  resembles  somewhat  the  common  onion,  and  is  gath- 
ered in  the  month  of  August,  at  which  time  nearly  the  whole  tribe  (Nez  Perces)  move  to  the  ca- 
mas prairie,  dig  and  prepare  the  root  for  winter  use,  by  first  drying  and  then  powdering  it  between 
stones. 

Of  wild  animals  there  are  the  grizzly,  cinnamon,  and  black  bears,  cougar,  gray  and  black  wolf, 
coyote,  red  and  gray  fox,  moose,  common  red  and  black-tailed  deer. 

Of  birds  there  are  bald  and  gray  eagles,  falcons,  owls,  prairie  chickens,  grouse,  and  ducks,  (teal 
and  mallard.) 

Offish  there  are  the  brook  and  salmon  trout,  and  the  salmon. 

The  nearest  river,  Clearwater,  is  a  mountain  stream,  navigable  for  steamboats  about  four 
mouths  in  the  year,  when  raised  by  the  melting  of  the  snow  in  the  spring  of  the  year.  Its  waters 
are  beautifully  clear,  and  of  great  purity.  The  Lapwai  has  a  pebbly  bottom,  with  cottonwood  trees 
and  willows  fringing  its  banks.  The  tributaries  of  this  stream  rise  in  Craig's  Mountains,  14  miles 
southeast  of  the  post. 


424  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 

The  climate  of  this  region  is  pleasant,  and  while  there  are  wide  ranges  in  the  temperature  they 
do  not  appear  to  have  any  detrimental  eft'ect  upon  the  health  of  the  inhabitants.  In  a  period  em- 
bracing 20  months  the  mean  temperature  was  50.95° ;  the  extreme  heat  was  103°  in  the  shade  in 
August;  extreme  cold — 4°  in  January.  The  rain-fall  averagesl.il  inches  per  month;  of  snow, 
but  15  days  in  '20  months.  The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  north,  and  are  mild  in  the  winter 
and  spring,  but  in  the  summer  and  fall  blow  occasionally  with  great  violence.  A  wind,  called  by  the 
natives  " chiuook,"  is  prevalent  in  this  region  at  all  times  of  the  year.  It  comes  suddenly  with 
great  ATiolence,  and  is  always  attended  witli  a  very  great  rise  in  the  temperature.  In  winter  one 
of  these  winds  has  been  known  to  commence  blowing  in  the  evening  at  a  time  when  there  were 
three  or  four  inches  of  snow  on  the  ground,  and  by  morning  not  a  trace  of  snow  could  be  seen.  In 
summer  the  heat  attending  them  is  like  that  from  a  furnace,  and  vegetation  wilts  and  withers 
before  the  hot  blast. 

The  buildings  of  the  post  occupy  the  several  sides,  of  a  square,  inclosing  a  parade  ground. 
The  barracks  are  two  frame  buildings,  battened  upon  the  outside  and  board  lined  within,  each  91 
by  30  by  10  feet,  and  erected  upon  stone  foundations  raised  about  two  and  a  half  feet  from  the 
ground.  A  porch,  8  feet  wide,  runs  along  the  western  face  of  the  buildings.  The  ceiling  is  of  boards, 
not  tightly  laid.  Between  the  roof  and  ceiling  is  an  unoccupied  garret,  lighted  by  two  windows  at 
each  end.  The  quarters  are  warmed  by  air-tight  stoves,  wood  being  the  fuel  used.  Each  building 
has  four  windows,  2  feet  10  inches  by  4  feet,  upon  its  western  face,  and  three  upon  its  eastern. 
Three  doors  open  upon  its  western  face  and  two  upon  its  eastern.  In  the  center  of  each  building, 
dividing  it  into  two  equal  portions,  is  the  orderly  room.  This,  therefore,  gives  two  rooms  for  dormi- 
tories in  each  barrack,  measuring  40  feet  G  inches  by  30  by  10  feet.  These  rooms  are  amply  ven- 
tilated by  windows  and  cracks,  and  each  contain  seven  bunks  for  the  accommodation  of  28  men. 
The  air  space  per  man  is  212  cubic  feet.  There  are  neither  wash  nor  bath  rooms,  the  men  perform- 
ing their  ablutions  at  the  well  and  creek.  Latrines  have  been  built  some  distance  in  rear  of  the 
company  quarters  and  on  the  edge  of  the  Lapwai.  They  are  filled  with  earth,  and  the  sheds  over 
them  moved  as  occasion  requires. 

The  laundresses'  quarters  are  rooms  measuring  16  by  14  feet,  and  10  feet  to  the  eaves.  The 
buildings  are  framed,  constructed  of  slabs,  the  interstices  filled  with  mortar,  and  board-lined  within. 
Each  room  has  an  open  fireplace,  and  a  well-constructed  shed  attached. 

The  quarters  devoted  to  the  use  of  officers  are  two  double  frame  buildings  one  story  and  a  half 
high,  lathed  and  plastered  throughout,  each  4G  by  54  feet,  and  containing  eight  rooms  upon  the 
ground  floor,  with  two  garret  rooms.  The  front  rooms  measure  14  by  14  feet  9  inches  by  12  feet ; 
rear  rooms,  11  by  14  feet  9  inches ;  the  mess-room,  13  by  11  by  9  feet,  and  the  kitchens,  18  by  12 
feet.  A  hall,  7  feet  wide,  extends  from  front  to  rear,  dividing  the  buildings  into  two  sets  of  quar- 
ters each. 

The  commissary  store  building  and  adjutant's  office  are  situated  on  the  south  side  of  the 
parade. 

The  guard-house  is  built  of  squared  logs,  one  story  high,  with  a  front  of  40  feet,  and  30  feet 
deep,  8  feet  to  the  eaves,  without  ceiling,  but  open  to  the  ridge,  and  situated  upon  the  north  side 
of  the  parade  ground.  The  guard-room,  occupying  the  whole  front  of  the  building,  with  a  porch 
is  17  feet  deep,  heated  by  an  open  fireplace  and  lighted  by  two  windows.  In  rear  of  this  room  are 
the  double  and  single  cells,  the  former  11  by  11  feet,  the  latter  8  by  5  feet,  which  are  ventilated  by 
grated  openings  in  the  doors  and  sides  of  the  building. 

The  hospital  is  located  upon  a  natural  slope,  which  terminates  in  the  Lapwai.  The  building, 
is  a  frame  one,  one  story  and  a  half  high,  with  porch  in  front,  facing  east,  and  erected  upon  a  stone 
foundation  which  has  3  feet  elevation  in  front,  decreasing  in  the  rear  to  a  level  with  the  ground, 
and  is  in  good  repair.  The  general  plan  of  the  hospital  is  objectionable.  It  is  41  feet  front,  with 
an  L  extending  in  rear,  is  lathed  and  plastered  throughout,  and  contains  four  rooms  upon  the 
ground  floor,  with  bath-room  and  wood-shed  adjoining.  A  hall,  6  by  15  feet,  divides  the  main 
building  into  two  rooms,  used  as  ward  and  dispensary,  with  a  small  store-room  in  rear  of  the  latter. 
The  ward,  20  by  15  by  12  feet,  contains  six  beds,  giving  to  each  a  cubic  air  space  of  GOO  feet.  The 
dispensary  is  15  by  15  feet.  The  mess-room  and  kitchen,. both  in  rear  of  the  ward,  are  each  12  by 
12  by  10  feet.  The  bath-room  is  12  feet  long  and  G  feet  wide.  Above  the  ward  and  dispensary  are 


FOET  BOIStf,  IDAHO  TERRITORY. 


425 


two  garret  rooms,  lathed  and  plastered,  with  two  windows  to  each,  and  occupied  by  the  attache's 
of  the  hospital.  Beneath  the  dispensary  is  a  cellar,  8  feet  square,  with  neither  artificial  walls  nor 
floor,  nor  natural  light.  The  hospital  is  warmed  by  stoves,  and  ventilated  only  by  doors  and  win- 
dows. The  privy  is  located  30  feet  distant  from  the  building.  The  library  consists  of  150  bound 
books,  besides  a  large  number  of  unbound  volumes  of  a  miscellaneous  character,  novels  predominat- 
ing. A  number  of  periodicals  and  newspapers  are  also  taken. 

An  abundant  supply  of  excellent  water  is  obtained  from  two  wells,  one  midway  between  the 
company  quarters,  and  the  other  between  the  officers'  quarters.  Water  for  washing  and  police 
purposes  is  procured  from  the  Lapwai.  Buckets  are  kept  constantly  filled  for  use  in  case  of  fire, 
and  in  addition  there  is  a  hand  force-pump  at  the  post,  with  sufficient  hose  to  throw  water  upon 
the  hospital. 

There  is  no  artificial  drainage  at  the  post.     The  natural  drainage  is  good. 

The  post  garden  contains  about  twenty  acres.  A  great  variety  of  vegetables  and  fruits  are 
cultivated,  and  yield  abundantly.  Potatoes,  cabbage,  squash,  onions,  egg-plant,  com,  beans,  peas, 
oyster-plant,  cauliflower,  tomatoes,  beets,  turnips,  okra,  lettuce,  radishes,  watermelon  and  musk- 
melon,  cucumbers,  parsnips,  carrots,  raspberries,  and  strawberries  comprise  the  list,  and  are  fur- 
nished with  great  regularity  to  the  men  in  their  season. 

The  nearest  large  city  is  Portland,  Oregon,  which  is  reached  by  steamboat  in  the  summer 
months  from  Lewistou,  and  during  the  fall  and  spring  by  stage  to  Wallula,  32  miles  from  Walla- 
Walla,  on  the  Columbia  River,  where  a  steamer  starts  for  Portland  ;  and  in  the  winter  by  stage 
to  the  Dalles  on  the  Columbia  River,  where  steamer  is  taken.  The  only  serious  interruption  to 
travel  occurs  during  the  winter  from  snow  on  the  Blue  Mountains,  but  the  weekly  mails  are  seldom 
detained.  A  letter  going  to  department  headquarters  requires  seven  days. 

There  is  no  prevailing  disease  at  this  post.  Among  the  citizens  this  past  summer  typhoid 
fever  prevailed  to  some  extent,  and,  so  far  as  can  be  learned,  this  was  the  first  time  this  disease 
had  appeared  in  this  region  of  country.  The  disease  may  be  attributed  to  the  high  temperature 
and  the  filthy  habitations  of  the  persons  affected. 

Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  aid;  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Lapwai,  Idaho  Terri- 
tory, for  the  years  1868  and  1809. 


a 

i 

v 

~ 

.a     . 

a 

s2* 

Years. 

SB 

1 

•S 

Whole  mini 
taken  sick 

Malarial  feve 

Diarrhoea 
dysentery 

Tousillitis. 

Venereal  disc 

Rheumatism. 

Catarrhal  ai 
tions.* 

1 

2 

IM 

o 

1868 

74.41 

62 

3 

3 

1 

6 

1 

11 

1869                     ....             

46.5 

46 

1 

12 

1 

6 

1 

5 

'  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  BOISE,  IDAHO  TERRITORY. 

REPORTS  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  GEORGE  B.  JAQUETT  AND  PETER  MOFFATT,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Bois6  is  located  in  the  Boise  Valley,  about  half  a  mile  from  Boise"  City ;  latitude  43°  37' 
north,  longitude  116°  28'  west  from  Greenwich,  with  an  elevation  above  the  sea-level  of  2,880  feet. 
The  Bois6  Range  of  mountains  bound  the  post  on  the  north  and  east,  while  on  the  south  and  west 
flows  the  Boise  River.  The  nearest  military  posts  are  Camp  Three  Forks,  Owyhee,  about  95  miles  to 
the  southwest,  Camp  Harney,  255  miles  to  the  west,  and  Fort  Lapwai,  352  miles  to  the  north. 
Old  Fort  Boise,  the  site  of  an  old  Hudson  Bay  station,  is  situated  about  50  miles  to  the  west, 
54 


426  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

ou  Suake  River.   Bois6  City,  the  territorial  capital,  with  a  population  of  about  2,000,  adjoins  the 
military  reservation  on  the  west. 

Fort  Boise  was  first  occupied  in  July,  1863,  for  the  protection  of  emigrant  trains,  en  route  to 
Oregon  and  Washington  Territories,  from  the  Shoshone  Indians  of  Snake  River.  The  increasing 
interest  excited  by  the  reputed  discovery  of  the  precious  metals  in  this  region  in  18G2  also  indi- 
cated the  necessity  of  establishing  a  military  post  at  some  favorable  point  intermediate  between 
Walla- Walla  and  the  settlements  in  the  vicinity  of  Salt  Lake  and  Fort  Hall.  Boise  Valley,  being 
the  rendezvous  of  great  numbers  of  Indians,  and  in  the  line  of  the  emigrant  roads  passing  down 
Snake  River,  and  being  moreover  a  locality  that  promised  to  become  an  agricultural  settlement, 
and  at  the  same  time  centrally  situated  in  relation  to  the  recently  discovered  mines,  was  fixed 
upon  as  the  most  suitable  point  to  effect  the  desired  object.  The  first  houses  in  Boise"  City  were 
erected,  subsequent  to  the  location  of  the  military  reservation,  by  camp  followers. 

The  reservation,  rectangular  in  shape,  is  one  mile  in  width  by  two  in  length.  In  rear  of 
the  garrison  the  ground  is  of  a  rugged,  broken  surface,  while  the  ground  occupied  by  the  post  and 
the  space  extending  between  it  and  the  Boise  River  is  level.  The  valley  from  a  few  miles  above 
this  place,  to  the  confluence  of  the  Boise"  with  the  Snake  River,  50  miles  below,  is  of  irregular 
width  and  varied  surface,  and  bounded  on  each  side  by  arid  table-lands  of  sage  brush,  or  broken 
and  ban-en  mountains.  The  soil  for  some  miles  above  and  below  the  fort  is  arable,  and  by  aid  of 
irrigation  produces  in  perfection  all  the  cereals  and  vegetables  appropriate  to  this  latitude.  Wheat 
to  the  amount  of  40,000  bushels,  and  of  superior  quality,  was  raised  in  this  section  last  season- 
The  most  formidable  foes  of  the  agriculturist  in  this  region  is  the  cricket  or  grasshopper,  or  both, 
in  countless  numbers,  during  the  mouths  of  May  or  June.  Their  track,  when  in  full  force,  is  marked 
by  the  utter  destruction  of  all  verdure.  The  soil  is  a  sandy  loam,  inclining  more  to  a  mixture  of 
clay  and  decayed  organic  matter  in  the  lower  portions,  which  are  on  the  margins  of  the  streams. 
The  stone  used  for  building  material  in  the  construction  of  the  post  is  procured  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. It  is  a  very  soft,  coarse,  and  rather  light  sandstone,  doubtless  of  aqueous  origin.  Gold 
and  silver  arefonud;  the  former,  on  most  of  the  streams  in  this  section,  in  the  form  of  placer 
diggings;  the  latter  chiefly  in  the  surrounding  mountainous  regions,  and  in  the  form  of  ledges. 
Silver  City,  about  60  miles  to  the  south  and  west  of  this  point,  is  surrounded  by  mountains  con- 
taining immense  deposits  of  silver  ore.  The  number  of  trees  indigenous  to  this  region  is  not  large. 
Among  them  are  several  species  of  the  conifers,  e.  (/.,  pine,  fir,  and  mountain  juniper,  generally 
occupying  the  mountain  summits.  The  only  species  of  hard  wood  to  be  found  is  a  stunted  tree, 
which  grows  in  isolated  mountain  spots,  and  known  as  mountain  mahogany.  The  cottonwood  and 
willow  grow  on  the  margin  of  the  rivers.  The  abundance  of  the  cottonwood  and  its  large  size 
first  suggested  to  the  French  Canadian  agents  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  who  penetrated  the 
country  in  early  years,  the  name  of  Boise"  wood,  by  which  that  river  is  known. 

Bears,  wolves,  coyotes,  foxes,  beaver,  otter,  mink,  and  martens  are  found ;  also  mountain 
sheep,  antelope,  deer,  rabbits,  and  smaller  game.  Wild  geese,  ducks,  sage  hens,  prairie  chickens, 
pigeons,  and  many  species  of  smaller  and  less  known  birds  are  met  with.  Salmon,  salmon-trout, 
mountain  trout,  and  other  fish  of  less  importance  exist  in  the  streams.  Very  excellent  salmon 
are  taken  from  those  tributaries  of  the  Snake  River  which  have  not  been  rendered  turbid  by  mining. 

There  are  two  seasons,  the  wet  and  the  dry;  the  former  beginning  in  November,  and  con- 
tinuing until  May,  and  the  latter  during  the  intervening  period.  The  extreme  temperature  in 
summer  is  109°  F.,  and  in  winter  4°  F. 

The  present  post  buildings  for  the  most  part  were  erected  in  1864.  The  post  is  of  rectangular 
form  ;  the  quarters,  guard-house,  and  store-houses  forming  its  respective  sides.  The  buildings  are 
principally  of  stone. 

The  company  quarters  are  two  stone  buildings,  each  90  by  30  feet,  with  side  walls  10  feet  high; 
only  one  is  at  present  occupied.  There  is  a  fireplace  at  each  end  of  the  building ;  windows  on 
either  side,  and  one  tier  of  double  bunks.  Ventilation  is  secured  by  the  windows  and  doors.  The 
dormitory  consists  of  one  large  room,  and  is  occupied  by  one  company,  giving  an  air  space  of  about 
800  cubic  feet  to  each  man.  There  are  no  bath  or  washrooms;  ablutions  are  performed  in  the 
barrack-room.  A  stone  building,  22  by  50  feet,  and  about  20  feet  to  the  rear  of  the  company  quar- 
ters, contains  the  kitchen  and  dining  room. 


FOKT  BOISE,  IDAHO  TERRITOKY.  427 

Quarters  for  married  soldiers  are  seven  log  houses,  containing  one  room  each. 

The  quarters  for  officers  are  three  stone  buildings,  one,  story  high,  with  attic  rooms  above.  They 
are  finished  with  lath  and  plaster,  have  each  three  rooms  and  a  kitchen  on  the  ground  floor, 
with  a  hall  running  from  front  to  rear,  and  opening  into  a  yard  surrounding  the  house.  The 
one  occupied  by  the  commanding  officer  has  an  extension  in  rear,  of  45  by  15  feet,  which  is 
separated  into  dining-room,  kitchen,  wood-shed,  and  water-closet.  The  main  building  contains 
four  rooms,  each  about  15  by  15  by  9£  feet,  with  fireplaces  looking  into  each.  The  remaining  build- 
ings have  a  dining-room,  kitchen,  wood-shed,  and  water-closet  appended  in  rear  of  each  lateral  half, 
thus  completing  two  separate  and  independent  sets  of  quarters  under  one  roof.  These  quarters 
contain  no  bath-rooms. 

The  quartermaster's  and  commissary  store-houses  are  also  of  stone,  100  by  30  feet  each,  and 
divided  into  offices  and  store-rooms,  ample  for  the  storage  of  all  supplies.  The  commissary  build- 
ing has  a  cellar  for  vegetables  and  other  articles. 

The  guard  house,  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  parade  ground,  is  a  stone  structure,  40  by 
30  feet,  and  open  to  the  roof.  The  front  room,  extending  the  entire  length  of  the  building,  is  used 
for  the  guard,  and  has  a  fireplace  and  two  windows.  One  large  room  in  rear  of  this  is  used  for 
general  prisoners,  and  is  lighted  and  ventilated  by  small  openings  along  the  top  of  the  wall.  The 
cell  is  without  light,  except  that  which  is  admitted  through  the  ventilator.  The  average  occupancy 
of  the  guard-house  is  about  four  men. 

The  hospital  is  a  stone  building,  5G  by  32  feet,  with  a  wing  in  rear,  40  by  18  feet.  The  front 
half  of  the  building,  containing  three  wards,  a  dispensary,  and  store-room,  is  the  only  part  of  the 
hospital  finished.  Only  one  ward  is  used  as  such,  containing  six  beds,  with  an  air  space  of  about 
800  cubic  feet  to  each.  It  is  warmed  by  open  fireplaces,  and  ventilated  by  doors,  wiudows,  and 
fireplaces.  An  unfinished  ward  is  used  as  wash  and  bath  room.  The  office  and  dispensary  are  in 
one  room.  The  wing  contains  a  dining-room,  kitchen,  and  steward's  room. 

The  stables  are  two  large  frame  buildings  situated  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  garrison, 
and  amply  isolated. 

The  library,  comprising  about  1,000  volumes,  has  recently  been  purchased  by  the  company  sta- 
tioned here,  at  an  expense  of  $1,200.  The  selection  embraces  the  standard  literary  works  in  the 
English  language,  histories,  biographies,  romances,  and  miscellaneous  works. 

The  supply  of  water  for  the  use  of  the  post  is  taken  from  the  mountain  stream  which  flows 
through  the  reservation.  Xo  reservoir,  cistern,  or  system  of  water-works  are  in  use,  with  the 
exception  of  a  well,  sunk  upon  the  margin  of  the  creek,  from  which  the  supply  may  be  obtained 
when  the  stream  is  low,  or  the  water  turbid.  A  water-wagon  delivers  a  supply  to  each  quarters 
daily.  The  quality  of  the  water  is  good,  and  the  quantity  abundant. 

Communication  is  had  by  a  daily  stage  and  mail  to  and  from  the  Pacific  railroad  at  Kelton, 
Utah.  The  time  occupied  is  from  two  to  three  days,  according  to  the  season ;  thence  to  Washing- 
ton, from  five  to  seven  days.  Occasional  delays  are  experienced  during  the  winter  from  heavy 
falls  of  snow,  both  on  the  railroad  and  stage  route.  Communication  with  department  head- 
quarters at  Portland,  Oregon,  is  by  stage  to  Umatilla,  on  the  Columbia  River,  and  thence  by  water 
and  railway  to  Portland.  Considerable  delay  in  mail  communication  is  frequently  experienced  on 
this  route,  owing  to  the  closing  of  the  Columbia  by  ice,  or  to  snow  or  mud  on  the  stage  road, 
particularly  in  crossing  the  Blue  Mountains  in  Oregon. 

Immediately  around  for  a  few  miles,  Boisd  Valley  is  occupied  by  agriculturists ;  while  the 
sources  of  Boist5  River  and  its  tributaries,  and  the  neighboring  streams,  afford  employment  to  gold 
and  silver  miners.  Here  and  there  throughout  the  country  a  solitary  ranch-man  has  located  in 
some  of  the  more  promising  spots,  and  is  occupied  in  stock-raising  and  the  cultivation  of  a  small 
domain  where  water  is  available. 

The  post  is  generally  very  healthy,  there  being  no  diseases  of  a  specific  or  contagious  character ; 
only  a  few  cases  of  the  common  varieties  of  disease  occur,  such  as  acute  diarrhoea  and  rheumatism, 
with  an  occasional  case  of  fever,  either  remittent  or  intermittent,  commonly  called  in  this  country 
mountain  or  typho-malarial  fever.  This  prevails  more  especially  among  the  citizens  who  are  occu- 
pied in  mining  or  on  the  farms  in  the  valley  along  the  river. 


428 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  shotting  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Boise,  Idaho  Territory } 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


i 

. 

j 

J 

S 

5 

1 

J 

Years. 

"So 
a 
g 

1 

a 

a 

D 

'hole  num 
taken  sick 

<j> 

1 

jjj 

_a 
"3 

inrrlupa 
dysentery 

Misillitis. 

enereal  (Use 

lieiimatism. 

* 

—       X 

cj    a 
1 

o.  of  deaths 

S 

£ 

^ 

O 

H 

> 

« 

O 

ft 

1668 

89  41 

35 

3 

3 

1 

9 

\ 

5 

1869  

73  91 

47 

6 

5 

1 

10 

9 

3 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  ami  pleurisy. 


CAMP  THREE  FORKS,  OWYHEE,  IDAHO  TERRITORY. 

KEPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  E.  COLMACHE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Three  Forks,  Owyhee,  was  established  in  its  present  location  September  26,  1866,  in 
latitude  42°  51'  north,  longitude  116°  547  west,  on  the  southwestern  boundary  line  of  Idaho  Territory, 
and  at  the  south  base  of  a  range  of  mountains  known  as  the  Owyhee  Mountains.  It  is  distant  35 
miles  south  from  Silver  City,  Idaho  Territory,  the  nearest  post  office,  and  16  miles  north  from  the 
Three  Forks  of  the  Owyhee  Eiver.  Its  elevation  is  about  five  thousand  feet.  From  Silver  City  to 
Elko,  Nevada,  on  the  Central  Pacific  railroad,  distant  225  miles,  there  is  communication  by  stage 
daily;  time  48  hours.  It  requires  about  six  days  to  send  a  letter  to  department  headquarters,  via 
Boise  City.  The  nearest  settler  lives  in  Jordan  Valley,  16  miles  distant. 

The  camp  is  built  on  a  small  piece  of  table-land,  gradually  declining  toward  the  south,  and  is 
closed  on  the  east  and  south  sides  by  a  ravine  through  which  flows  a  creek,  which  supplies  the 
water  used  by  the  camp,  and  which  carries  off  the  drainage.  The  camp,  built  to  furnish  accom- 
modations for  two  companies  of  infantry,  consists  of  seven  buildings  arranged  in  the  form  of  a 
liollow  square,  the  parade  ground  inclosed  by  them  measuring  400  feet  each  way.  These  buildings 
are  all  one  story  high,  built  of  rough  unhewn  logs.  The  walls  are  chinked  and  daubed  with  mud. 
The  roofs  are  covered  with  shingles,  insufficient  in  number  and  badly  put  on,  allowing  rain  and 
snow  to  penetrate  into  the  interior  of  the  buildings.  The  floors  are  of  undressed  lumber,  and  are 
barely  raised  from  the  ground,  the  sleepers  lying  directly  on  the  surface.  The  warming  of 
every  room  in  each  building  is  by  large  open  fireplaces,  built  of  granite.  The  windows  are  of  the 
"  dormer-window"  pattern,  and,  with  the  doors,  all  open  toward  the  square.  Being  thus  all  placed 
on  one  side  of  the  buildings,  they  allow  of  no  cross  draughts ;  and  were  it  not  for  the  chance 
openings  found  in  the  roofs  and  w<ills,  and  the  wide  chimneys,  the  buildings  would  be  uninhabitable 
for  the  want  of  proper  ventilation.  Each  room  has  one  window  and  one  door  opening  directly 
on  the  parade  ground. 

The  north  side  of  the  camp  is  formed  by  a  building,  65  by  20  feet,  divided  into  three  rooms, 
one  at  each  end  of  the  building,  16  by  18  feet,  and  one  in  the  middle,  28  by  18  feet.  Each  room  is 
assigned  as  separate  quarters  for  officers.  A  lean-to.  10  feet  wide  and  half  the  length  of  the  build- 
ing, affords  room  for  one  kitchen,  one  officers'  mess-room,  and  one  room  used  as  a  sleeping-room  by 
the  servants;  a  small  two-roomed  house,  32  by  16  feet,  having  no  conveniences,  forms  the 
only  quarters  suitable,  in  any  way,  to  married  officers.  A  small  lean-to  at  the  back  forms  a 
kitchen,  and  15  yards  in  the  rear  is  the  sink  belonging  to  the  building.  The  west  side  of  the  square 
is  formed  by  a  building,  65  by  20  feet,  which  is  divided  into  one  room,  20  by  18  feet,  used  as  quar- 
termaster's harness-room  and  saddler-shop ;  one  room,  10  by  18  feet,  used  as  quarters  for  post 
surgeon  ;  one  room,  10  by  18  feet,  used  as  an  office  by  the  post  adjutant,  and  one  room,  20  by  18 
feet,  used  as  a  guard-room.  A  building,  65  by  18  feet,  is  used  as  quartermaster's  and  commissary's 
store-house.  There  are  no  windows  nor  fireplaces  in  this  building. 


CAMP  THREE  FORKS,  OWYHEE,  IDAHO  TERRITORY.  429 

The  south  side  is  formed  by  a  building  260  by  20  feet,  divided  in  the  center  by  ;i  strong  log 
partition,  and  furnishing  in  each  half  one  room,  88  by  18  feet,  used  as  day  room  and  dormitory  for 
one  company;  and  in  the  wing  one  room,  40  by  18  feet,  serving  as  company-kitchen  and  mess-room. 
Each  of  the  company  rooms  is  warmed  by  two  very  large  open  fireplaces,  and  has,  let  in  at  equal 
distances  along  the  ridge  of  the  roof,  three  common  square  box  ventilators,  each  having  a  superfi- 
cial opening  of  144  square  inches.  These  rooms  were  originally  lighted  only  by  two  windows,  and 
the  inlet  and  outlet  to  them  were  gained  through  two  single  doors,  all  facing  toward  the  parade ; 
but  the  quarters  were  found  to  be  so  dark  that  panes  of  glass  were  let  in  among  the  shingles  of 
the  roof.  Two  windows  and  a  door  have  been  cut  through  the  rear  wall  of  the  west  quarters,  mak- 
ing them  comparatively  light  a.nd  cheerful.  The  same  improvement  has  been  carried  out  in  all  the 
buildings.  The  wash  and  bath-house  has  a  fireplace  for  heating  water,  and  a  supply  of  bathing 
tubs.  A  well,  giving  an  abundant  supply  of  water,  is  close  to  the  wash-house.  (In  the  summer 
parties  of  the  officers  and  men  often  repair  for  a  day  or  two  at  a  time  to  some  very  large  warm 
springs,  situated  in  the  caiion  of  the  Owyhee  Eiver,  17  miles  distant.)  A  large  sink,  20  feet  long, 
is  situated  15  yards  in  the  rear  of  the  center  of  this  building.  The  east  side  is  formed  by  a  build- 
ing, 65  by  18  feet,  equally  divided  into  six  rooms,  10  by  18  feet,  which  are  used  as  laundresses' 
quarters;  and  a  building,  G5  by  20  feet,  divided  as  follows :  In  the  northern  end,  a  room  10  by  18 
feet,  used  as  dispensary;  a  room,  27  by  18  feet,  used  as  a  ward,  to  contain  eight  beds.  Between 
these  two  rooms  a  space  3  feet  wide  is  partitioned  off.  It  is  divided  into  two  equal  parts  by  the 
stone  chimney,  and  forms  a  store-room,  3  by  7  feet,  and  a  hall  of  the  same  dimensions.  The  ward 
is  lighted  by  two  windows  facing  the  parade  ground.  Next  to  the  ward  is  the  hospital  kitchen 
and  mess-room  in  one,  10  by  18  feet,  having  no  fireplace,  but  using  a  cooking  stove.  These  three 
rooms  constitute  the  post  hospital.  The  hospital  has  no  quarters  for  a  hospital  steward,  no  dead- 
house,  bath-room,  or  lavatory  ;  all  of  which  are  needed.  In  the  south  end  of  the  same  building  is 
situated  the  post  bakery,  10  by  18  feet. 

In  the  ravine  southeast  of  the  post  are  situated  the  post  trader's  store  and  dwelling-house, 
post  blacksmith  and  carpenter  shop,  and  a  house  serving  as  quarters  for  the  Indian  scouts 
attached  to  the  command. 

Further  west,  and  lower  down  on  the  creek,  are  the  Government  stables,  granary,  and  hay- 
shed.  These  are  built  of  logs,  split  in  half  and  planted  upright  in  the  ground,  and  roofed  over 
with  rough  boards  and  battens.  Behind  are  the  corrals. 

The  water  used  by  the  camp  is  entirely  supplied  by  the  creek  above  mentioned,  which  has  its 
source  among  granite  rocks  in  the  mountains  about  eight  miles  north.  The  stream,  from  its 
source  down,  is  well  protected  from  the  sun  by  an  abundant  growth  of  willow  bushes  and  some 
cottonwood  trees.  Great  care  has  been  taken  to  preserve  these  uninjured.  The  water  is  remark- 
ably pure,  always  cool,  and  very  pleasant  to  the  taste.  It  flows  in  sufficient  quantity  for  the  use  of 
the  camp  during  every  season  of  the  year.  It  is  brought  to  the  camp  by  hand,  and  stored  in  bar- 
rels, which  are  refilled  every  day. 

The  soil  on  which  the  camp  is  built  consisting  principally  of  broken-down  quartz  rock  and 
crushed  lava,  is  very  dry,  and  does  not  allow  water  to  percolate  through  it.  There  is  no  stagnant 
water  to  be  found  near  the  camp. 

There  are  no  Indians  resident  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  post.  A  few  scattered  Pi-Utes 
roam  between  the  south  side  of  the  Owyhee  River  and  the  Humboldt  chain  of  mountains. 

The  climate  is  very  variable,  and  sudden  changes  of  temperature  are  of  frequent  occurrence. 
The  thermometer  ranged  during  the  year  18G8  from  9°  below  zero  to  101°  F.  Yearly  mean  of  ther- 
mometer 45.53°  F.  The  amount  of  rain  and  snow  that  fell  during  the  year  measured  10.65  inches. 
The  yearly  mean  of  the  hygrometer  was  42.04. 

The  situation,  as  far  as  the  records  show,  is  very  healthy.  Since  the  camp  was  established 
there  have  been  only  three  cases  of  serious  sickness ;  all  of  the  typho-malarial  type,  no  doubt  con- 
tracted by  the  patients  while  away  from  the  camp  on  scouts  through  flat  and  marshy  districts,  and 
resulting  in  one  death. 


430 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean   strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at   Camp   Three  Forks, 
Oipyhcc,  Idaho  Territory,  for  the  years  18G8  and  1869. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrha'a  and 
dysentery. 

Epidemic  catarrh. 

Venereal  diseases. 

Rheumatism. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions.* 

» 
| 

C3 

<u 
•O 

*M 

o 

d 
fe 

1868                                                    .   .. 

131.  58 

121 

9 

12 

3 

12 

9 

25 

1869  .            .             .           

101.  58 

130 

8 

12 

10 

11 

24 

'  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT  STEVENS,  OREGON. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  J.  E.  SEMPLE  AND  A.  W.  WIGGIN,  UNITED  STATES 

ARMY. 

Fort  Stevens  is  located  in  latitude  46°  30'  north,  longitude  124°  1'  west  from  Greenwich ; 
altitude,  twelve  feet  above  high  water.  It  is  near  the  extremity  of  Point  Adams,  a  low  sandy  spit 
of  laud  which  forms  the  south  side  of  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  and  guards  the  south  channel  of 
that  river;  Fort  Cape  Disappointment,  distant  about  ten  miles  from  this  post,  guarding  the  north 
channel.  The  two  channels  are  separated  by  a  sandy  island,  nearly  covered  at  high  water.  East 
of  Fort  Stevens,  and  on  the  same  side  of  the  river,  eight  miles  distant  by  water,  but  accessible  by 
land,  is  the  town  of  Astoria.  This  is  the  oldest  American  settlement  on  this  coast,  a  trading  post 
having  been  established  there  by  John  Jacob  Astor  in  1811,  and  now  numbers  some  six  or  seven 
hundred  inhabitants.  A  creek  and  swamp  nearly  divide  the  strip  of  sea-coast  land,  at  the  northern 
extremity  of  which  are  Point  Adams  and  Fort  Stevens,  from  Astoria  and  the  main  portion  of  the 
State  of  Oregon.  This  strip  of  land,  called  Clatsop  Plains,  is  low,  sandy,  with  poor  soil,  in  most 
parts  densely  covered  with  spruce  and  hemlock  trees,  and  sparsely  inhabited  by  farmers  and  fisher- 
men, some  of  whom  have  occupied  their  lands  for  thirty  or  forty  years,  raising  extensive  families 
of  half-breeds,  and  waiting  to  get  rich  by  a  rise  in  the  value  of  their  real  estate.  Some  ten  or 
twelve  families  living  near  Skipanon  Landing,  on  a  creek  of  the  same  name,  constitute  the  town  of 
Lexington,  distant  six  miles  from  the  post. 

This  post  was  first  occupied  April  L'.~>,  1805,  the  fort  having  been  built  under  the  supervision  of 
the  engineers  during  the  two  years  preceding. 

The  military  reservation  contains  one  square  mile.  The  land  is  undulating  and  sandy,  having 
evidently  been  formed  by  the  action  of  the  waves  on  the  one  side,  and  by  alluvium  brought  down 
by  the  Columbia  River  on  the  other.  A  shallow  soil  exists,  capable  of  supporting  evergreen  trees, 
ferns,  grasses,  &c.,  but,  as  its  bottom  is  sand,  crops  are  very  uncertain,  except  in  a  wet  summer. 

The  following  animals  exist  in  this  part  of  the  country,  viz. :  Elk,  deer,  wolf,  black  bear,  cougar, 
rabbit,  otter,  mink,  squirrel,  and  beaver.  The  birds  are  chiefly  the  wild  goose,  woodpecker,  bluejay, 
swan,  duck,  pelican,  crow,  eagle,  gull,  swallow,  crane,  robin,  and  pigeon.  The  fish  are  the  salmon, 
which  is  abundant  and  an  important  article  of  export,  salmon-trout,  smelt,  sole,  sturgeon,  flounder, 
perch,  sucker,  porgy,  craw-fish,  clams  of  an  immense  size,  and  oysters,  which  are  small  and  inferior 
in  quality. 

The  climate  is  equable,  much  cooler  in  summer  and  warmer  in  winter  than  on  the  same 
isothermal  line  of  the  Atlantic  coast.  The  total  annual  rain-fall  is  excessive,  amounting  during 
the  year  1869  to  6  feet  8.16  inches,  which,  judging  by  the  meteorological  register  kept  since  Jan- 
uary, 1867,  is  not  more  than  an  average;  20.66  inches  of  rain  fell  during  the  mouth  of  November, 
1869.  At  the  same  time  there  is  usually  so  little  rain  during  the  months  of  July,  August,  and 
September  as  to  necessitate  irrigation  for  many  crops.  The  records  do  not  show  that  any  snow 


FORT  STEVENS,  OREGON.  431 

lias  fallen  here  since  the  occupation  of  the  post.  The  mean  temperature  for  the  year  18C9  was 
53.51°;  the  average  hygrometrical  indications,  51.38°}  highest  temperature,  80°,  lowest,  32°; 
highest  indication  of  hygrometer,  70°,  lowest,  32°.  The  prevailing  winds  are  southeast  and  south- 
west during  the  rainy  season;  northwest  during  the  dry  season. 

The  fort  itself  is  an  earthwork ;  it  has  been  rebuilt  anil  is  surrounded  by  a  moat.  The  build- 
ings composing  the  garrison  quarters  are  placed  on  a  bluff  some,  distance  from  the.  river,  with  a  low 
beach  between  it  and  the  water.  At  present  the  beach  below  the  post  buildings  is  increasing  by 
the  fresh  daily  deposit  of  sand  from  the  river;  but  the  changes  at  thi.s  point  being  so  uncertain 
and  various,  at  some  future  time  the  waters  may  encroach  upon  and  remove  the  whole  of  it.  A 
fine  wharf  has  been  constructed  on  this  beach,  at  which  small  steamers  land  the  supplies  for  the 
post. 

For  the  first  year  of  its  occupation  the  only  houses  for  officers  or  meu  were  the  temporary 
shanties  of  rough  boards  which  had  been  erected  for  the  engineer  workmen  while  constructing  the 
fort.  None  of  these  structures  now  remain.  All  the  buildings  now  at  the  post  are  substantially 
built  of  wood.  The  soldiers'  barrack,  erected  in  18GC,  is  a  one-story  building,  98  feet  5  inches  by 
30  feet  4  inclies,  with  porch  in  front.  It  contains  two  dormitories,  one  at  each  end,  with  offices 
between  them.  Each  dormitory  measures  37  feet  11  inches  by  29  feet;  height,  13  feet  10  inches. 
They  are  lighted  and  ventilated  by  four  windows  of  ordinary  size.  J!ox  stoves  are  used  for  heating. 
The  number  of  bunks  occupying  the  dormitories  is  kept  down  to  those  actually  in  use ;  and  the 
air  space  per  man,  of  the  number  now  occupying  each  dormitory,  is,  respectively  1,057  and  841 
cubic  feet.  The  bunks  are  wooden,  in  two  tiers.  A  building  70  yards  northwest  of  the  soldiers' 
quarters  contains  the  company  mess-room  and  kitchen.  Quarters  for  married  soldiers  and  laun- 
dresses consist  of  two  buildings,  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  accommodating  two  families  each. 
Four  houses  are  used  as  quarters  for  officers,  three  of  them  constructed  on  the  same  plan,  the 
fourth  slightly  but  not  materially  different.  They  are  built  of  wood,  and  consist  of  a  main  building 
one  and  a  half  stories  high,  and  an  L,  one  story  high.  Each  house  has  four  large  rooms  on  the  ground 
floor,  with  a  cellar  underneath  the  kitchen ;  a  hall,  and  ample  room  for  closets,  pantries,  &c.  In 
the  upper  story  are  two  large  bed-rooms,  two  small  rooms,  and  two  lofts.  The  rooms  on  the  ground 
floor  in  the  main  house  are  10J  feet  high,  plastered  with  hard  finish,  and  well  painted.  There  is 
a  privy  in  the  L,  connected  with  the  main  building  by  a  covered  porch.  Fireplaces  are  in  two 
rooms  of  each  house,  the  other  rooms  havingopenings  for  stove-pipes.  A  cistern  affords  rain-water 
for  washing  purposes ;  drinking  water  is  supplied  by  a  well,  and  brought  around  daily  in  carts. 
Good  gardens  are  attached  to  these  quarters. 

There  are  three  store-houses  at  this  post,  one  ordnance  store-house,  one  commissary  and 
quartermaster's  store-house,  and  one  engineer  store-house.  The  first  is  a  one-story  building,  81  feet 
2  inches  by  22  feet  3  inches,  and  contains  two  store-rooms.  The  quartermaster  and  commissary's 
stores  occupy  a  building  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  having  a  porch  along  the  entire  front.  The 
building  is  112  feet  4  inches  by  30  feet  4  inches  in  dimensions.  The  commissary  stores  are  kept 
down  stairs,  and  the  upper  story  occupied  by  quartermaster's  property.  Two  offices  and  a  sleep- 
ing-room are  also  on  the  first  floor.  The  engineer  store-house  is  an  old,  rough  building,  filled  with 
engineer  tools,  and  kept  closed  up.  One  end  of  it  is  used  as  a  carriage  room. 

The  guard-house  is  located  on  the  edge  of  the  parade  ground,  and  constructed  of  solid  plank- 
ing throughout.  The  foundation  is  of  brick;  the  floors  are  double,  the  intervening  space 
being  inlaid  with  cement.  The  building  is  T-shaped  ;  the  extreme  length  of  the  cross  part  is  67 
feet  8  inches ;  the  width  32  feet  10  inches.  The  length  of  the  other  portion  is  28  feet,  and  its  width 
24  feet  3  inches.  Its  height  is  10  feet  in  the  clear.  The  transverse  section  of  the  building  con- 
tains the  cells,  ranged  on  either  side  of  a  hall  12  feet  2  inches  wide.  The  cells  are  7  by  12  feet,  and 
open  by  a  door  into  cell  halls,  9  by  12  fee*,  which  communicate  by  grated  doors  with  the  transverse 
hall.  The  cells  are  9  feet  5  inches  high.  The  apertures  for  ventilation  are  near  the  ceiling ;  four 
are  12  by  16  inches,  the  rest  8  by  12  inches  each.  The  guard-room,  in  the  main  portion  of  the 
building,  is  15  by  24  feet.  The  main  building  has  a  stove  in  each  end,  the  pipes  going  into  chim- 
neys built  from  the  attic.  The  window  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  transverse  hall  is  two  feet  square, 
glazed  and  grated.  The  main  hall  has  a  window  at  each  end,  .">  feet  1 1  inches  by  2  feet,  also  glazed 
and  grated.  A  sky-light,  2  feet  square,  opening  through  the  roof,  is  placed  directly  over  the  point 


432  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

of  crossing  of  the  halls.  The  cell  doors  are  all  solid,  without  any  opening  iu  them,  while  those 
shutting  off  the  cell  halls  from  the  main  hall  have 'grated  openings  5  feet  by  8  inches.  Arrange- 
ments exist  for  putting  up  six  bunks  in  each  cell,  in  tiers  of  three  each,  but  in  point  of  fact  seldom 
more  than  two  prisoners  occupy  the  same  cell — never  more  than  three,  and  then  only  while  a  part 
of  the  building  is  being  scrubbed,  the  custom  being  to  wet-scrub  one-half  the  guard-house  once  a 
week,  leaving  the  other  half  dry  for  occupancy.  If  the  cells  were  occupied  to  their  fullest  capacity 
there  would  be  but  140  cubic  feet  of  air  space  to  each  occupant — obviously  insufficient,  even  with 
the  ventilators  open  and  communication  with  the  hall  afforded  by  means  of  the  grated  doors.  The 
average  number  of  prisoners  for  the  past  two  years  has  been  6.14 — less  than  one  man  to  each  cell. 

The  hospital  building  stands  on  a  knoll  of  sand  fronting  toward  the  river,  and  has  a  porch 
along  the  whole  front.  The  main  portion  of  the  building,  by  outside  measurement,  is  25  feet  6 
inches  by  46  feet  10  inches;  the  back  building  is  22  feet  5  inches  by  24  feet  2  inches.  The  rear 
door  of  the  dispensary  opens  on  a  hall  leading  to  the  wards,  one  on  the  right  hand  and  one  on  the  left. 
Between  the  two  wards  in  the  rear  portion  is  the  steward's  room.  In  rear  of  this  main  building, 
and  connected  with  it,  is  the  kitchen,  and  partitioned  off  from  the  back  end  of  the  kitchen  are  a 
bath-room  and  pantry.  The  wards,  of  which  there  are  two,  one  on  each  outside  end  of  the  main 
building,  with  dispensary  and  steward's  room  between  them,  are  each  24  feet  11  inches  by  15  feet 
8  inches,  with  a  ridge  opening,  9  feet  long  by  12  inches  wide,  for  ventilation.  The  air  space  in 
each  ward  is  1,234  cubic  feet  per  bed.  There  are  five  windows  in  each  ward,  and  a  movable  tran- 
som over  each  door.  Capacity  of  hospital,  ten  beds.  Stoves  are  used  for  warming  the  rooms.  The 
bath-room  is  7  feet  10  inches  by  7  feet  C  inches,  and  contains  a  bath-tub  and  water-sink.  The 
water-closet  contains  movable  sinks  and  a  urinal. 

The  post  bakery  is  35  by  12  feet,  containing  a  sleeping  room,  kneading  room,  and  an  oven 
capable  of  baking  bread  daily  for  200  men. 

The  stable  for  public  animals  contains  stalls  for  15  animals,  is  well  lighted,  and  has  an  open- 
ing into  the  external  air  in  each  stall  in  front  of  each  animal's  face.  The  building  is  40  by  30  feet. 

The  post  being  garrisoned  by  a  single  company  there  is  no  post  library.  The  library  of  the 
company  now  stationed  here  consists  of  232  volumes,  principally  history  and  novels.  They  are 
kept  in  the  office  of  the  company,  and  are  well  read. 

The  water  supply  of  the  post  is  dependent  upon  that  furnished  by  the  wells  which  have  been 
dug.  Of  these  there  is  one  in  each  cellar  of  three  of  the  officers'  houses,  one  near  the  stables,  one 
at  the  mess-room,  one  inside  of  the  fort,  one  in  the  parade  ground,  and  one  near  the  hospital. 
During  the  winter  season  the  supply  of  water  seems  to  be  sufficient  and  of  good  quality.  The 
water  supplied  to  the  different  portions  of  the  garrison  is  hauled  on  carts  in  water-barrels  and  dis- 
tributed fresh  daily.  Although  apparently  sufficient  for  ordinary  purposes  during  the  winter  when 
the  rains  are  abundant,  the  supply  of  water  becomes  very  small  in  summer,  while  its  quality  dete- 
riorates to  such  a  degree  as  to  make  its  use,  to  say  the  least,  unpleasant.  During  the  later  months 
of  the  summer  of  1868  this  was  painfully  apparent,  the  water  from  the  different  wells  in  use  hav- 
ing a  peculiarly  disagreeable  taste  and  odor,  as  well  as  an  uninviting  appearance.  It  was  also  very 
limited  in  quantity,  at  a  time,  too,  when  the  forests  in  this  vicinity  were  constantly  burning,  the 
material  of  the  quarters  and  other  public  buildings  very  dry  and  liable  to  catch  fire  from  the  fall- 
ing sparks  carried  about  by  wind  through  the  dense,  smoky  atmosphere.  In  view  of  these  facts, 
cisterns  calculated  to  hold  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water,  caught  and  stored  during  the  rainy  sea- 
son, are  called  for,  both  in  view  of  the  health  and  comfort  of  this  command,  as  well  as  the  preser- 
vation of  public  property  at  the  post. 

The  drainage  of  the  post,  from  its  natural  location,  is  in  general  good,  and  water  is  either 
absorbed  quickly  or  carried  to  the  beach  below.  The  present  drainage  from  the  officers'  quarters, 
hospital,  kitchen,  and  laundresses'  quarters  is  rather  defective,  and  might  be  improved. 

Ample  facilities  for  bathing  are  afforded  in  the  summer  time  by  the  river,  but  in  the  cooler 
weather,  which,  in  this  climate  may  be  considered  as  three-fourths  of  the  year,  no  facilities  are 
provided  except  in  the  hospital. 

A  small  garden  at  the  post  produces  potatoes  and  cabbages,  but  not  nearly  euough  for  the 
winter's  use.  A  few  potatoes  are  raised  in  the  vicinity  of  the  hospital,  but  a  hospital  garden, 
properly  speaking,  does  not  exist.  There  is  ample  room  about  the  quarters  of  each  officer  for  gar- 


FORT  KLAMATH,  OREGON. 


433 


dening  purposes,  but  sucb  is  the  uncertainty  of  rain  in  the  summer  months  and  the  difficulty  of 
watering,  that  it  seems  to  be  generally  preferred  to  rely  upon  the  neighboring  country,  vegetables 
being  readily  procured  at  reasonable  rates. 

A  small  steamboat  chartered  by  the  government  plies  between  this  post,  Fort  Cape  Disap- 
pointment, and  Astoria  three  times  a  week  for  Portland,  connecting  with  stages  for  the  East  by 
way  of  Kelton,  on  the  Central  Pacific  railroad.  A  steamship  leaves  Astoria  three  times  a  month 
for  San  Francisco.  A  letter  requires  from  one  to  three  days  to  go  to  department  headquarters,  and 
from  eleven  to  eighteen  days  to  go  to  Washington. 

The  inhabitants  of  this  vicinity  are  generally  emigrants  from  Missouri  and  other  western 
States,  who  hold  large  tracts  of  land.  The  Indians  consist  of  the  remains  of  the  Clatsop  tribe, 
now  numbering  about  15  individuals,  and  are  fast  disappearing. 

There  seem  to  be  no  prevailing  diseases  whose  cause  is  due  to  the  location  of  the  post.  Mala- 
rial diseases  exist  along  the  Columbia  and  Willamette  Rivers,  but  this  particular  locality  is  appar- 
ently exempt  from  them.  The  moisture  of  the  atmosphere  predisposes  somewhat  to  rheumatism, 
but  not  to  pulmonary  or  bowel  affections. 

Statement  shoiring  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Stevens.  Oregon,  for 

Hie  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

Mean  strength. 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  diseases. 

Rheumatism. 

X 

"5 

1 

Catnrrhnl  affec- 
tions.* 

j 

•s 

1668 

65.08 

105 

5 

12 

5 

4 

3 

i 

34 

1869 

67 

12 

19 

5 

9 

27 

62 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


FORT   KLAMATH,  OREGON. 

REPORTS  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  L.  E.  HOLMES  AND  C.  B.  BRIERLY,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Fort  Klamath  occupies  a  site  on  the  margin  of  a  low  prairie  or  meadow,  extending  south  and 
west  to  the  Klamath  lakes,  a  distance  of  eight  or  ten  miles.  Its  latitude  is  42°  41'  34"  north,  lon- 
gitude 44°  40'  west ;  altitude  4,200  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  fort  was  built  in  1863,  and 
designed  for  a  two-company  post.  The  land  occupied  and  immediately  surrounding  rises  slightly 
from  the  prairie,  and  is  naturally  well  drained.  The  pine  forests  on  the  north  and  east  approach- 
ing to  the  buildings  of  the  post,  and  partly  surrounding  them,  are  heavy  and  have  but  a  slight 
undergrowth.  A  large  creek  runs  within  five  or  six  rods  of  the  buildings  on  the  north  and  east. 

The  principal  buildings  of  the  post  are  twelve  in  number,  constructed  of  hard  pine  lumber. 
The  parade  is  fenced.  Its  south  side  is  clear,  and  opens  on  the  prairie. 

The  barracks,  120  by  30  by  10  feet,  are  divided  into  large  square  or  oblong  rooms,  and  warmed 
by  means  of  fireplaces  and  stoves.  Air  space  per  man,  500  cubic  feet.  Twelve  windows  are  placed 
opposite  each  other,  affording  ample  ventilation,  with  the  doors  and  fireplaces.  Double  wooden 
bunks  in  two  tiers  are  used.  Quarters  for  married  soldiers  are  four  in  number,  each  30  by  15  by 
10  feet,  with  two  windows  and  one  door.  The  officers'  quarters  are  five  separate  buildings,  each 
40  feet  square  and  10  feet  high.  The  store-houses,  one  story  high,  built  of  hewn  timber,  are  ample 
and  well  policed. 

The  guard-house,  also  made  of  hewn  timber,  is  30  feet  square  by  10  feet  high.    The  prison- 
room  is  14  by  12  feet. 
55 


434 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  hospital  building  is  of  the  same  size  and  construction  as  the  quarters  for  officers,  40  by 
40  by  10  feet.  Though  small  and  not  specially  designed  for  the  purpose,  it  answers  very  well  for 
a  one-company  post,  where  sickness  of  a  grave  nature  is  almost  unknown.  The  building  is  warmed 
by  stoves.  The  windows  and  doors  are  the  only  means  of  ventilation.  The  office  and  dispensary 
are  adjoining  rooms,  each  12  feet  square  and  10  feet  high.  The  ward,  30  by  15  by  10  feet,  has  four 
windows  and  two  doors,  contains  four  beds,  giving  to  each  1,125  cubic  feet.  There  are  no  lava- 
tories or  bath-rooms. 

The  stables,  at  a  little  distance  from  the  men's  quarters  and  near  the  border  of  the  creek,  are 
large,  well  ventilated,  and  made  with  a  view  to  warmth,  dryness,  and  durability. 

The  Indian  camp  lies  to  the  southeast  on  William's  Kiver,  a  distance  of  12  miles.  Nine  hun- 
dred are  of  the  Klamath,  500  of  the  Modock,  and  200  Snake  Indians. 

The  prevailing  diseases  are  venereal.  Diseases  of  the  respiratory  organs  appear  to  be  the 
only  diseases  having  local  origin. 

Statement  showing  menu  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


b 

•o 

g 

A 

2 

a 

S 

f 

fU 

& 

1 

j 

1 

•t 

Years. 

a 
5 

1 

a   o= 

«  S 

3 

OP 

Jl 

.S 

3 

"3 
g 

1 

^H     yi 

c8     0 

•"  .2 

•S 

IM 

— 

3  "a 

3 

&        T-1  * 

'8 

v 

P 

9 

8 

5 

(S 

o 

9 

> 

s 

s 

H 

^ 

M 

O 

fc 

1868  (11  months)         .           ... 

72.  63 

115 

9 

10 

3 

5 

11 

25 

1869  

60 

155 

8 

46 

2 

16 

23 

23 

'  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  WARNER,  OREGON. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  RICHARD  POWELL,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Warner,  Oregon,  was  located  in  1866,  about  twenty  miles  east  of  Warner  Lake.  In 
September,  1867,  it  was  changed  to  its  present  situation,  which  is  about  42°  50'  north  latitude, 
120°  west  longitude,  15  miles  west  of  Warner  Lake,  and  35  miles  from  the  Califoinia  and  Oregon 
line.  Its  altitude  is  presumed  to  be  between  6,000  and  7,000  feet.  It  is  almost  surrounded  by  hills, 
and  to  the  south  and  west  is  a  forest,  principally  of  pines,  which  extends  four  or  five  miles. 

There  is  fine  trout  fishing  within  ten  miles  of  the  post. 

Grizzly  and  black  bears  are  found  in  the  vicinity;  also  antelope,  deer,  grouse,  prairie  chicken, 
and  ducks. 

The  soil  is  not  fertile,  being  sandy  and  alkaline. 

The  mean  temperature  is  50°  F. ;  hottest,  19th  of  August  at  2  o'clock  p.  m.,  89°  F.  in  the  shade ; 
coldest,  the  6tb  of  December  at  7  o'clock  a.  m.,  10°  F.  There  is  not  much  rain,  but  the  fall  of  snow 
is  very  heavy,  lying  on  the  ground  from  December  until  May  or  June. 

The  post  is  located  on  the  slope  of  a  hill,  the  incline  facing  the  north.  The  buildings  form 
three  sides  of  a  square  of  200  feet  side.  The  company  quarters  are  three  log  buildings,  each  103 
by  25  feet,  with  board  gables,  shingle  roofs,  and  porches  in  front.  Each  contains  two  dormitories, 
measuring  34  by  30  by  10  feet,  occupied  by  one  company,  warmed  by  fireplaces,  lighted  by  ten  win- 
dows which,  with  five  doors  and  the  chimney  flues,  afford  ample  ventilation.  Air  space  per  man, 
324  cubic  feet.  The  bunks  are  double,  in  two  tiers.  The  latrines  for  the  men  are  about  two  hun- 
dred yards  in  rear  of  their  quarters. 


CAMP  WAENER,  OREGON.  435 

Temporary  buildings  are  occupied  as  kitcbeus  and  mess-rooms.  The  kitchens  measure  18  by 
28  feet,  the  mess-rooms  37  by  28  feet. 

Married  soldiers'  quarters  are  three  houses  recently  erected,  and  four  others  which  were  pre- 
viously devoted  to  other  uses.  The  houses  are  built  of  logs,  and  contain  two  rooms  each,  with  a 
chimney  in  the  center. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  six  log  buildings,  each  30  by  40  by  10J  feet,  with  an  addition,  16  by 
21  by  10J  feet,  for  kitchen  and  dining-room.  One  house  is  occupied  by  the  commanding  officer. 
Each  of  the  others  is  designed  for  one  captain  and  one  lieutenant.  Their  construction  is  similar 
to  the  barracks.  The  partitions  are  of  boards,  and  the  walls  and  ceilings  of  nearly  all  the  rooms 
are  covered  with  cloth  and  wall  paper.  They  are  heated  by  means  of  fireplaces  and  stoves. 

The  commissary's  building  measures  30  by  100  feet.  The  quartermaster's  buildings,  two  in 
number,  are  each  GO  by  30  feet. 

The  guard-house,  a  temporary  building,  is  30  by  40  by  10J  feet,  divided  into  a  guard-room, 
24  by  30  feet ;  a  prison-room,  1C  by  15  feet,  and  four  cells,  each  4  by  8  feet.  It  is  warmed  by  stoves, 
lighted  by  windows,  two  in  front  and  rear,  which,  by  aid  of  one  door  in  the  center  of  the  building, 
afford  the  only  means  of  ventilation.  The  average  occupancy  is  five. 

The  hospital  is  built  of  logs,  with  board  gables  and  shingled  roof,  and  when  completed  will 
be  well  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  post.  The  ground  plan  is  essentially  the  same  as  recom- 
mended in  Circular  No.  4,  Surgeon  General's  Office.  The  main  building  is  33  by  34  feet,  contains  four 
rooms,  surgery,  steward's  room,  and  bath-room,  each  15  by  14  feet,  and  dining-room,  19  by  14  feet. 
These  rooms  open  into  a  common  hall,  which  is  also  connected  with  the  ward,  a  wing,  44  by  24 
feet.  The  kitchen,  16  by  21  feet,  is  attached  to  the  rear  end  of  the  main  building.  The  second 
floor  of  the  main  building  is  an  attic  with  four  windows,  and  is  used  for  attendants'  quarters  and 
store-rooms.  Warming  is  effected  by  means  of  stoves,  though  it  is  proposed  to  have  the  ward 
warmed  by  a  fireplace.  Lighting  and  ventilation  are  secured  by  windows  and  doors,  aided  by  the 
cracks  unavoidably  existing  in  a  building  so  rudely  constructed.  It  is  proposed  also  to  have  the 
walls  more  carefully  lined,  and,  if  deemed  necessary,  more  suitable  means  of  ventilation  provided. 
The  ward  contains  !)G8  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  bed,  with  a  capacity  for  twelve  patients.  The 
bath-room  is  provided  with  basins  and  bath-tubs.  The  sink  is  60  yards  distant  in  rear  of  the  hos- 
pital. 

The  bakery  recently  erected  contains  an  oven  measuring  9  by  10  feet,  and  is  well  adapted. 

About  one  hundred  yards  in  rear  of  the  men's  barracks  are  the  cavalry  stables,  blacksmith 
and  wheelwright  shops;  and  on  the  same  line,  but  across  a  creek,  are  the  quartermaster's  corral 
and  stable.  The  dimensions  of  the  cavalry  stable  are  30  by  200  feet;  quartermaster's  stable,  96  by 
30  feet.  The  two  corrals  are  each  180  by  300  feet. 

Two  little  streams  come  down  from  the  mountain  south  of  the  post;  one  runs  between  the 
officers'  quarters  and  the  adjutant's  office;  the  other  runs  to  the  left  of  the  hospital,  the  officers' 
and  men's  quarters,  and  separates  the  quartermaster  stables  and  corrals  from  the  stables  and  work- 
shops. There  has  been  a  deep  drain  dug  about  one  hundred  yards  in  rear  of  the  officers'  quarters 
between  those  streams,  so  that  the  drainage  of  the  post  is  very  good.  The  water  is  excellent  in 
quality  and  the  supply  is  plentiful,  being  obtained  from  springs  which  have  their  source  in  the 
mountain. 

The  gardens,  one  for  each  company  and  one  for  the  hospital,  are  located  16  miles  north  from 
the  post,  in  the  valley  of  Lake  Warner,  and  cultivated  by  enlisted  men.  Potatoes,  cabbage,  tur- 
nips, onions,  &c.,  are  raised. 

Camp  Warner  commands  a  large  section  of  country  Avhich,  until  very  recently,  was  held  by 
the  most  hostile  Indians  in  the  department,  and  its  position  will  be  important  for  some  years  to 
come.  Some  two  miles  north  from  the  post,  150  Indians  of  the  Pi-Ute  tribe  make  their  winter 
resort. 

As  might  be  presumed  from  the  altitude  of  the  post,  we  are  singularly  free  from  malarial  or 
any  other  form  of  zymotic  disease.  I  have  yet  to  see  the  first  case  of  malarial  disease  originating 
here.  There  have  been  some  cases  of  intermittents,  but  it  has  been  among  those  who  suffered 
from  malarial  or  typho-malarial  disease  in  Virginia.  In  the  winter  months  sore  throats,  catarrhs, 
and  diarrhoeas  from  exposure  to  cold  and  wet  feet,  yield  to  the  simplest  medicines,  or,  what  is 


436 


DESCRIPTIONS  OP  MILITARY  POSTS. 


much  preferable,  to  the  warmth  of  a  hospital  ward  and  proper  dietetic  measures,  in  a  few  days.     In 
summer  constipation  is  common,  which  is  ascribed  to  the  altitude  of  the  post. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Warner,  Oregon,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


b 

•a 

a! 

, 

£ 

1 

S. 

S   . 

1 

I 

S  x 

£ 

i 

a 

". 

Years. 

1 

a    S 
a 

A! 

£  3 

3 

j 

1 

it 

s  "* 

ousillitis. 

enereal  di 

| 

lieumatis 

atarrhal 
tions. 

lM 

O 

6 

S 

^ 

* 

o 

H 

> 

02 

M 

Q 

» 

1868 

231.  91 

541 

85 

113 

20 

2 

11 

25 

96 

1869                                        

167.  25 

324 

13 

73 

6 

10 

18 

42 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  HARNEY,   OREGON. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED    BY  ASSISTANT   SURGEONS   CHARLES    STYER  AND   C.    B.   BYRNE,   UNITED 

STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Harney  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  Rattlesnake  Creek,  in  a  canon  of  the  same  name 
opening  into  Harney  Lake  Valley,  in  Grant  County,  Oregon.  Latitude  43°  30'  north  ;  longitude 
118°  30'  west,  and  about  4,200  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

The  canon  is  about  a  mile  long,  -with  precipitous  walls  of  dark  volcanic  rock  from  four  to  six 
hundred  feet  in  height.  Its  breadth  at  the  post  is  about  three  hundred  yards.  The  reservation  is 
6  miles  square,  and,  extending  into  Harney  Valley,  includes  about  15  square  miles  of  level  and 
serviceable  land. 

Haniey  Lake  Valley,  formerly  known  as  "Big  Meadows,"  is  about  50  miles  long  by  30  wide, 
and  contains  two  lakes  of  considerable  size,  known  as  Malhenr  and  Harney  Lakes,  which  have  no 
outlets,  the  water  of  each  being  somewhat  brackish. 

Rattlesnake  Creek,  from  which  the  post  derives  its  supply  of  water,  rises  about  ten  miles 
north  of  this  place  in  the  mountains.  The  water  is  of  good  quality,  clear,  sparkling,  and  perennial. 
In  summer  the  stream  is  maintained  by  springs,  and  the  water  remains  cold  throughout,  except 
during  the  heat  of  the  day. 

The  character  of  the  country  to  the  north,  east,  and  west  of  this  place  is  broken,  rugged,  and 
mountainous.  Just  at  this  point,  where  the  mountains  lower  down  and  give  place  to  the  valley  or 
flat,  all  vestige  of  timber  disappears;  and  to  the  south,  southeast,  and  southwest  nothing  but  sage 
and  a  few  stunted  junipers  are  to  be  found.  In  the  opposite  direction,  however,  as  the  mountains 
recede  from  this  point,  they  become  wooded  with  juniper,  fir,  and  pine.  The  geological  formation 
of  this  section  of  country  is  singular.  The  flat  already  alluded  to,  adjacent  to  us  on  the  south,  is 
composed  of  alluvium,  and  in  places  the  soil  is  impregnated  with  saline  matter.  The  hills  immedi- 
ately bounding  the  valley  present  in  many  places  bold,  continuous  cliffs,  of  probably  five  hundred 
feet  in  height,  resembling  a  line  of  coast  rocks.  The  face  of  the  rocks  near  the  creek,  where  not 
crumbled  away  or  concealed  by  ddbris,  has  well-defined  marks  of  having  at  some  time  formed  the 
limit  to  a  body  of  water,  being  washed  and  worn  as  is  usual  in  such  situations.  The  face  of  the 
rock  furthermore  presents  evidence  of  its  aqueous  origin,  exhibiting  well-marked  strata.  These 
remarks  apply  only  to  the  comparatively  low  range  of  hills  immediately  circumscribing  the  valley. 
The  "  rim  rock,"  as  it  is  termed,  from  which,  as  the  hills  recede,  they  become  irregular  and  more 
and  more  elevated  till  high  altitudes  are  obtained,  and  the  character  of  the  formation  changes 
apparently  to  igneous  and  volcanic,  the  surface  at  the  same  time  becoming  wooded.  At  the 


CAMP  HARNEY,  OREGON.  437 

oot-hills  below  the  cliffs  are  large  detached  rocks  of  volcanic  origin,  in  many  of  which  are  im- 
bedded specimens  of  petrified  pine.  Xo  mineral  products  of  value  have  been  discovered  in  the 
vicinity. 

Elk,  deer,  and  bear  are  found  in  the  vicinity,  and  immense  flocks  of  wild  geese  and  ducks 
remain  in  the  low  marshy  lands  of  the  valley  during  the  spring  and  summer.  On  the  side-hills  are 
found  thesage  hen  and  prairie  chicken. 

During  the  year  1SC9  the  mean  temperature  at  the  post  was  4~>.!P  F. ;  extremes  5°  F.  and  86° 
F.  Rain  fell  32  days,  and  snow  16,  the  combined  fall  being  7.51  inches.  The  dry  ness  of  the  air 
renders  the  heat  of  summer  very  tolerable,  and  the  nights  are  always  cool.  Frost  sufficient  to 
injure  vegetation  occurred  in  every  mouth  during  the  summer  of  1868,  greatly  to  the  prejudice 
of  the  post  garden.  All  winds  at  the  post  are  either  north  or  south,  owing  to  its  location  in  the 
cafion. 

The  post  was  first  located  in  August,  1867,  as  a  base  of  operations  against  the  Indians  occu- 
pying the  Malheur  and  Stein's  Mountain  section  of  country  in  the  south  and  east  of  Oregon.  It 
was  first  known  as  Camp  on  Rattlesnake  Creek,  then,  as  Camp  Steele,  then  Camp  Crook. 

The  buildings  at  this  post  are  all  constructed  of  logs,  chinked  and  plastered  with  mud,  and 
well  roofed  with  shingles.  There  are  three  sets  of  barracks,  each  30  by  100  feet,  intended  for  one 
company.  They  are  not  lined  or  ceiled.  They  are  warmed  by  fireplaces  and  stoves,  lighted  by 
large  windows,  eight  to  each  set  of  quarters,  and  have  no  special  means  of  ventilation.  The  air 
space  per  man  as  now  occupied  is  804  cubic  feet ;  when  companies  are  filled  to  maximum  strength, 
511  feet.  There  is  as  yet  but  one  bath  and  wash-house,  a  scarcity  of  lumber  preventing  the  build- 
ing of  others.  The  privies  are  situated  150  yards  in  rear  of  the  camp  and  beyond  the  stream. 
The  mess-rooms  and  kitchens  are  40  feet  in  rear  of  the  barracks. 

Laundresses  and  married  soldiers  occupy  quarters  at  the  south  extremity  of  the  camp.  Four 
sets  originally  intended  for  such  occupancy,  built  of  logs,  are  comfortable  and  of  ample  siz  e,  16  by  24 
feet.  The  light  and  ventilation  are  sufficient.  Below  these,  and  on  the  same  line,  are  two  build- 
ings, originally  intended  as  shelter  for  packers  and  other  civilian  employe's.  These  have  been  con- 
verted into  double  sets  of  quarters,  and  are  occupied  by  two  families  each.  They  are  built  of  the 
same  material  as  the  others,  though  larger,  their  dimensions  being  20  by  29  feet. 

The  officers'  quarters,  except  the  one  occupied  by  the  commanding  officer,  are  built  for  two 
families  each,  making  one  single  and  three  double  sets.  They  are  built  of  logs,  cabin  style,  with 
piazza  extending  along  the  whole  front.  Each  set  is  divided  into  two  rooms  on  the  ground  floor; 
size  of  front  rooms,  14  by  15  feet;  back  rooms,  9  by  15  feet.  These  rooms  are  neatly  finished,  and 
in  most  instances  are  papered.  The  buildings  are  one  story  high,  with  unfinished  attics.  Water 
is  furnished  by  teams  from  a  perpetual  spring  of  excellent  water.  Adjoining  the  quarters  are 
kitchens,  one  to  each  set,  18  by  30  feet. 

The  headquarters  and  quartermaster's  office  are  under  one  roof,  the  building  being  a  double 
one,  with  two  halls  running  across  it.  A  piazza  extends  along  the  southern  front.  Size  of  build- 
ing 32  by  43  feet. 

The  commissary  store-house,  notwithstanding  that  it  is  a  large  building,  viz.,  40  by  80  feet,  is 
entirely  inadequate  to  meet  the  demands  for  storage  made  upon  it.  It  is  built  of  logs,  and  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  other  buildings. 

The  guard-house  is  32  by  42  feet.  Inside,  29  by  40  feet.  Large  cells,  14  by  29  feet.  Small 
cells,  each  7  feet  10  inches  by  3  feet  6  inches.  Height  of  ceiling  11  feet.  It  is  warmed  by  a  stove 
placed  in  the  center  of  the  guard-room,  and  is  ventilated  by  doors  and  windows.  The  average 
occupancy  during  the  past  year  has  been  five. 

All  timber  used  in  the  building  of  the  post  was  procured  from  the  timbered  hills  to  the  north, 
a  distance  of  three  miles.  In  a  canon  beyond  is  situated  the  saw-mill.  All  the  buildings  were 
built  of  green  lumber,  and  the  consequent  contraction,  owing  to  its  drying  out,  gives  ample  venti- 
ation,  without  exposing  the  health  of  the  inmates. 

On  a  gentle  rise  to  the  northwest  extremity  of  the  camp  is  situated  the  hospital  building,  built 
of  the  same  material  as  the  others.  It  is  warmed  by  stoves  and  fireplaces,  one  to  each.  room. 
Large  windows  and  doors  give  the  requisite  light  and  ventilation.  One  large  ward,  containing 


438 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


eight  beds,  gives  to  each  inau  682  cubic  feet  of  air.  The  wash-room  adjoins  the  rear  of  the  large 
•ward.  It  contains  a  trough  running  the  width  of  it,  with  a  waste  pipe  leading  to  a  subterranean 
drain.  It  is  used  also  as  a  bath-room,  and  contains  two  bath-tubs.  The  privy  is  50  feet  in  rear 
of  the  hospital.  There  is  no  dead-house.  The  baggage  of  patients  is  stored  in  a  closet  under- 
neath the  stairs  leading  to  the  attic. 

There  is  no  post  bakery,  laundry,  chapel,  nor  school-house. 

The  stables  are  two  in  number,  150  feet  apart,  built  of  boards  and  divided  into  single  stalls, 
with  a  capacity  for  75  horses  each. 

Water  is  obtained  from  Rattlesnake  Creek,  a  small  stream  running  through  camp  from  a  spring 
half  a  mile  above  camp,  and  from  wells  in  rear  of  each  set  of  barracks.  The  quantity  is  unlimited, 
and  by  proper  police  being  enforced  the  quality  is  excellent. 

The  soil  being  very  porous,  moderate  amounts  of  rain  and  snow  are  rapidly  absorbed.  This, 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  is  all  that  is  needed  for  proper  drainage. 

There  are  as  yet  no  general  arrangements  made  for  bathing. 

Owing  to  the  occurrence  of  severe  frosts  during  each  month  of  the  year,  together  with  im- 
mense swarms  of  crickets  and  grasshoppers,  it  has  been  found  impossible  to  cultivate  a  garden 
with  any  surety  of  success.  For  two  seasons  the  attempt  was  made,  and  the  result  proved  but  a 
total  loss. 

The  price  of  butter  is  $1  per  pound;  milk  20  cents  per  quart;  eggs  $1  per  dozen,  and  fresh 
vegetables  ranging  according  to  variety  from  5  to  25  cents  per  pound.  The  above  prices  are  in  coin. 

Medical  supplies  are  obtained  from  Fort  Vancouver  by  annual  requisition. 

Private  conveyance  is  the  only  means  of  communication  with  the  nearest  railroad  station, 
Winuemucca,  Nevada,  distant  280  miles.  Portland,  Oregon,  the  nearest  city  of  any  magnitude,  is 
reached  from  Canon  City  by  a  weekly  line  of  stages  to  the  Dalles,  thence  by  steamboat  and  rail- 
road down  the  Columbia  River.  The  only  obstacle  to  travel  during  the  year  is  occasioned  by  snow, 
which  usually  falls  to  such  a  depth  in  winter  as  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  passage  from  camp 
except  on  snow  shoes.  This  causes  in  the  season  mentioned  great  irregularity  in  the  transmission 
of  mail  matter.  When  there  is  no  interruption  the  usual  time  occupied  in  the  transit  of  mails  to 
department  headquarters  is  from  ten  to  fourteen  days,  and  to  Washington  one  month. 

The  only  inhabitants  at  the  post  or  in  its  vicinity  are  roving  bands  of  Pi-Utes  or  Snake  Indians. 

Since  the  establishment  of  the  post  the  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  garrison  has  been 
remarkable  as  regards  the  general  good  health  and  the  small  number  of  deaths.  Of  adults  but 
two  have  died,  one  from  phthisis  pulmonalis,  appearing  before  the  patient  arrived  here,  and  one 
from  suicide.  There  have  been  occasionally  cases  of  intermittent  fever,  though  of  a  mild  type. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Harney,  Oregon,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1860. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


DEPARTMENT  OE  CALIFORNIA. 


POSTS  DESCRIBED. 


.•Vloatraz  Island,  California. 

Camp  Reynolds,  Angel  Island,  California. 

Point  San  Jos<5,  California. 

The  Presidio  of  San  Francisco,  California. 

Yerba  Buena  Island,  California. 


Camp  Gaston,  California. 
Camp  Independence,  California. 
Camp  Wright,  California. 
Camp  Halleck,  Nevada. 
Camp  McDermitt,  Nevada. 


Camp  Bidwell,  California.  !     Camp  Winfield  Scott,  Nevada. 


ALCATRAZ    ISLAND,   CALIFORNIA. 

INFORMATION   FURNISHED   BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON   LORENZO    HUBBARD,  UNITED   STATES 

ARMY. 

Alcatraz  Islaud,  iu  latitude  37°  49'  27"  north,  and  122°  24'  19"  west  longitude,  is  situated  in 
the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  three  and  a  half  miles  distant  from  Fort  and  Lime  Points,  which  guard 
the  harbor  mouth,  and  one  and  a  half  from  Point  San  Jose  and  the  water  front  of  the  city.  It  is 
rocky  and  precipitous  on  all  sides,  and  rises  to  a  height  of  135  feet  above  tide-water.  Its  shape  is 
an  irregular  oblong,  and  its  area  about  twelve  acres.  A  Government  steamer  calls  twice  daily 
from  San  Francisco.  There  is  no  water  supply  on  the  island.  The  island  is  composed  of  a  fine- 
grained sandstone,  and  is  almost  destitute  of  vegetation.  The  temperature  is  mild  and  equable. 
Mean  annual  temperature  58.20°,  with  the  wet-bulb  indicating  55.56°  F.  From  the  conformation 
of  the  island  and  its  rocky  character  the  drainage  is  naturally  perfect. 

The  buildings  consist  of  a  citadel,  two  barrack  buildings  for  troops,  and  three  prison  buildings 
on  the  summit  of  the  island,  and  laundresses'  quarters,  blacksmith  and  carpenter's  workshop,  two 
boat-houses,  coal  and  wood  house,  and  bowling  alley  and  theater  for  the  men,  most  of  which  are 
situated  on  the  eastern  face  of  the  cliff. 

The  citadel,  of  brick,  is  200  by  100  feet,  and  is  two  stories  high  above  the  basement,  with  bas- 
tion fronts  facing  to  the  northwest  and  southeast.  It  is  well  ventilated  by  the  main  hall  passages 
and  windows.  It  is  used  as  officers'  quarters,  hospital,  and  quartermaster  and  subsistence  offices 
and  store-rooms.  The  set  for  each  officer  consists  of  two  large  and  comfortable  rooms,  with  kitchen 
and  dining-room  attached,  and  water-closets  and  bath-rooms.  The  rooms  set  apart  for  hospital 
use  comprise  a  dispensary,  and  two  wards,  a  kitchen,  and  adjoining  mess-room,  a  store-room,  bath- 
room, and  water  closet.  The  wards  are  each  35  by  26  by  17  feet,  well  floored  and  ceiled,  and  are 
furnished  each  with  ten  beds  and  bedside  tables,  chairs,  dumb-waiter,  closet,  and  washstaud. 
They  are  warmed  by  coal  grates,  lighted  and  ventilated  by  side  windows.  Air  space  per  bed, 
1,547  cubic  feet ;  area,  91  feet. 

The  other  buildings  at  the  post  are  of  wood,  well  floored,  ceiled,  plastered,  and  whitewashed. 
The  dormitories  occupied  by  the  men  are,  one  82  by  39  by  12J  feet,  giving  740  cubic  feet  per  man 
to  its  average  occupation ;  having  the  beds  disposed  in  four  rows,  with  two  passage-ways  between  ; 
and  a  second,  50  by  20|  by  13J  feet,  which  has  twenty  single  iron  bedsteads  in  two  rows,  with  an 
aisle  between,  and  overhead  a  gallery  with  twelve  beds,  giving  507  cubic  feet  per  bed. 

The  prison-rooms  are  three  buildings,  ventilated  by  sky-lights  and  warmed  by  stoves  in  the 
main  hall.    They  have  the  cells  arranged  in  two  tiers,  (in  one  three,)  with  galleries  for  the  upper 
tiers.    Ventilators  are  placed  over  the  door  of  each  cell,  and  air  tubes  in  the  walls.    One  building 
contains  fourteen  single  and  two  double  cells ;  the  second  has  forty-five  cells,  and  the  third  forty- 
eight  single  and  four  double  cells.    The  average  size  is  8|  by  6  by  3J  feet,  giving  an  air  space  to 


440 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAKY  POSTS. 


each  of  161  cubic  feet.  Adjoining  these  buildings  are  the  kitchens  and  mess  rooms  for  the  troops 
and  prisoners,  and  the  bakery  for  the  post. 

There  are  five  double  cottages,  of  which  four  are  on  the  eastern,  the  other  on  the  western 
declivity.  They  are  occupied  by  married  soldiers  and  their  families.  Each  is  30  by  22£  feet.  The 
sewers  all  discharge  into  the  bay,  into  which,  also,  all  refuse  collected  by  the  police  parties  is  cast- 

A  bowling  alley,  gymnasium,  and  theater  are  at  the  disposal  of  the  men  for  recreation  and 
amusement. 

A  garden  of  twelve  acres  is  cultivated  on  Angel  Island  by  a  detail  of  four  men.  Communica- 
tion is  kept  up  daily  by  steamer.  This  furnishes  a  good  supply  of  fresh  vegetables  m  their  season. 

The  prevailing  diseases  are  rheumatic  and  bronchial  affections,  owing  to  climatic  influences. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Alcairaz  Island,   Cali- 
fornia, for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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Years. 

I 

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3D 

1 

Whole  n 
taken  si 

Typhoid  fe 

Malarial  fe 

Diarrhoea 
dysente 

Tonsillitis. 

Diphtheria 

Venereal  d 

Rheumatis 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal 
tions. 

a 
1 

^ 

1868  

243.  25 

414 

2 

78 

69 

12 

1 

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32 

3 

63 

2 

1869 

222  25 

254 

1 

56 

12 

c 

32 

13 

32 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  REYNOLDS,  ANGEL  ISLAND,  CALIFORNIA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHKD  BY   ASSISTANT  SURGEON  ALEXANDER    H.   HOFF,  UNITED  STATES   AK.MV. 

The  post  known  as  Camp  Keynolds  is  situated  in  latitude  37°  48'  north,  and  122°  26'  west 
longitude,  on  Angel  Island,  5  miles  north  of  the  City  of  San  Francisco,  California.  The  island  is 
one  mile  square,  and  consists  of  a  series  of  hills  rising  from  a  height  of  300  feet  near  the  shore  to 
820  feet  at  its  central  part.  The  only  level  ground  is  a  small  portion  of  the  eastern  extremity  near 
Point  Blunt.  At  this  point  there  is  a  quarry  of  soft  sandstone,  used  for  building  purposes. 
The  soil  is  in  parts  fertile;  the  climate  mild  and  pleasant.  Mean  annual  temperature  61°,  with 
extremes  of  40°  and  82°  F.  The  prevailing  winds  are  westerly,  but  the  Seacoast  Eange  of  moun- 
tains, which  run  north  and  about  five  miles  westward,  protect  the  island  in  a  degree  from  their 
violence,  as  well  as  from  the  fogs  which  are  of  such  frequent  occurrence  on  this  coast.  A 
Government  steamer  calls  every  alternate  day  for  communication  with  San  Francisco  and  the 
transportation  of  supplies.  The  drainage  is  naturally  good  from  the  irregularity  of  surface.  The 
water  is  supplied  from  springs  on  the  hillsides,  conducted  by  pipes  to  the  post,  is  of  good  quality, 
but  insufficient  in  quantity.  The  camp  is  situated  on  the  western  extremity  of  the  island,  in  a  tri- 
angular depression  between  three  hills,  which  leaves  it  exposed  to  the  westward  fronting  the 
entrance  of  the  harbor,  the  base  being  a  pretty  sand  beach  of  about  1,000  feet  in  length. 

The  barracks  for  the  men  are  two  sets  of  wooden  quarters,  built  in  1864,  well  ventilated,  and 
well  warmed  by  large  stoves,  but  imperfectly  lighted.  They  are  not  lathed  and  plastered  nor 
ceiled,  a  very  great  mistake  in  this  windy  climate,  and  detrimental  to  the  health  of  the  men.  They 
are  furnished  with  double  bunks,  two  tiers  high,  and  give  about  500  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man 
of  average  occupancy.  The  sinks  connect  with  sewers,  which  open  into  the  bay. 

The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  one  set  for  the  commanding  officer,  and  six  sets  of  two  rooms, 
with  kitchen  to  each,  in  three  houses. 

The  married  soldiers'  quarters  are  two  double  cottages  with  two  rooms  and  attic  in  each  set. 
They  are  comfortable,  but  insufficient  for  the  number  frequently  at  the  post. 


GAMP  REYNOLDS,  ANGEL  ISLAND,  CALIFORNIA. 


441 


The  guard-house  is  of  wood,  18  by  2G  feet.  It  has  four  cells  cut  off  from  the  main  building, 
and  is  well  ventilated. 

The  quartermaster's  store-houses,  25  by  l>0  feet,  built  of  wood,  one  story,  are  located  near  the 
wharf. 

The  stables,  built  of  wood,  are  situated  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  triangle,  opposite  the  hos- 
pital, some  distance  above,  and  in  the  rear  of  the  officers'  quarters. 

The  hospital  is  situated  on  the  western  slope  of  the  triangle,  100  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  in  a  flue,  airy  position.  It  has  been  recently  erected  in  accordance  with  the  plan  in  Cir- 
cular No.  4.  It  has  one  ward  for  twelve  beds,  with  bath-room  and  water-closets  attached.  The 
grounds  r.rouud  it  are  at  present  being  graded,  and,  when  completed,  will  make  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  spots  on  the  island. 

The  old  hospital  is  at  present  used  as  a  chapel,  and  the  surgeon's  quarters  are  assigned  to  the 
chaplain.  It  is  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  post,  and  should  be  moved  over  to  the 
camp  to  be  used  for  school,  library,  chapel,  &c.,  there  being  no  suitable  buildings  at  the  post  for 
such  purposes.  The  grounds  near  it  are  cultivated  as  a  hospital  garden. 

The  post  is  a  depot  for  recruits,  the  average  number  of  which  is  about  250. 

There  are  three  gardens  cultivated,  one  for  the  detachment,  one  for  the  recruits,  and  one  for 
the  hospital.  The  supply  of  vegetables  is  abundant. 

There  is  no  prevailing  disease. 

Angel  Island  is  the  largest  of  the  group  of  islands  in  the  harbor  of  San  Fraucisco.  It  is  the 
first  one  approached  after  entering  the  Golden  Gate,  and  from  its  secluded  position  and  nearness  to 
the  entrance  to  the  harbor,  it  was  a  great  resort  for  smugglers,  and  to  prevent  this  was  granted 
in  1839,  by  Governor  Michael  Torino,  to  Antonio  Osio,  by  order  of  the  supreme  government  of 
Mexico,  and  used  as  a  sheep  and  cattle  ranch.  The  United  States  troops  took  possession  of  it  on 
the  12th  day  of  September,  1863,  and  estabjished  the  present  post.  The  climate  is  much  milder 
than  that  of  San  Francisco,  and  from  its  position  the  post  enjoys  an  immunity  from  the  disagreeable 
summer  winds  which  prevail  in  the  city.  There  are  two  or  three  mounds  ou  the  island,  the  soil 
covering  them  being  mixed  with  shells,  supposed  to  have  been  sites  selected  by  the  Indians  for  their 
camps.  The  one  near  the  new  hospital,  in  making  the  necessary  grades,  is  being  leveled.  Several 
skeletons  have  been  exhumed,  together  with  stone  mortars  and  some  trinkets,  showing  that  they 
were  burial  places  for  the  Indians,  and  that  the  island  was  originally  inhabited  by  them.  Some 
mining  has  been  done  on  the  island;  silver  ore  taken  out  yielding  about  fourteen  dollars  to  the 
ton,  and  gold  is  said  to  have  been  discovered. 

Statement  slwicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Reynolds,  Angel 

Island,  California,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


. 

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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchtis,  pneumouia,  and  pleurisy. 


442  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


POINT  SAN  JOSfi,  SAN  FRANCISCO  HARBOR,  CALIFORNIA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  W.  A.   BRADLEY,  E.  J.  MARSH,  AND  EDWIN 

BENTLEY,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

This  post  is  built  upon  the  point  of  that  name,  or,  as  it  is  more  commonly  called,  "  Black  Point." 
It  is  in  latitude  37°  48''  north,  longitude  122°  23'  20"  west.  It  is  on  the  southern  margin  of  the 
Bay  of  San  Francisco,  and  lies  on  the  outside,  and  distant  to  the  northwest  half  a  mile  from  the 
city  wharves.  To  the  westward,  about  a  mile,  along  the  curvature  of  the  shore,  is  the  Presidio  of 
San  Francisco,  and  beyond  that,  at  the  harbor  mouth,  the  fortification  of  Fort  Point;  over  against 
it,  in  the  center  of  the  harbor  channel,  is  the  island  of  Alcatraz.  The  post  is  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  distant  from  the  terminus  of  the  nearest  street  cars. 

San  Jose"  is  a  rocky  point  which,  with  an  elevation  of  80  feet,  projects  into  the  bay  northward. 
It  is  steep  and  bare  on  its  western  face,  less  so  on  its  eastern  or  sheltered  face ;  and  on  both  sides 
it  falls  away  into  low  sand  mounds.  Back  from  the  bay  it  is  continuous  with  the  sand-hills,  on 
which  the  western  portion  of  the  city  is  built. 

The  climate  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Presidio ;  but  on  account  of  the  sand-hills  which  lie  between 
the  point  and  that  post,  and  the  prevailing  direction  of  the  wind,  it  is  much  more  exposed  to  sand 
storms  during  the  summer  and  autumn.  Its  elevation  is  insufficient  to  prevent  it  from  being 
wrapped  up  in  the  fog-banks  that  creep  in  from  the  ocean. 

There  is  very  little  vegetation  in  the  neighborhood,  as  all  the  ledges  that  otherwise  would  afford 
a  footing  to  vegetable  growth  are  buried  in  the  shifting  sands.  On  the  brow  of  the  less  exposed 
eastern  face  a  small  space  around  the  officers'  quarters,  under  cultivation,  yields  a  large  show  of 
flowers  during  the  greater  portion  of  the  year.  Immediately  on  the  landward  side  of  the  post 
buildings  is  a  deep  excavation  in  the  rock  which  is  sheltered  from  sand-drift,  and  always  contains 
more  or  less  stagnant  water,  but  no  evil  effects  on  the  health  of  the  post  can  be  traced  to  its  pres- 
ence. With  this  exception  the  ground  requires  no  artificial  drainage. 

In  the  small  cove  on  the  sheltered  side  of  the  point  a  wharf  has  been  built,  at  which  a  Govern- 
ment steamer  calls  twice  daily  for  communication  with  the  city ;  but  the  post  supplies  are  generally 
brought  out  by  wagons,  as,  with  the  exception  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  sand-hill,  the  road  to  the 
paved  streets  of  the  city  is  good. 

The  battery  is  placed  on  the  western  face  of  the  point,  and  well  on  the  brow  of  the  hill ;  above 
it  are  built  two  sets  of  company  quarters,  of  which  one  only  at  the  present  time  is  occupied.  They 
are  each  of  wood,  90  by  30£  by  13  feet.  Thirteen  feet  of  this  length  is  partitioned  off  at  one  end, 
and  divided  into  two  rooms — one  an  office,  the  other  a  company  store-room.  The  barrack  is  fur- 
nished with  a  double  row  of  bunks,  two  tiers  high,  and  affords  470  cubic  feet  per  man  of  its  average 
occupancy.  It  is  heated  by  one  stove  in  the  center  of  the  building,  lighted  by  seven  windows, 
and  ventilated  by  the  ridge.  Two  tables  and  four  benches  complete  its  furniture.  The  kitchens 
and  mess-rooms  of  both  barrack  buildiugs  are  in  rear,  60  by  20  feet,  as  is  also  the  bakery,  38  by  16 
feet.  The  married  soldiers'  quarters  are  in  rear,  or  on  the  landward  side  of  the  company  barracks, 
and  consist  of  two  frame  buildings,  32  by  24  feet,  each  divided  into  two  sets  of  quarters,  and  a  third 
building,  25  by  16  feet,  forming  another  set.  Three  families  are  at  present  at  the  post.  Near 
these  are  the  stables  for  the  few  quartermaster's  horses  and  mules  and  officers'  stock  at  the  post. 

Between  these  buildings  on  the  western  brow  and  the  officers'  quarters  on  the  east,  the  crown 
of  the  point  is  occupied  by  a  small  parade  ground  facing  the  bay,  and  backed  by  certain  of  the 
other  buildings  of  the  post.  The  guard-house  is  a  frame  building,  34  feet  9  inches  by  18  by  6  feet, 
divided  into  a  guard-room,  17  by  16  feet,  with  a  stove  and  three  windows,  a  prison-room,  17  by  14 
feet,  with  two  windows  and  4  cells,  each  7  by  4  feet,  with  a  small  window  or  ventilator.  Average 
number  of  guard,  five;  of  prisoners,  six.  The  hospital  is  a  small  frame  building,  36£  by  32£  feet, 
divided  into  a  dispensary  and  two  wards.  The  former  is  well  fitted  up  with  desk,  shelving, 
drawers,  &c.,  and  has  a  closet  by  way  of  store-room.  The  latter  are  furnished  with  five  iron  bed- 
steads for  patients  and  attendant,  and  give  an  area  per  bed  of  75  feet,  and  an  air  space  of  900  cubic 


THE   PRESIDIO   OF   SAX  FRANCISCO,  CALIFORNIA. 


443 


feet;  average  occupation,  four.  There  is  no  kitchen,  mess-room,  or  other  out-housea.  Serious  cases 
of  sickness  are  not  treated  here.  When  such  occur  at  the  post  they  are  sent  for  treatment  to  the 
hospital  at  the  Presidio.  There  is  a  large  building  for  quartermaster  and  subsistence,  and  two 
smaller  for  ordnance  stores. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  five  frame  cottages  of  different  size  and  plan,  but  all  are  comfortable 
and  pleasantly  situated  on  the  sheltered  brow,  with  a  luxuriant  flower  garden  around  them.  They 
were  cottages  of  citizens  before  the  point  was  taken  up  as  a  Government  post. 

The  sinks  of  the  men  are  open  trenches,  which  are  closed  over  with  earth  when  filled.  The 
water-closets  of  officers'  quarters  discharge  into  the  bay,  into  which,  also,  all  post  refuse  is  thrown. 

The  water  supply  is  unlimited,  and  of  good  quality.  It  is  furnished  by  the  water  company 
free  of  charge,  as  the  works  are  situated  on  the  Government  reservation. 

Along  the  back  of  the  officers'  quarters,  separating  them  from  the  parade  ground,  is  a  high 
sheltered  fence  or  lattice  wall  of  laths,  as  a  protection  against  the  violent  winds  and  sand-drift. 
The  western  limit  of  the  post  is  similarly  protected.  The  area  thus  sheltered  includes  the  sites  of 
the  buildings  above  mentioned,  and  measures  about  five  acres. 

There  are  no  special  means  of  recreation  at  the  post,  except  a  company  library  of  125 
volumes,  but  the  city  is  so  near  that  they  are  unnecessary. 

Potatoes  and  other  vegetables  had,  for  a  long  time,  to  be  purchased  in  the  San  Francisco 
markets,  or  canned  fruits  and  such  like  supplies  from  the  commissary ;  but  of  late  five  acres  of 
ground,  which  were  assigned  from  the  reservation  at  Fort  Point  as  a  garden  for  this  company, 
have  been  successfully  cultivated.  Parsnips,  carrots,  turnips,  and  onions  have  been  the  produce 
raised  in  greatest  quantity. 

The  prevailing  diseases  have  been  rheumatism,  bronchitis,  and  venereal  diseases.  Scarlet 
fever  and  small-pox  prevailed  in  town,  but  the  post  remained  unaffected. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Point  San  Jose,  California, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


THE  PRESIDIO  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO,  CALIFORNIA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY   SURGEON   J.    C.  BAILY,   ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CHARLES   SMART,  AND 
ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  L.  H.  PATTY,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

The  Presidio  of  San  Francisco,  California,  is  situated  in  the  northwest  suburbs  of  the  town, 
on  a  gravelly  slope  which  ascends  gradually  from  the  sands  and  salt-water  marshes  on  the  southern 
margin  of  the  harbor  of  San  Francisco.  It  overlooks  the  bay,  and  has  ia  view  the  posts  of  Fort 
Point,  a  mile  to  the  northwest,  near  the  harbor  mouth,  that  of  Alcatraz  Island  to  the  north  and 
eastward,  and  that  of  Point  San  Jose"  to  the  east. 

The  reservation  contains  about  1,540  acres,  and  has  a  frontage  on  the  bay  of  about  a  mile  and 
a  half.  Back  from  the  post  the  ground  rises  more  rapidly  into  grass-covered  hills.  There  are  no 
shade  trees  in  the  vicinity.  The  climate  is  varied  and  variable;  oftentimes  mild  and  pleasant 
during  the  early  part  of  the  day,  and  chilly  and  damp  toward  its  close.  Strong  winds  frequently 


444  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

prevail  toward  the  end  of  summer  and  autumn,  while  in  winter  there  is  much  moisture  in  the 
atmosphere,  either  falling  as  a  heavy  rain  or  enveloping  the  post  in  a  thick  penetrating  mist,  which 
creeps  in  from  the  ocean  and  spreads  itself  over  the  lower-lying  portions  of  the  harbor  boundaries. 
Mean  annual  temperature,  52.50°  F. 

The  site  of  the  post  is  well  drained  naturally,  by  a  fall  of  one  foot  in  twenty,  but  this  is  aided  by 
shallow  ditches  around  the  various  buildings,  so  that  even  immediately  after  heavy  rains,  there  are  no 
standing  pools.  The  parade  ground  is  grassy  during  the  whole  year. 

The  post  is  built  on  three  sides  of  a  parallelogram,  550  by  150  yards,  which  is  open  to  the  bay 
or  northeast  side.  The  general  arrangement  is  shown  in  Plate  No.  11. 

Thirty-six  feet  in  front  of  the  row  of  officers'  buildings,  and  extending  along  their  whole  length, 
is  a  wind-fence  or  lattice  screen  of  lath,  12  feet  high,  with  branches  extending  at  right  angles  from 
it  to  the  buildings.  This  has  recently  been  built  to  shelter  these  quarters  from  the  strong  winds 
that  sometimes  blow  from  the  ocean.  Tree:?,  pine  and  acacias,  have  been  planted  at  18  feet  intervals 
between  the  main  fence  and  the  buildings.  All  the  buildings,  with  the  exceptions  noted  below,  are 
of  wood,  and  well  lighted  and  ventilated  by  the  windows  and  ridge. 

The  men's  quarters  consist  of  one  building,  80  by  18  feet,  one  95  by  18  feet,  and  four,  each  51 
by  18  feet,  each  one  story  and  accommodating  one  company,  with  kitchens  and  mess-rooms  ad- 
joining; kitchens  furnished  with  monitor  ranges;  one  building,  117  by  25  feet,  two  story,  for  two 
companies,  with  kitchen  and  mess-room  in  an  adjoining  building,  117  by  1G  feet;  four  buildings,  120 
by  30  feet,  each  for  two  companies,  with  kitchens  and  mess-rooms  in  basements. 

The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  one  building,  114  by  32  feet,  three  story,  with  a  wing,  40  by  30 
feet,  thirty-nine  rooms,  for  bachelor  officers'  quarters ;  twelve  one  and  a  half  story  cottages,  31 
by  18  feet,  with  water-closets  and  bath-rooms  attached;  comfortable  and  neat,  for  married  officers. 

The  laundresses'  quarters  consist  of  one  building,  90  by  28  feet,  one  story,  twelve  rooms ;  one, 
45  by  37  feet,  two  story,  twelve  rooms ;  eight,  60  by  27  feet,  one  story,  eight  rooms  each ;  one,  1GO  by 
29  feet,  with  eighteen  rooms ;  one  87  by  55  feet,  with  fourteen  rooms ;  one,  45  by  26  feet,  with  three 
rooms;  one,  60  by  23  feet,  with  three  rooms — one  story,  adobe,  occupied  by  seven  families. 

The  post  buildings  consist  of  one  building,  36  by  30  feet,  one  story,  four  rooms,  adjutant's 
office;  one,  40  by  30  feet,  two  stories,  with  porch  in  front;  upper  story  a  guard-room;  lower, 
divided  into  a  main  prison-room,  35  by  20  by  12  feet,  and  cells,  each  10  by  5  by  12  feet;  chapel,  45 
by  30  feet ;  school-house,  30  by  18  feet;  bake-house,  42  by  18  feet— oven  turns  out  a  batch  of  412 
rations ;  hospital,  80  by  40  feet. 

The  workshops  consist  of  a  wheelwright  shop,  80  by  30  feet ;  blacksmith  shop,  50  by  20  feet. 

The  store-houses  consist  of  a  magazine,  28  by  23  feet ;  quartermaster's  and  subsistence  store- 
house, 110  by  30  feet,  one  story,  brick  foundation  ;  store-house  for  hay  and  grain,  66  by  24  feet; 
store-house  for  hard-wood  lumber,  51  by  18  feet;  gnnsheds,  175  by  30  feet,  with  ordnance  stores 
in  loft. 

The  stables  consist  of  two  buildings  for  battery  horses,  215  by  30  feet,  with  eighty-seven  stalls 
each,  well  ventilated ;  forage  loft  overhead  ;  mule  shed,  430  by  16  feet. 

The  hospital  at  the  eastern  angle  of  the  parade  ground,  in  line  with  the  officers'  quarters,  is  a 
two-story  building,  80  by  40  feet,  with  a  wing,  35  by  22  feet,  on  brick  basement,  with  porch  in  front, 
and  small  inclosure  behind.  It  is  arranged  for  fifty  beds,  to  each  of  which  it  gives  an  area  of  76 
feet,  or  1,025  cubic  feet.  Its  average  occupancy  is  seventeen.  It  is  divided  into  four  wards,  40  by 
22  by  14  feet,  a  smaller  ward  for  prisoners,  20  by  10  by  13  feet,  and  an  attendants'  room,  20  by  18 
by  13  feet;  each  is  furnished  with  water-pipes  and  marble  basin,  wardrobe,  bedside  tables,  and 
chairs.  They  are  well-warmed  by  grated  fireplaces  for  coal,  and  lighted  and  ventilated  by  the 
windows.  In  addition  to  these,  there  is  a  dispensary,  furnished  with  hot  and  cold  water  and  the 
necessary  fixtures;  a  library  containing  a  large  and  very  good  selection  of  books;  a  post-mortem 
room  with  table,  and  two  well-fitted  up  bath-rooms.  The  kitchen  is  likewise  furnished  with  hot 
and  cold  water,  has  a  good  range,  and  an  adjoining  pantry  and  store-room.  The  mess-room,  30  by 
20  by  10J  feet,  is  fitted  up  with  the  necessary  tables  and  benches,  and  cupboards  for  crockery.  In 
the  basement,  besides  the  kitchen  and  pantries,  are  two  store-rooms  for  medical  supplies,  and  a 
coal  cellar.  On  the  upper  floor  are  two  water-closets,  which  empty  through  the  main  sink  in  the 
inclosure  into  the  sewer. 


PRESIDIO, 
SAK  FRANCIS  CO, 

CALIFORNIA. 


Officers  Quarters,  n..  MrfsrmTm  HfUehen 
b.  JfospiJtcU,.  0. 

POffux, 

..  _._  •i.Com.  Staff 
ftiUn  .\hop 
t.  Wnaon  Shop  s. 


a  fia&P-  Storehouse  p. 


PL  ATE,  N<?  11. 


YEEBA  BUENA  ISLAND,  CALIFORNIA. 


445 


The  regimental  library  of  the  Second  Artillery  is  kept  at  this  post,  aud  contains  about  1,478 
volumes.  The  hospital  library  contains  500  volumes,  comprising  travels,  biography,  history,  fiction, 
and  books  of  a  religious  character. 

The  water  supply  of  this  post  is  derived  from  the  flume  of  the  Spring  Valley  Water  Company. 
It  is  forced  by  a  windmill  and  mule-power  into  a  reservoir  at  the  southei'u  or  higher  end  of  the  post, 
whence  it  is  supplied  by  pipes  to  the  different  buildings.  The  supply  is  abundant,  aud  the  quality 
excellent.  The  waste-water  pipes  and  latrines  empty  into  a  large  covered  sewer,  which  runs  on 
either  side  of  the  post,  and  discharges  into  tide-water. 

A  cow  is  kept  for  hospital  use.  A  small  garden  yields  all  the  vegetables  necessary  for  the  hos- 
pital, and  is  cultivated  by  one  of  the  attendants. 

About  ten  acres  are  cultivated  as  post  garden,  producing  potatoes,  cabbage,  turnips,  onions,  &c. 

The  post  is  arranged  for  sixteen  companies,  but  during  the  greater  portion  of  the  past  year 
its  garrison  consisted  only  of  the  field,  staff,  band,  and  Battery  M  of  the  Second  Artillery,  giving  a 
mean  strength  of  8  officers  and  170  men.  The  quarters  occupied  by  these  troops  are  fitted  up  with 
iron  bedsteads,  and  1,225  cubic  feet  of  air  space  is  allowed  per  bed.  Transient  troops  have  fre- 
quently gone  into  quarters  in  some  of  the  other  buildings.  Their  diet  has  been  of  good  quality  and 
variety.  A  large  company  garden,  well  cultivated,  renders  the  post  almost  independent  of  other 
sources  of  vegetable  supplies.  The  sick  list  has  been  mostly  composed  of  venereal  diseases  con- 
tracted in  San  Francisco,  and  rheumatic  affections,  to  which  the  winds  aud  dampness  give  origin. 
The  daily  per  cent,  of  sick  to  command  has  been  19.  Percentage  of  mortality  to  cases  treated,  .53. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  the  Presidio  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, California,  for  the  years  18G8  and  18G9. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


YERBA  BUENA  ISLAND,  SAN  FRANCISCO,  CALIFORNIA. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  DAVID  WALKER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

This  island,  in  latitude  37°  48'  north,  and  longitude  122°  26'  west,  is  situated  in  the  Bay  of  San 
Francisco,  California,  some  2£  miles  northeast  of  the  city,  with  an  altitude  from  35  to  75  feet  above 
sea-level.  It  is  of  irregular  shape,  hilly  outline,  and  contains  11G  acres.  The  only  part  of  its 
surface  fitted  for  a  camp  is  the  small  plateau  on  which  the  post  is  located,  which  is  flanked  northeast 
and  southwest  by  hills,  and  open  to  the  southeast  and  northwest.  The  climate  is  mild  but  moist, 
complete  saturation  frequently  occurring  at  night ;  the  temperature  ranges  from  40°  to  90°  F.,  the 
yearly  mean  being  56°  F.  The  prevailing  winds  are  westerly  from  the  ocean ;  the  yearly  rain-fall 
is  about  5J  inches. 

The  surface  drainage  of  the  island  is  satisfactory.  Its  water  supply  is  of  excellent  quality  and 
is  derived  from  a  well  and  a  tank,  filled  by  exudation  from  seams  in  the  rock. 

The  post  was  established  in  1868,  and  is  still  in  an  unfinished  condition.  The  barracks  are 
built  of  rough  boards,  set  upright  and  battened,  and  consist  of  two  buildings,  95  by  30  by  16  feet, 
ventilated  by  the  ridge,  each  lighted  by  ten  windows,  and  warmed  by  coal-stoves.  They  are  fur- 


446 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


nished  with  iron  bedsteads,  and  give  750  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man  of  average  occupancy.  A 
first  sergeant's  room  and  wash-room  are  partitioned  off  from  each,  and  adjacent  are  two  kitchens, 
mess-rooms,  and  a  bakery.  One  mess-room,  34  by  30  feet,  and  one  kitchen,  24  by  18  feet,  furnished 
with  range  and  cooking-stove,  are  made  use  of  by  the  company.  The  other  set  is  used  by  the 
quartermaster's  department  for  storage  purposes.  The  sinks  are  conveniently  placed  on  a  small 
wharf  over  the  water  of  the  bay.  The  married  soldiers'  quarters  consist  of  one  building,  44  by  18 
feet,  with  a  wing  18  by  12  feet,  two  story,  clapboarded  and  ceiled. 

The  officers' quarters  are  three  houses,  hard-finished,  each  having  two  rooms,  18  by  20  feet,  with 
a  wing  in  rear,  21  by  18  feet,  and  attics.  In  the  rear  are  temporary  water-closets.  The  bath-room  is 
contained  in  the  L  of  the  building. 

The  guard-house  is  28  by  28  feet,  with  two  windows  on  each  side,  and  heated  by  a  coal-stove 
Interior  unfinished.  Average  number  of  prisoners,  two. 

The  hospital  is  situated  on  the  edge  of  the  plateau,  and  42  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  It 
is  built  of  wood,  heated  by  stoves,  lighted  by  candles,  and  ventilated  under  the  eaves.  The  ward 
contains  five  beds,  with  an  air  space  of  945  cubic  feet  per  man.  A  bath  and  wash  room  is  in  course 
of  completion ;  it  is  12  by  6  feet,  and  contained  in  the  quadrangle  of  the  L,  and  opposite  the  water- 
closet. 

The  post  garden  comprises  five  acres  of  land,  which  is  cultivated  by  enlisted  men ;  potatoes 
turnips,  cabbage,  lettuce,  tomatoes,  peas,  &c.,  are  raised.  A  steamer,  in  charge  of  the  quarter- 
master's department,  communicates  with  San  Francisco  every  second  day,  running  two  trips. 

The  command  has  consisted  of  Company  D,  battalion  engineers,  with  an  average  strength  of 
116  men.  They  have  been  occupied  in  building  quarters,  engineer  duties,  drills,  and  police.  Base- 
ball and  other  open-air  exercises,  with  occasional  visits  to  the  city,  have  constituted  their  amuse- 
ments. The  diet  has  been  of  regulation  quantity  and  variety,  and  the  articles  of  good  quality. 
Extras  are  purchased  in  the  San  Francisco  markets  and  from  the  commissary  by  the  funds  of  the 
company,  and  vegetables  are  furnished  in  their  season  by  the  garden.  Eight  per  cent,  of  the  com- 
mand have  been  daily  sick,  with  no  deaths.  The  sick-list  has  been  composed  of  venereal  cases, 
rheumatic  affections,  and  cases  of  poisoning  from  a  species  of  rhus. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Yerba  Buena  Island,  Cali- 
fornia, for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  BIDWELL,  CALIFORNIA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  D.  G.  CALDWELL  AND  CHARLES  SMART,  UNITED 

STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Bidwell  is  situated  in  Surprise  Valley,  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Warner  Mountains,  eight 
miles  from  the  southern  boundary  of  Oregon,  and  the  same  distance  from  Nevada;  latitude  42°  10' 
north,  longitude  120°  15'  west  from  Greenwich  ;  elevation  above  the  sea-level,  4,680  feet.  The  post 
was  established  in  August,  1865.  The  reservation  is  three  miles  long,  by  one  and  three-eighths 
mile  in  width,  and  ascends  gradually  from  Willow  Creek  on  the  east  for  about  one-half  mile,  after 
which  the  ascent  is  abrupt  to  the  summit  of  the  mountain.  The  Warner  Mountains,  like  the  great 


CAMP  BIDWELL,  CALIFOBNIA. 


447 


Sierra  Nevadas,  of  which  they  are  really  a  portion,  have  a  slate  base,  and  superimposed  are  strata 
of  quartz.  Sandstone  also  abounds  near  the  surface,  and  forms  the  greater  portion  of  the  lower 
range  of  hills.  Gold,  silver,  and  copper  are  found  in  various  portions  of  these  mountains.  The 
ravines  traversing  their  surface  contain  vast  forests  of  pine  and  cedar. 

Surprise  Valley,  sixty  miles  long,  and  six  miles  wide,  although  destitute  of  timber,  is  very 
fertile  and  well  adapted  for  grazing  and  agriculture.  It  contains  three  lakes  of  about  equal  size, 
their  combined  area  being  about  one  hundred  square  miles.  The  lakes  have  no  outlet,  and  are 
strongly  saline. 

The  mean  temperature  during  18C9  was  49.64°  F. ;  extremes  18°  and  97°  F. ;  the  yearly  rain- 
fall 9.9  inches;  snow-fall  12.16  inches. 

The  post  is  situated  near  the  northeast  corner  of  the  reservation.  All  the  buildings  are  con- 
structed of  pine  logs,  one  story  high,  with  shingle  roofs.  They  are  warmed  by  open  fireplaces, 
well  lighted,  and  with  apertures  for  ventilation  at  the  eaves. 

The  men's  barracks,  two  in  number,  measure  110  by  26  feet  each,  and  are  divided  into  three  squad 
rooms,  and  a  hall  in  the  center,  by  log  partitions.  The  buildings  are  not  lined,  and  the  space  formed 
by  the  angle  of  the  roof  is  so  extensive  that  the  rooms  cannot  be  properly  heated  in  cold  weather. 
The  mess-rooms  and  kitchens  are  two  log  buildings,  containing  two  rooms  each,  furnished  with 
cooking-stoves  and  dining  tables. 

The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  four  buildings,  each  31  by  42  feet,  lined  and  floored  with  rough 
boards.  Two  of  the  buildings  have  bath-rooms. 

The  guard-house,  a  similar  building  to  those  described,  is  24  by  35  feet,  containing  a  cell  and 
guard-room.  The  cell  is  lighted  and  ventilated  by  two  small  openings  in  the  wall ;  there  is  no 
means  of  heating  the  cell ;  the  guard-room  is  warmed  by  an  open  fireplace. 

The  hospital,  59  by  23  feet,  contains  three  rooms,  designated  as  dispensary,  ward,  and 
kitchen.  The  rooms  are  not  lined  and  are  uncomfortably  cold  during  the  winter.  The  ward  is  22 
by  29  feet;  contains  twelve  beds,  with  1,200  cubic  feet  air  space  to  each.  There  is  no  bath-room. 

The  corral  is  138  by  229  feet,  a  portion  being  roofed  for  stable  purposes.  The  sinks  for  the 
enlisted  men  consist  of  wooden  buildings  placed  over  a  small  stream  in  rear  of  the  barracks.  Those 
used  by  officers  are  small  buildings  placed  over  pits  dug  in  rear  of  the  quarters. 

There  are  two  company  gardens,  each  containing  four  acres.  The  estimate  of  their  product  for 
1869  is :  Potatoes,  25,000  pounds ;  cabbage,  800  pounds  ;  onions,  600  pounds ;  peas,  300  pounds ; 
beets,  400  pounds ;  tomatoes,  400  pounds. 

There  are  four  hundred  settlers  in  the  valley,  engaged  in  agriculture  and  stock-raising. 

Communication  is  by  weekly  stage  to  Keuo,  on  the  Central  Pacific  railroad,  liable  to  interrup- 
tion by  snow  during  the  winter.  Time  from  the  post  to  San  Francisco,  seven  days. 

The  average  sick-report  for  1869  was  5  per  cent,  and  no  deaths ;  the  prevailing  disease  being 
intermittent  fever,  though  few  of  the  cases  originated  at  the  post. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at   Camp  Bidicell,  Cali- 
fornia, for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


448  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


CAMP  GASTON,  CALIFORNIA. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  THOMAS  F.  AZPELL,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Gaston  is  situated  in  Hoopa  Valley,  Klamath  County,  California,  in  latitude  41°  3'  56" 
north,  longitude  123°  15'  west;  altitude  397  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

The  camp  is  located  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Trinity  River,  14  miles  above  its  junction  with 
the  Klamath,  and  between  the  Trinity  and  Redwood  chains  of  mountains,  which  belong  to  the 
Coast  Range  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  Distant  from  the  village  of  Arcata  40  miles ;  from  the  town 
of  Eureka,  53  miles;  from  the  town  of  Orleans,  33  miles  south  by  trail  across  the  Trinity  Range; 
from  Camp  Wright  105  miles  north  by  trail  and  wagon  road. 

Fort  Gaston,  as  it  was  formerly  called,  was  established  in  December,  1858,  by  Captain  E. 
Underwood,  Fourth  United  States  Infantry,  in  consequence  of  Indian  depredations  in  the  vicinity, 
and  was  named  in  memory  of  Second  Lieutenant  William  Gaston,  First  United  States  Dragoons, 
who  was  killed  in  an  engagement  with  Indians  in  Washington  Territory,  on  the  17th  of  May,  1858. 
The  military  reservation  is  an  irregular  square,  containing  451.5  acres.  Hoopa  Indian  Reserva- 
tion, near  the  center  of  which  the  camp  is  located,  is  about  ten  miles  square.  Hoopa  Valley  is 
about  seven  miles  in  length  by  an  average  of  two  in  breadth,  with  the  Trinity  River  winding  from 
south  to  north  midway  between  the  two  mountain  ranges. 

The  geological  formation  of  Hoopa  Valley  is  for  the  most  part  alluvial,  with  large  deposits  of 
auriferous  and  micaceous  sand  along  the  bed  and  banks  of  the  river,  thickly  covered  in  many 
places  with  medium-sized  boulders  of  azoic  rock,  worn  smooth  by  the  action  of  the  water.  About 
two-thirds  of  the  ground  occupied  by  the  military  reservation  is  a  thick  bed  of  broken  shale.  This 
forms  excellent  paths  and  roads  when  beaten  hard  by  usage.  The  bed-rock  of  the  valley,  to  judge 
by  its  outcroppings,  is  principally  an  upheaval  of  slate,  with  the  lamina?  now  lying  at  various 
angles  with  the  plane  of  the  river,  generally  about  45  degrees.  Placer  mining  is  carried  on  to  some 
extent  both  above  and  below  Hoopa  reservation. 

The  soil  of  the  military  reservation  is  principally  barren  and  unproductive,  and  covered  with 
patches  of  poison  oak,  lupine,  and  stunted  grass.  About  20  acres,  however,  along  the  river  bank 
can  be  advantageously  cultivated,  the  most  fertile  portion  of  which  is  now  used  as  the  post  garden. 
Indigenous  forest  trees  and  ornamental  plants  are  in  great  variety. 

Wild  animals  and  game  of  every  description  are  rapidly  disappearing  from  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  post.  A  few  deer  and  an  occasional  black  bear  are  still  to  be  found  within  the 
limits  of  the  Indian  reservation,  and  are  yet  numerous  in  the  mountains  beyond.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  the  wild  cat,  and  the  large  panther  called  "  the  California  lion."  Cinnamon  and  grizzly 
bears  are  still  to  be  found,  it  is  said,  in  the  mountain  ranges  in  sight  of  the  camp,  but  they  are  rarely 
hunted,  as  the  Indians  are  afraid  to  attack  them.  A  peculiar  ruffled  grouse  is  plentiful,  and  much 
hunted ;  quail  also  abound  in  season ;  wild  ducks  appear  in  numbers  on  the  Klamath.  A  few 
snipe  and  pheasants  are  occasionally  found,  and  the  migratory  pigeon  arrives  in  the  fall  in  large 
numbers. 

The  fish  of  the  Trinity  and  Klamath  Rivers  are  of  few  varieties,  but  in  considerable  numbers. 
They  seem  only  to  comprise  salmon,  sturgeon,  and  eels;  a  few  brook-trout  are  caught  in  the  neigh- 
boring streams. 

The  water  supply  of  the  camp  is  obtained  from  the  lower  creek,  and  at  a  distance  of  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  from  the  flagstaff.  The  water  is  of  good  quality ;  it  is  conducted  in  ditches  along 
the  side  of  the  western  hills,  and  thence  distributed  throughout  the  camp.  The  quantity  is  ample, 
and  the  numerous  small  divergent  streams  are  rapid  and  well  filled  through  the  whole  of  the  dry 
season.  For  purity  and  convenience  of  distribution  the  water  supply  of  the  garrison  is  hardly  to 
be  surpassed. 

The  climate  is  for  the  most  part  pleasant,  though  subject  to  rapid  changes  of  temperature,  and 
excessive  heat  in  the  summer,  as,  for  instance,  on  the  3d  of  August,  1870,  at  7  a.  m.,  the  ther- 
mometer stood  at  78°  F. ;  at  3  p.  m.  it  had  risen  to  116°  F.,  and  during  the  night  fell  to  75°  F. 


CAMP  GASTON,  CALIFORNIA.  449 

The  low  temperature,  though  seldom  below  22°  F.,  is  severely  felt,  on  account  of  the  keen  and 
damp  winds  prevailing  in  the  winter.  The  following  is  a  summary  of  meteorological  observations 
for  the  year  ending  August  31, 1870 :  The  yearly  mean  temperature,  dry  bulb,  57.09° ;  the  lowest — 
L'2°  F. ;  highest,  116°  F.  During  the  first  six  days  of  August  the  heat  was  almost  unbearable 
during  the  day,  but  the  temperature  invariably  became  reduced  during  the  night  to  between  70° 
mid  80°  F.,  and  permitted  a  refreshing  sleep.  The  amount  of  rain-fall  during  the  year  was  44.79 
inches. 

The  camp  is  not  fortified,  and  consists  mainly  of  a  parade  ground  about  600  feet  square, 
bounded  on  the  four  sides  by  barracks,  officers'  quarters,  &c.,  the  buildings  being  of  logs,  sawn 
timber,  and  adobes.  The  present  capacity  of  the  camp  is  for  two  companies  of  infantry. 

The  barracks  consist  of  two  sets  of  buildings,  built  principally  of  logs.  One  consists  of  a 
single  dormitory,  30  by  70  by  12  feet,  containing  thirty-eight  double  bunks,  in  two  tiers.  The  other 
contains  three  dormitories,  the  largest  26  by  48  feet,  containing  twenty  double  bunks ;  the  second, 
26  by  27  feet,  containing  twelve  double  bunks ;  and  the  third,  26  by  31  feet,  with  accommodation 
for  thirty-two  men ;  containing  in  all  forty-eight  double  bunks  in  two  tiers,  with  accommodation 
for  ninety-six  men.  These  barracks  are  badly  arranged  and  ventilated,  and,  if  anything  like  the 
number  of  men  mentioned  was  placed  in  them,  they  would  undoubtedly  suffer  for  want  of  air 
space,  there  being  no  ridge  ventilation,  and  but  imperfect  side  ventilation.  No  bath  or  wash 
rooms  are  attached  to  these  barracks. 

The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  seven  buildings.  Four  single  sets,  and  one  in  process  of  erec- 
tion occupy  the  officers'  row ;  and  one  single  set,  and  one  double,  are  detached ;  they  are  chiefly 
built  of  logs  and  sawn  lumber.  These  quarters  are  of  one  story,  with  the  exception  of  one,  which 
is  two  stories  high  and  occupied  as  a  double  set.  The  dining-rooms  are  of  logs,  whitewashed. 
The  quarters  are  heated  by  open  fireplaces  and  wood-stoves.  An  open  water  course  runs  at  the 
rear  of  each  building.  There  are  no  bath-rooms  or  water-closets. 

The  guard-house  is  50  by  22  feet,  with  a  guard-room,  17  by  20  feet,  and  the  balance  in  cells, 
5  by  8  feet.  It  has  a  capacity  for  eighteen  prisoners  and  thirty  guards.  It  is  built  very  strongly 
of  logs,  and  is  well  adapted  to  the  purpose. 

The  hospital  consists  of  a  ward,  24  by  27  feet,  built  of  logs,  and  an  addition,  31  by  35  feet,  built 
of  rough  boards,  battened,  which  is  used  as  a  dispensary,  &c.  A  steam  bath-room  for  rheumatic 
cases,  and  a  store-room  adjoin  the  ward,  and  in  the  rear  a  detached  building,  12  by  24  feet,  is  used 
as  kitchen  and  main  store-room.  The  plan  of  the  hospital  is  a  very  poor  one,  there  being  neither 
ridge  nor  side  ventilation,  and  although  there  are  seventeen  beds  reported  in  the  post  hospital, 
still  if  this  number  of  patients  was  admitted  they  would  have  to  be  put  in  tents,  as  the  wards  and 
sick-call-rooin  combined  would  be  over  crowded  with  that  number.  The  light  in  the  rooms  is  also 
insufficient,  and  the  building  in  bad  repair. 

The  stables  and  granaries  consist  of  four  rough  buildings  of  various  sizes,  and  have  stalls  for 
seventeen  animals,  and  shed  room  in  the  corral  for  thirty  animals ;  also  room  under  cover  for 
160,000  pounds  of  hay,  100,000  pounds  of  oats,  and  20,000  pounds  of  straw. 

The  library  occupies  the  north  end  of  a  building  formerly  fitted  as  a  theater,  the  stage  being 
partitioned  off  for  that  purpose.  The  auditorium  is  used  as  a  quartermaster's  store-room.  There 
are  201  volumes  at  present,  principally  of  light  literature. 

There  are  no  arrangements  for  bathing  at  the  post,  an  idea  being  prevalent  that  the  water  of 
the  Trinity  River  is  productive  of  rheumatism,  and  several  cases  seem  to  be  traceable  to  this  cause, 
though  it  is  probably  owing  to  the  individual  taking  subsequent  cold  through  imprudence  or  the 
chilliness  of  the  nights. 

The  post  garden,  containing  about  8  acres,  is  the  only  one  under  cultivation. 

The  only  means  of  communication  between  the  camp  and  the  neighboring  towns  is  by  mule 
trail  over  the  mountains.  This  at  present  is  pretty  regular,  except  during  the  winter  season,  when 
the  snows  are  sometimes  so  heavy  and  the  streams  so  swollen  as  to  interrupt  transit  for  two  or 
three  weeks,  or  even  longer  if  the  season  is  unusually  severe. 

The  mails  for  nine  mouths  of  the  year  are  regularly  received  and  transmitted  twice  a  week. 
The  length  of  time  required  for  a  letter  to  reach  San  Francisco  is  from  five  to  ten  days. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  are  chiefly  Indians ;  a  very  few  whites,  as  miners  and  traders, 
being  located  on  the  Trinity  and  lower  Klamath  Rivers. 
57 


450 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  Indians  collected  on  the  reservation  adjoining  the  post  are  principally  of  the  Hoopa  tribe, 
or  "Noh-tin-oahs,"  as  they  call  themselves,  and  are  separated  into  small  villages  called  "ranches" 
iu  the  common  designation  of  the  country.  These  Hoopa  villages,  although  speaking  the  same 
language,  are  constantly  hostile  to  each  other,  and  also  to  certain  ranches  of  their  neighbors 
beyond,  uniting  with  or  against  each  other  in  their  constant  feuds,  both  for  offense  and  defense, 
which  disunited  condition  is,  perhaps,  the  principal  safeguard  of  the  white  population.  Two  other 
tribes  or  nations  inhabit  the  vicinity  of  Hoopa  Valley,  speaking  totally  different  languages  from 
each  other  and  from  the  Hoopas.  These  are  the  Klamath  Indians  or  "  Sa-ag-its,"  and  the  Orleans 
bar  or  ''Pe-noin  o-ni "  Indians. 

The  prevalent  diseases  of  Camp  Gaston  are  venereal,  rheumatic,  pulmonary,  dysenteric,  and 
malarial. 

Statement  shoving  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Gaston,  California, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


t 

1     , 

3  "8 

S: 

6 

1     . 

b 

I 

8 

i 

«  . 

1 

Years. 

1 

B   'S 

a 
S3 
2  3 

1 

3 

"3 

iarrhoea 
ilysente 

msilliiis. 

1 
1 
§ 

icumatis 

•3    a 

-=     0 

r 

C8 

1 

•8 

S 

f 

S 

Q 

H 

£ 

M 

O 

* 

1868  

173  83 

329 

30 

27 

1 

42 

42 

67 

1869 

149  41 

259 

13 

32 

2 

40 

50 

34 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  INDEPENDENCE.  CALIFORNIA. 

INFORMATION   FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT   SURGEONS   T.  McMILLEN  AND   CHARLES  SMART,  UNITED 

STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Independence  is  situated  in  Owen's  River  Valley,  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  three  miles  west  of  Owen's  Lake,  and  at  an  elevation  above  the  sea  of  4,958  feet. 

Owen's  Valley  at  this  point  is  about  12  miles  wide,  having  the  Sierra  Nevada  on  the  west,  and 
the  Inyo  or  Monache  range  on  the  east.  The  highest  peaks  of  the  Sierra  in  this  region  reach  an 
altitude  of  15,000  feet,  and  are  snow-covered  during  the  entire  year.  The  Inyo  range  is  about 
8,000  feet  high.  The  bottom  lands  on  either  side  of  the  river  are  very  fertile,  but  the  higher 
grounds  of  the  valley  are  dry,  and  bear  only  patches  of  bunch  grass,  artemisia,  and  valueless 
shrubs.  Pine  timber  is  abundant  in  the  Sierras. 

The  climate  is  dry;  little  rain  or  snow  falling,  except  on  the  mountains,  so  that  for  cultivation 
irrigation  is  necessary.  During  the  year  1869  the  rain-fall  at  the  post  was  1.13  inches.  Snow-fall, 
(melted,)  .16  inches.  Extremes  of  temperature,  July  5, 101°;  December  22, 10°.  Prevailing  winds 
north  and  southeast. 

The  town  of  Independence,  the  county  seat  of  Inyo  County,  is  two  miles  south  of  the  post.  The 
nearest  railway  station  is  Reno,  on  the  Central  Pacific  railroad,  271  miles  distant,  to  which  point 
there  is  a  weekly  stage.  The  post  was  first  occupied  in  March,  1862,  to  protect  some  quartz  mills 
and  miners  from  Indian  depredations,  was  abandoned  in  1864,  and  reoccupied  in  March,  1865,  on 
account  of  renewed  hostilities  on  the  part  of  the  savages. 

The  post  is  located  on  Oak  Creek,  a  large  and  constant  tributary  from  the  Sierra  to  Owen's 
River.  The  reservation  is  three-fourths  of  a  mile  long  by  one-fourth  of  a  mile  wide,  with  a  fall  of 
one  foot  in  thirty  from  west  to  east.  The  soil  is  light  and  sandy.  In  addition  there  is  a  wood 
reservation  of  two  miles  square  in  the  Sierra,  four  miles  west  of  the  post,  and  a  grazing  reserve 
three  miles  square  one  mile  east  of  the  post.  A  short  distance  above  the  post  a  dam  has  been 


CAMP  WEIGHT,  CALIFOKNIA. 


451 


constructed  on  the  creek,  and  the  water  led  in  three  streams  through  the  camp.  One  supplies  the 
quarters  of  the  men  and  officers;  a  second,  the  hospital,  and  the  third  the  quarters  of  the  married 
soldiers.  After  passing  through  the  post  these  streams  irrigate  the  post  garden.  The  drainage  is 
excellent. 

The  great  desideratum  at  the  post  is  shade  during  the  summer  months,  as  there  are  few  shade 
trees,  and  no  verandas  around  the  buildings.  A  large  number  of  trees  have  been  set  out,  but  as 
yet  have  not  attained  sufficient  size  to  be  of  use. 

The  buildings  are  all  constructed  of  adobe,  plastered  and  whitewashed  outside  and  in,  shingled, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  the  store-house,  floored.  They  are  sufficiently  large,  comfortable,  and 
well  arranged. 

The  company  barrack,  96  by  28  feet,  has  no  special  means  of  ventilation.  The  average  air  space 
per  man  is  400  cubic  feet. 

There  are  four  sets  of  officers'  quarters.  The  hospital  measures  41  by  34  feet,  and  is  fitted  up 
for  six  beds. 

The  post  is  a  very  healthy  one;  the  duties  of  the  troops  being  light,  the  air  pure,  and  the  food 
excellent.  The  post  garden  has  furnished  more  vegetables  than  could  be  consumed. 

No  diseases  can  be  said  to  prevail.  Lead  colic  occurs  among  the  neighboring  miners  from 
smelting  ores  of  argentiferous  galena. 

The  population  in  the  vicinity  is  about  2,500,  four-fifths  being  Americans,  the  rest  Mexicans. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Independence,  Cali- 
fornia, for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


i* 

,4 

• 

, 

i 

8 

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Years. 

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1868  

74.66 

85 

7 

12 

8 

1 

6 

7 

1 

1 

1869 

61.83 

96 

12 

18 

4 

13 

1 

9 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  WRIGHT,  CALIFORNIA. 

INFORMATION   FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT    SURGEON  E.  J.  MARSH,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,   AND  ACT- 
ING ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  McNAER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Wright  is  situated  in  Mendocino  County,  California,  at  an  elevation  above  the  sea  of  about 
1,800  feet.  Round  Valley,  in  which  the  post  is  placed,  is  in  the  Coast  Kauge  of  mountains,  by  the  high 
ridges  of  which  it  is  surrounded,  and  is  about  eight  miles  in  diameter.  No  roads  enter  it,  but  there 
are  several  trails.  The  nearest  town  o!'  any  note  is  Ukiah,  distant  65  miles.  Capto,  in  Long  Valley, 
25  miles  south,  is  the  nearest  post  office,  from  which  a  tri-weekly  mail  is  brought  to  the  post. 
Owing  to  the  steepness  of  the  trails  all  supplies  are  packed  into  the  valley  on  mules. 

An  Indian  reservation,  upon  which  about  2,000  Indians  of  various  tribes  have  been  gathered, 
is  established  two  and  a  half  miles  from  the  post,  and  about  thirty  American  families  are  settled  in 
the  vicinity.  The  soil  is  fertile,  producing  large  crops  of  cereals  and  all  kinds  of  vegetables. 
Bound  Valley  was  first  occupied  by  troops  in  the  latter  part  of  1858,  was  abandoned  in  1861,  and 
reoccupied  in  December,  1862,  when  the  present  post  was  established,  and  named  in  honor  of  the 
department  commander.  The  military  reservation  is  one  mile  square. 

The  post  is  situated  about  one-half  mile  from  the  dividing  ridge,  on  the  western  side  of  the 
valley,  on  a  slightly  undulating  gravelly  bottom,  which  in  summer  becomes  parched. 

The  supply  of  water  is  deficient  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  during  the  dry  season.  Two  wells 
supply  the  garrison  during  winter  and  spring,  but  from  July  to  October  these  become  nearly  dry, 
and  water  is  hauled  from  a  creek  about  two  miles  distant.  Eel  River  nearly  surrounds  the  valley, 
is  fordable  in  summer,  but  in  winter  swells  to  a  rapid  and  dangerous  stream. 


452 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


The  mean  temperature  during  the  year  18G9  was  66.86°,  the  extremes  being  20°  in  December, 
and  101°  in  August.  The  climate  is  very  dry,  except  during  the  rainy  season,  and  there  is  scarcely 
any  dew.  The  rainy  season  varies  greatly,  from  November  to  July,  or  from  January  to  May.  Little 
or  no  snow  falls  here.  Bain-fall  for  18G9  was  36.84  inches.  The  drainage  is  good,  and  all  the 
quarters  are  shaded  by  fine  oak  trees. 

The  company  barrack  is  an  adobe  building,  200  by  30  feet,  and  12  feet  high  to  the  eaves,  giving 
853  cubic  feet  per  man.  It  has  no  special  means  of  ventilation.  The  men's  bunks  are  double,  and 
in  two  tiers. 

The  officers'  quarters  consist  of  three  buildings,  one  brick  and  two  frame;  each  containing 
three  or  four  rooms  and  a  kitchen. 

The  hospital  is  a  coarsely  built,  one-story  frame  building,  44  by  18  feet,  neither  lathed  nor 
plastered.  The  ward,  24  by  18  feet,  contains  seven  beds,  giving  600  cubic  feet  per  bed,  but  the 
average  number  of  occupants  is  only  two.  All  sinks  at  this  post  are  open  trenches,  filled  in  with 
earth  as  required. 

The  principal  diseases  at  the  post  are  intermittents  and  rheumatism.  Venereal  diseases,  con- 
tracted from  the  Indians,  are  frequent.  The  supply  of  food  is  good,  and  vegetables  are  abundant. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Wright,  California, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

i 
1 

1 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Diphtheria. 

Venereal  diseases. 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions.* 

No.  of  deaths. 

1868     .              

103.  58 

263 

16 

29 

1 

40 

•    44 

1 

38 

1 

1869 

81  41 

146 

9 

26 

4 

1 

17 

10 

4 

27 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  HALLECK,   NEVADA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  B.  F.  POPE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Halleck  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Humboldt  Mountains,  15  miles 
east  of  the  North  Fork  of  the  Humboldt  ;  latitude  40°  35'  north,  longitude  115°  50'  west ;  altitude, 
about  6,000  feet, 

Halleck  station,  on  the  Central  Pacific  railroad,  is  12  miles  distant.  The  post  was  established 
in  July,  1867.  The  reservation  contains  about  nine  square  miles,  including  some  good  grass  land, 
and  abundance  of  timber.  The  soil  is  fertile,  and  yields  well  if  properly  irrigated.  The  air  is  dry 
and  bracing,  and  the  temperature  varies  from  — 22°  to  94°  F.  The  winter  snows  are  very  heavy. 

The  barracks  consist  of  two  buildings,  each  GO  by  25  feet;  one  built  of  logs,  stockade  fashion, 
Ihe  other  of  adobe.  They  are  well  ventilated,  badly  lighted,  and  fitted  up  with  double  bunks  in 
two.  tiers.  Air  space  per  man  374  cubic  feet.  There  are  no  wash  or  bath-rooms.  Married  soldiers 
are  quartered  in  a  frame  building,  84  by  24  feet,  and  9  feet  high,  divided  into  seven  sets  of  two 
rooms  each. 

There  are  four  houses  for  officers'  quarters,  each  of  one  story,  30  feet  square,  and  built  of 
adobe.  The  walls  are  plastered  with  mud,  the  ceilings  are  of  wood,  and  a  piazza  extends  along  the 
front  of  each  house. 

The  commissary  store-house  is  a  log  stockade,  80  by  20  feet. 

The  guard-house  is  a  log  stockade,  chinked  with  mud,  30  by  40  feet.  The  guard-room  is  15  by 
20  feet,  and  the  prison-room  13  by  15  feet.  There  are  three  cells,  badly  ventilated. 

The  hospital  is  an  adobe  building,  40  by  30  feet.  The  ward  is  18  by  22  feet,  and  contains  six 
beds,  giving  600  cubic  feet  of  air  space  to  each.  There  is  no  wash  or  bath-room.  The  hospital  is 


CAMP  McDERMITT,  NEVADA. 


453 


warmed  by  fireplaces,  and  is  well  ventilated.  Authority  has  been  given  for  the  erection  of  a  new 
hospital. 

The  water  supply  of  the  post  is  from  a  stream  which  rises  in  the  mountains  on  the  south.  It 
is  distributed  by  detailed  men  or  by  prisoners.  The  drainage  of  the  post  is  good. 

Company  gardens  are  cultivated,  and  yield  well. 

The  prevailing  diseases  at  the  post  are  those  of  the  mucous  membranes. 

Statement  shoicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  HaUeck,  Nevada,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

A 

1 

a 

1 
§ 
£ 

Whole  number 
taken  sick. 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  diseases. 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions.* 

No.  of  deaths. 

1868     .  .          . 

74 

64 

4 

15 

11 

3 

1 

6 

1869  

138.  08 

97 

5 

11 

5 

11 

9 

1 

18 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  McDERMITT,  NEVADA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED   BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT   SURGEONS  GEORGE  GWYTHEK   AND   WILLIAM  H. 

CORBUSIER,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  McDermitt  is  situated  in  Humboldt  County,  Nevada,  latitude  42°  58'  north,  longitude 
117°  40'  west;  altitude  4,700  feet.  Camp  Winfleld  Scott  is  3fi  miles  south;  Camp  Three  Forks 
75  miles  northeast,  and  Wiuuemucca,  the  nearest  town,  is  80  miles  south  by  west,  on  the  Union 
Pacific  railroad. 

The  post  was  established  in  1865,  and  named  after  Lieutenant  Colonel  C.  McDermitt,  Second 
California  Cavalry.  In  1866-'67  the  post  was  built.  It  is  near  the  mouth  of  a  canon,  formed  by  a 
break  in  the  Santa  Eosa  Mountains,  through  which  runs  a  very  clear  and  pure  stream  known  as 
the  east  branch  of  Quinn's  Itiver.  Wood  is  very  scarce.  A  few  antelope,  deer,  and  mountain 
sheep  are  found  in  the  vicinity.  Prairie  and  sage  chickens  and  ducks  are  plentiful.  The  streams 
abound  in  mountain  and  salmon-trout.  The  post  is  built  around  a  parade  660  by  225  feet.  The 
men's  quarters  are  two  stone  buildings,  each  104  by  24  feet.  The  dormitory  gives  at  present  700 
cubic  feet  air  space  per  man.  The  bunks  are  double  in  two  tiers.  There  are  no  wash  or  bath  rooms. 
There  are  three  sets  of  officers'  quarters,  two  only  of  which  are  used  as  such.  One  is  built  of  adobe, 
the  other  of  stone. 

The  guard-house  is  a  stone  building,  23  by  23  feet,  with  no  flooring  or  ceiling. 

The  hospital  is  a  stone  building,  40  by  28  feet,  divided  in  half,  one  part  of  which  is  a  ward,  24  by 
17  by  8  feet ;  the  other  half  is  subdivided,  and  used  as  dispensary  and  kitchen.  The  ward  is  well 
heated,  lighted,  and  ventilated,  and  contains  four  beds,  giving  to  each  918  cubic  feet  of  air  space 
There  is  no  wash-room  or  dead-house.  The  surgery  and  kitchen  require  ceiling.  There  is  no 
kitchen  proper.  This  is  much  needed,  and  the  small  compartment  in  rear  of  the  dispensary,  now 
used  as  a  kitchen,  is  requisite  for  store-room  and  sleeping-room  for  the  steward.  There  are  two 
stables  ;  one  of  stone,  184  by  28  feet ;  the  other  frame,  147  by  32  feet.  The  store-house  is  a  stone 
building,  75  by  34  feet,  partitioned  off  into  three  rooms. 

All  the  water  used  at  the  post  is  obtained  from  the  river.  It  is  very  good  until  the  snow  on  the 
mountains  is  melted.  When  the  river  becomes  low  and  filled  with  vegetable  matter,  casks  are 
sunk  near  the  river  so  that  the  water  may  filter  through  the  gravel  into  them.  There  are  neither 
sewers  nor  drains ;  slops,  offal,  &c.,  are  carted  half  a  mile  below  the  post,  and  there  thrown  out. 

A  post  garden  has  been  created  within  one  mile  of  the  post,  in  which  a  good  variety  of  vege- 
tables were  raised,  but  nearly  all  of  its  products  were  consumed  by  the  grasshoppers  last  summer; 
vegetables  for  the  hospital  and  troops  were  bought  from  citizens  at  a  distance. 


454 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


The  only  communication  with  "Winnemucca,  the  nearest  railroad  station,  is  by  stage  running 
from  Camp  Scott  to  the  railroad.  There  are  bi  weekly  mails  from  Camp  Scott,  carried  across  the 
trail  by  men  detailed  for  that  purpose ;  it  takes  a  letter  from  ten  to  twelve  days  to  reach  here 
from  Washington,  and  from  five  to  six  days  from  San  Francisco,  California.  The  country  is 
sparsely  settled,  there  being  but  four  settlers  within  eight  miles  of  the  post.  Attached  to  the  post, 
under  protection  of  the  military,  and  living  on  the,  opposite  bank  of  the  creek  close  by,  are  a 
number  of  Pah-Ute  Indians,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons.  They  are  fed  and  protected  by 
the  post,  and  some  of  them  are  found  useful  as  herders  of  stock,  being  competent  and  trustworthy. 

The  register  of  sick  since  the  establishment  of  the  post  in  1865  shows  conclusively  the  healthi- 
ness of  the  locality.  No  epidemic  and  but  little  endemic  disease  has  presented  itself.  No  sick- 
ness has  been  observed  among  the  Indians. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  McDermitt,  Nevada, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


1 

£ 

E 

1 

.1 

1 

Yean. 

1 

|1 

B 

4» 
> 

J 

—       ~~ 

'•+3 

'•3 

2 

00 

'i 

•S  , 

d 

1—1     Q 

2   ® 

(C 

1 

• 
^3 

"E 

ffl       °° 

^ 

£ 

I 

p  '•** 

a 

"o    =* 

• 

--       **j 

"3 

B 

a 

s 

O 

a 

B 

a 

B 

1 

5 

3 

3 

1 

a 

i 

3 

& 

1868  (ten  months)                 

87.1 

71 

11 

10 

1 

5 

! 

17 

i 

1869 

50.41 

80 

18 

15 

i 

5 

11 

Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  WINFIELD  SCOTT,  NEVADA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  J.  C.  WATKINS  AND  F.  DENICKE,  UNITED 

STATES  ARMY. 

This  post  is  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  Paradise  Valley,  about  forty  miles  from  the  Hum- 
boldt  River,  latitude  41°  34'  north,  longitude  117°  30'  west.  The  soil  is  fertile;  timber  is  almost 
entirely  wanting. 

The  barrack  is  an  adobe  building,  120  by  30  feet,  containing  two  dormitories,  allowing  423  cubic 
feet  air  space  per  man.  There  are  no  wash  or  bath  rooms.  The  officers'  quarters  are  two  adobe 
buildings,  each  containing  four  rooms.  The  commanding  officer  occupies  a  small  stone  hut. 

The  store-houses  are  two  sod  buildings,  thatched,  each  80  by  20  feet.  The  guard  house  is  of 
stone. 

The  hospital  is  a  sod  building,  thatched,  40  by  24  feet.  The  ward  is  15  by  20  feet,  and  9  feet 
high,  and  intended  for  six  patients,  giving  450  cubic  feet  air  space  to  each.  The  building  is  totally 
unfit  for  a  hospital. 

Statement  showing   mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp   Winfield  Scott, 

Nevada,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


r 

•a 

5 

. 

i 

1-g 

B 

z 

1 

§    . 

Is 

i 

s 

1 

09 

Years. 

1 

c 

'3 

3 

1  « 
1  S 

3 

o 

1 

•o 

.2 
•1 

22 
'3 

II 

1 

1 

j|  ^ 

a 
A 

rs 

B 

73 

B 

c 

2 

2 

9 

O 

s 

P 

H 

1 

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1 

H 

1 

a 

K 

S 

3 

!§ 

1868  

44.66 

108 

1 

12 

31 

2 

l 

4 

1 

7 

1869,  (six  months)  

46.23 

48 

4 

4 

4 

4 

17 

*  Inclade  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


DEPARTMENT  OF  ARIZONA. 


POSTS  DESCRIBED. 


Camp  Whipple,  Arizona  Territory. 
Camp  McDowell,  Arizona  Territory. 
Camp  Lowell,  Tucson,  Arizona  Territory. 
Camp  Grant,  Arizona  Territory. 
Camp  Mojave,  Arizona  Territory. 
Camp  Verde,  Arizona  Territory. 
Camp  Colorado,  Arizona  Territory. 


Camp  Bowie,  Arizona  Territory. 
Camp  Crittendeu,  Arizona  Territory. 
Camp  Date  Creek,  Arizona  Territory. 
Camp  Cady,  California. 
Fort  Vuma,  California. 
Drum  Barracks,  California. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  SPECIAL  REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CHARLES  SMART,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

*#****#* 

The  posts  in  Arizona  at  present  in  existence  have,  with  the  exception  of  Fort  Yuuia,  been 
established  during  or  since  the  war  of  the  rebellion.  Most  of  those  in  the  sotith  were  intended 
mainly  for  the  protection  of  agricultural  settlements,  and  to  guard  the  main  roads  running  through 
the  Territory;  those  in  the  north  as  points  from  which  to  carry  on  operations  against  the  hostile 
Indians.  With  few  exceptions  they  are  built  of  adobe,  the  buildings  being  arranged  along  the 
sides  of  a  square  parade  ground.  Soldiers'  labor  has  mostly  been  employed  in  their  construction. 
The  site  having  been  selected,  the  men  commence  work  by  digging  a  large  hole  or  adobe  pit  in  the 
ground  near  by.  The  earth  thus  obtained  is  broken  down,  and  sifted  to  free  it  from  coarse  gravel ; 
the  resulting  mixture  of  flue  gravel,  sand,  and  clay  has  some  chopped  straw  or  grass  added  to  it, 
and  is  then  formed  into  a  thick  paste,  with  water,  which  is  packed  into  molds,  allowed  to  set  for  a 
few  minutes,  and  then  turned  out  to  dry  in  the  sun.  Two  or  three  weeks'  exposure  usually  suffices. 
The  bricks  are  generally  16  by  12  by  4  inches.  By  the  time  that  a  sufficient  number  of  adobes 
have  been  formed  for  the  erection  of  the  proposed  buildings,  those  first  made  are  dry  enough  for 
building  purposes.  The  walls  are  then  raised,  adobe  mud  being  used  to  cement  the  layers  of 
bricks.  The  height  varies  from  10  to  12  feet,  but  one  wall  is  raised  a  few  inches  higher  than  the 
other,  that  the  flat  roof  which  is  to  cover  them  may  have  inclination  to  carry  oft'  the  rain-fall. 
Eidge  roofs  are  generally  avoided,  as  they  are  apt  to  leak  at  the  ridge,  and  much  slope  impairs 
durability  by  permitting  the  rapid  washing  away  of  the  mud  covering.  Cottouwood  timbers  are 
then  laid  across  from  the  front  to  the  rear  wall,  and  upon  them  is  packed  a  layer  of  willow  branches, 
or  square  ribs;  some  coarse  grass  is  then  laid  in  adobe  mud  over  these,  and  the  whole  plastered 
thickly  over  with  successive  coatings  of  the  adobe  mud,  and  a  finish  of  sand  or  lime  mixture.  The 
roof  is  made  to  project  a  foot  beyond  the  face  of  the  wall  to  carry  the  rain  clear  of  the  building 
and  prevent  its  influx  through  the  interval  left  between  the  top  of  the  wall  and  the  under  sur- 
face of  the  roof.  This  interval  of  6  to  8  inches,  depending  on  the  thickness  of  the  cottonwood 
beams,  extends  along  both  sides  of  the  building.  It  is  closed  in  by  bricks,  if  the  house  is  to  receive 
a  finish  of  adobe  plaster  and  whitewash  on  the  inside,  but  in  most  instances  it  is  left  open,  and 
answers  the  purpose  of  ventilation  admirably.  Pine  timber  has  to  be  used  for  the  door  and  window- 
frames,  as  the  cottonwood,  though  much  more  easily  obtained,  is  so  lax  in  its  tissue  and  saturated 
with  moisture  that  its  warping  in  drying  unfits  it  for  such  use.  Indeed,  it  is  employed  for  roof 
beams  6nly  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  other  timber.  Frequently  the  beams  in 
progress  of  time  curve  upward  at  the  ends,  converting  what  was  originally  a  flat  roof  into  a 
shallow  reservoir,  from  which  the  rain  finds  its  way  by  many  apertures  into  the  interior  of  the 
building.  The  ground  forming  the  floor  of  the  house  is  then  cleared  out  and  firmly  stamped. 


456  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

Most  of  the  buildings  are  long,  and  divided  into  rooms  by  transverse  adobe  partitions.  They  are 
generally  insufficiently  lighted,  and  this  remark  more  specially  applies  to  the  barrack  buildings  or 
men's  quarters.  The  cause  of  this  is  probably  the  fear  of  weakening  the  wall  by  the  insertion  of 
many  windows.  In  such  as  have  the  interval  between  the  wall  and  roof  closed  up,  and  no  other 
special  means  of  ventilation  provided,  the  ventilation  is  very  inefficient.  The  bunks  are  built  of 
cottonwood  saplings,  with  slats  of  old  packing  boxes  or  stout  willow  branches.  With  few  exceptions 
they  are  arranged  in  two  tiers,  like  the  berths  of  a  ship.  On  account  of  the  superficial  incapacity  of 
the  barrack,  none  of  the  company  buildings  are  large  enough  for  the  accommodation  of  the  com- 
mand, if  of  full  strength,  and  many  have  by  tar  insufficent  cubic  space  for  the  number  of  men 
actually  quartered  in  them.  But  the  great  objection  found  by  the  troops  to  quarters  of  this  kind  is 
the  character  of  the  roof.  None  are  free  from  leaks.  At  one  post  during  a  continued  rain  such 
men  as  could  procure  shelter  tents  pitched  them  over  their  bunks  iu  order  to  keep  themselves 
dry,  at  least  during  the  hours  of  their  sleep.  Tent  flies  and  wagon  covers  were  made  use  of  to 
protect  the  worst  points  in  the  roof,  but  notwithstanding  all  that  could  be  done  the  earthen  floor 
of  the  room  became  a  mud-puddle,  and,  for  want  of  sufficient  sunlight  and  ventilation,  remained 
damp  for  many  weeks  afterward,  while  the  sick-list  was  crowded  with  bronchial  attacks  and 
rheumatic  affections,  attributable  to  the  condition  of  the  quarters.  Nor  was  the  hospital  at  this 
time  in  better  condition.  Beds  occupied  by  dysenteric  patients  almost  in  articulo  mortis  had  to  be 
moved  from  one  position  to  another  to  avoid  the  muddy  water  flowing  through  the  leaks  in  the 
roof,  until  at  last  no  dry  spot  could  be  found,  when  they  had  to  be  protected  by  rubber  blankets 
and  gutta-percha  bed-covers.  The  roofs  continue  water-proof  much  longer  at  some  posts  than  at 
others,  which  may  in  part  be  accounted  for  by  differences  in  the  percentage  of  clay  in  the  adobe 
mud;  but  as  the  roofs  at  the  same  post  vary  much  in  their  power  of  withstanding  the  weather,  the 
fault  in  bad  cases  is  chiefly  due  to  Avaut  of  care  in  construction.  However,  with  shingled  roofs, 
ample  air  space,  and  sufficient  lighting  and  ventilation,  the  adobe  house  can  be  made  a  most  com- 
fortable resting  place  for  the  soldier  after  the  exposures  and  fatigues  he  is  frequently  called  upon 
to  endure  on  service  in  this  Territory.  * 

The  ration  of  the  soldier  in  this  Territory  is  deficient  in  nothing  except  vegetables.  A  large 
cattle  herd  is  usually  guarded  at  each  post,  and  the  beef  killed  as  required.  It  is  destitute  of  fat, 
and  usually  tough,  as  the  cattle  before  reaching  the  post  have  to  undergo  a  most  fatiguing  march, 
and  on  their  arrival  may  find  very  indifferent  grazing  grounds,  or  none  whatever.  On  account  of 
the  poor  quality  of  the  fresh  meat  its  ration  was  at  one  time  increased  to  one  and  three-quarter 
pounds.  The  full  ration  of  flour  baked  into  bread  has  often  been  issued  by  commanding  officers, 
when  hard  service  was  or  had  been  exacted  of  the  men.  The  bread  is  usually  of  good  quality. 
A  common  complaint  against  that  made  from  Sonora  flour  is  its  grittiuess.  This  arises  from  the 
softness  of  the  stone  used  in  the  Sonora  flouriug-mills.  The  want  of  vegetables  is  not  so  severely 
felt  now  that  the  subsistence  department  has  on  hand  at  each  post  a  supply  of  canned  fruits 
and  vegetables  for  sale  to  officers  and  men.  This,  with  the  produce  of  post  gardens  and  purchases 
from  farm  settlements  and  traders  by  company  funds,  enables  the  troops  to  pass  the  winter  and 
spring  free,  except  in  individual  cases,  from  any  symptoms  of  scurvy.  It  may  be  said  that  with 
few  exceptions  post  gardens  in  Arizona  have  proved  a  failure.  This  is  partly  owing  to  want  of 
knowledge  and  attention  on  the  part  of  the  men  detailed  for  duty  in  the  garden,  partly  to  want  of 
interest  in  some  cases  on  the  part  of  commanding  officers,  but  chiefly  to  the  nature  of  the  garden 
produce,  Green  corn,  radishes,  melons,  cucumbers,  tomatoes,  and  beets  can  be  raised  with  facility, 
but  their  season  lasts  only  for  a  few  Aveeks.  .  In  some  places  cabbage  heads  well,  but  no  post  has  been 
successful  in  raising  a  supply  of  potatoes  and  onions.  In  cases  of  necessity  for  vegetable  food,  as  in 
scurA-y,  occurring  on  scouting  expeditious,  the  mescal  plant  can  be  had  recourse  to,  and  a  chenopo- 
dium  and  portulaca,  which  are  frequently  boiled  and  used  Avith  vinegar  by  the  Mexicans  as  greens. 
Several  species  of  lepidias  grow  along  the  rivers.  Grapes  are  found  in  many  places,  currants  and 
gooseberries  at  Date  Creek,  and  the  cuniga  and  mulberries  at  Skull  Valley  and  a  few  other  points. 
Although  the  soldier  is  often  called  upon  to  bear  with  deprivation  of  vegetable  food  and  the  con- 
tinuance of  a  salt  ration,  all  such  deprivation  increases  the  company  fuud,  and  permits  of  larger 
purchases  for  the  improvement  of  his  diet  on  his  return.  Yet  when,  as  in  this  country,  the  pound 
of  potatoes  sells  for  25  cents,  great  results  cannot  be  expected  from  company  funds. 


CAMP  WHIPPLE,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY.  457 

The  ration  usually  carried  on  the  mountain  scouts  consists  of  pork,  flour,  cofi'ee  and  sugar. 
The  flour  is  eaten  as  flapjacks  fried  in  pork  fat.  Very  seldom  are  the  men  enabled  to  improve  their 
diet  by  the  killing  of  deer,  antelope,  or  turkeys,  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  large  game  and  the 
want  of  time  and  opportunity  for  hunting  while  engaged  on  these  expeditions.  On  one  occasion 
pinole,  sugar,  and  dried  beef  were  the  only  provisions  carried  on  a  six  days'  scout.  The  pinole  was 
prepared  from  a  mixture  of  wheat  and  corn,  by  roasting,  and  then  grinding  it  coarsely;  the  beef 
by  being  cut  into  thin  strips  and  hung  up  in  the  sun  to  dry.  The  smoke  or  light  of  the  soldiers' 
cooking  fires  have  frequently  discovered  their  presence  to  the  Indians,  and  led  to  the  failure  of  the 
expedition;  as  no  fire  was  required  in  the  preparation  of  the  pinole  ration,  it  was  considered  pecu- 
liarly adapted  to  scouting  service.  It  dispensed  also  with  the  necessity  for  a  pack  train.  Each  man 
carried  behind  him  on  his  saddle  his  six  days'  rations  and  a  quart  tin  cup.  On  arriving  in  camp  a 
handful  of  the  pinole  and  sugar  was  placed  in  the  cup,  water  added,  and  the  thick  paste  eaten  as 
supper.  Breakfast  was  a  repetition  of  this.  The  dried  beef  was  generally  chewed  ou  the  march  to 
stave  off  hunger  until  camping  time.  Colics  were  common  as  a  result  of  this  diet.  Great  satisfac- 
tion was  felt  by  all  at  a  return  to  pork,  flapjacks,  and  warm  coffee  at  the  end  of  the  six,  days.  The 
experiment  was  not  repeated.  *#•«•• 


CAMP  WHIPPLE,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS   P.  MIDDLETON   AND  CHARLES  SMART,  UNITED 

STATES  ARMY. 

This  post  is  on  the  left  bank  of  Granite  Creek,  one  of  the  radicles  of  the  Rio  Verde,  half  a  mile 
above  the  town  of  Prescott,  Arizona  Territory.  The  valley  of  this  creek  is  one  of  the  many  to 
be  found  around  the  base  of  Granite  Mountain,  the  northern  extremity  of  the  Sierra  Prieta.  Its 
whole  extent  is  covered  with  pine  timber,  and  as  the  small  plateau  on  which  the  post  and  town  are 
built  is.  receded  from,  the  ground,  still  timbered,  becomes  much  broken  by  ravines,  and  finally  rises 
to  the  bare  mountain  peaks  of  grayish  granite.  But  on  the  northwest,  beyond  the  immediately 
surrounding  hills,  the  country  is  open  and  rolling,  covered  with  bunch  grass  and  dotted  with 
spreading  juniper,  until  the  Bill  Williams  and  San  Francisco  Mountains  break  through  and  inter, 
rupt  its  undulations.  Prescott,  formerly  the  capital  of  the  Territory,  is  a  small  town,  the  center 
and  supply  depot  of  a  large  but  sparsely  settled  mining  and  agricultural  district.  The  numerous 
valleys  within  a  radius. of  30  miles  have  rich  but  limited  bottom  lands,  many  of  which  are  culti- 
vated, and  yield  all  the  produce  of  temperate  climates ;  the  mountains  are  rich  in  free  gold  aud 
gold  sulphnrets.  It  is  reached  from  San  Francisco  by  way  of  Los  Angeles  to  Fort  Mojare  and 
Willow  Grove,  which  lies  west  from  it  about  100  miles,  or  along  the  southern  road  from  Los  Angeles 
and  San  Bernardino,  by  way  of  La  Paz,  on  the  Colorado  River.  There  is  no  direct  eastern  route  from 
Prescott,  communication  being  effected  by  way  of  Camp  Date  Creek,  60  miles  southwest  to  Man- 
copa  Wells,  and  thence  eastward,  by  way  of  Tucson,  to  the  Rio  Grande.  Letters  travel  to  San 
Francisco  in  about  fifteen  days ;  to  Washington  in  twenty-five  to  thirty  days.  The  mails  are  fre- 
quently attacked  by  hostile  Indians. 

The  climate  of  this  district  is  mild  during  the  spring  and  summer  months,  there  being  none  of 
the  long  continued  and  scorching  heats  which,  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  Territory,  kill  all  veg- 
etation except  that  on  the  margin  of  the  streams.  Frequent  rains  fall  in  the  autumn,  and  during 
the  winter  the  mountains  are  covered  with  snow,  which,  in  severe  seasons,  may  lie  even  in  the 
valleys  for  two  or  three  weeks  at  a  time. 

The  post  was  established  in  1864  as  the  then  headquarters  of  the  District  of  Arizona.  The  site 
selected  was  on  a  small  plateau,  half  a  mile  above  the  town,  and  70  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
creek,  to  which  it  inclines,  yielding  a  good  natural  drainage.  The  plan  of  the  post  is  shown  in 
Plate  No.  12.  It  originally  consisted  of  a  rectangular  stockade,  the  wall  of  which  formed  the  outer 
wall  of  the  various  buildings  inclosed  in  it.  It  was  built  of  strong  undressed  pine  logs,  the  crevices 
being  filled  in  with  mud,  and  the  roofs  of  all  the  buildings  shingled.  Ventilation  was  imperfectly 
effected,  as  most  of  the  doors  and  windows  opened  on  the  inclosed  parade  ground.  The  men's 
quarters,  kitchen,  and  bakery  occupied  one  side,  with  the  officers'  quarters  opposite.  The  store- 
rooms  another,  with  the  guard-house,  adjutant's  office,  and  laundresses'  quarters  opposite. 
58 


458 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


One  company  of  infantry  at  the  p>esent  time  occupies  this  stockade.  The  dormitory  is  80  by 
20  feet,  giving  scarcely  300  cubic  feet  air  space  to  each  man  of  its  average  occupancy.  The  cavalry 
quarters,  which  were  erected  in  1807  for  temporary  shelters  to  the  scouting  troops,  are  about  100 
.yards  lower  down,  and  nearer  the  creek.  They  are  log  huts,  each  53  by  19  feet,  giving  400  cubic 
feet  air  space  per  man,  of  an  occupancy  of  twenty  men.  For  a  long  time  they  were  without  floors, 
windows,  or  bunks,  but  recently  have  undergone  repairs  and  improvements  which  will  contribute 
much  to  the  preservation  of  the  health  of  the  men.  All  are  heated  by  open  fireplaces.  Kitchens 
and  mess-rooms  for  these  troops  are  about  to  be  constructed.  The  officers'  quarters  are  similar  in 
construction  to  those  of  the  men,  and  in  very  poor  condition.  The  guard-room  is  1C  by  20  feet, 
with  three  grated  windows  and  no  fireplace,  and  affords  scarcely  300  cubic  feet  air  space  per  man. 

The  corrals  are  stockades  near  the  cavalry  quarters.  The  water  is  of  excellent  quality  and 
supplied  from  wells  by  means  of  a  force-pump.  The  building  used  as  a  hospital  was  originally 
erected  in  18G4,  as  the  quarters  of  the  commanding  officer,  District  of  Arizona.  It  is  a  strong 
structure  of  hewn  pine,  floored,  ceiled,  and  plastered,  well  lighted,  with  ridge  ventilation,  and 
warmed  by  open  fireplaces  and  stoves.  It  can  accommodate  twenty  four  patients,  giving  each  800 
cubic  feet  of  air  space,  but  its  average  occupation  is  but  fourteen.  It  has  a  kitchen,  12  by  12  feet,  a 
mess-room,  12  by  1C  feet,  a  dispensary,  1C  by  16  feet,  and  store-room,  12  by  12  feet,  with  furnishings 
complete,  and  in  excellent  condition.  The  bath  and  washroom  has  the  water  supplied  from  tanks, 
and  the  waste  water  carried  off  by  lead  pipes.  It  is  situated  on  an  elevated  ridge,  about  midway 
between  the  post  and  the  town,  with  some  shade  trees  around  it.  The  drainage  is  natural,  toward 
the  bed  of  the  creek.  A  garden  of  three  acres  adjoins  the  building,  and  is  cultivated  by  the  conva- 
lescents. 

One  great  objection  to  this  hospital  is  its  distance  from  the  post,  and,  among  other  things,  the 
consequent  labor  required  to  keep  the  tanks  supplied  by  the  water-wagons.  There  is  no  ambulance 
at  the  post.  One  wheeled  litter  and  Army  wagons  are  the  only  transportation  for  the  sick.  Sup- 
plies are  obtained  yearly  from  the  Assistant  Medical  Purveyor  in  San  Francisco. 

The  ration  issued  is  generally  of  good  quality,  and  of  the  regulation  allowance  and  variety. 
There  are  no  company  or  post  gardens,  so  that  the  vegetables  obtained  by  the  men  are  very  limited 
in  quantity,  and  mostly  by  personal  purchases,  as  the  company  savings  amount  to  little  or  nothing- 

The  market  price  of  vegetables  is  20  cents  per  pound.  Milk,  butter,  eggs,  and  chickens  are 
very  rare  articles  of  diet  in  this,  as  in  other  parts  of  the  Territory,  and  are  sold  at  high  prices.  It 
is  expected  that  some  of  the  land  on  the  reservation  will  be  laid  out  during  the  coming  season  as 
company  gardens,  so  that  scurvy,  which  has  frequently  appeared  among  the  men,  may  be  prevented 
in  future.  The  cavalry  companies  have  suffered  considerably  from  sickness  on  account  of  the  lack 
of  fresh  vegetables,  their  frequent  absences  from  the  post,  placing  them  on  a  poorer  ration,  the 
hard  riding,  want  of  sleep,  and  exposure  on  scouts,  and  the  poor  quarters  to  which,  until  recently, 
they  have  had  to  return  for  rest.  In  addition  to  scurvy,  and  its  frequent  accompaniment,  diarrhrea, 
intermittent  and  remittent  fevers  are  the  only  diseases  prevalent  at  the  post  and  its  vicinity. 

The  hostile  Indians  are  tribes  of  Apaches  on  the  east,  and  the  Hualapais  on  the  west.  They 
are  very  active  in  their  hostility,  attacks  upon  settlements  in  the  neighborhood  or  on  travelers  on 
the  roads  being  of  constant  occurrence. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Whipple,  Arizona 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  MCDOWELL,  ARIZONA  TEREITOEY.  459 


CAMP  MCDOWELL,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEONS  CHARI.KS  SMART  AND  C.  DEWITT,  UNITED  STATES 

ARMY. 

This  post  is  situated  cm  tlie  west  bank  of  the  Verde,  about  eight  miles  above  its  junction  with 
the  Salt  River,  in  latitude  33°  40'  north,  and  longitude  111°  40'  west,  at  an  elevation  of  1,800  feet 
above  the  sea-level.  It  is  45  miles  north  of  the  Maricopa  and  Pimo  villages,  and  the  same  distance 
southwest  of  Camp  Reno.  It  is  reached  by  steamer  from  San  Francisco  to  San  Diego,  California, 
thence  by  mail  stage  via  Yuma  to  Maricopa  Wells,  from  which  place  a  weekly  mail  is  carried  north  to 
the  post.  The  Indians  have  seldom  interfered  with  this  mail  route,  but  the  rising  of  the  Colorado  in 
Southern  California  frequently  delays  the  transmission  of  the  mails,  and  the  floods  of  the  Gila  and 
Salt  River  have  cut  the  post  oft'  from  communication  with  the  outside  world  for  three  and  four 
weeks  at  a  time.  Letters  usually  reach  San  Francisco  in  fifteen  days,  and  Washington,  by 
the  eastern  route  in  twenty-five.  This  part  of  the  Rio  Verde  basin  is  surrounded  by  mountains; 
the  high  line  of  the  Mazatsal  peaks  on  the  east,  20  miles  distant ;  a  lower  range,  to  which  no  name 
lias  been  applied,  15  miles  distant  on  the  west;  the  numerous  low  peaks  from  which  the  river 
issues  on  the  north,  and  the  grotesquely  abrupt  mountains  of  the  Salt  River  country  on  the  south. 
On  both  sides  of  the  Verde,  near  the  post,  the  mesa  rises  almost  from  the  water's  edge,  becoming 
more  and  more  broken  by  deep  and  narrow  ravines,  until  it  blends  with  the  foot-hills  of  the  mountain 
ranges  on  the  east  and  west.  The  river  is  thus  well  confined,  and  its  bottom  lands  free  from 
marshes.  The  strip  of  easily  irrigated  bottom  land  is  very  narrow,  yet  much  good  soil  could  be 
reclaimed  by  irrigation  from  large  acequias.  Cottonwood,  willow,  and  elder  grow  along  its  banks, 
tangled  frequently  by  grape-vines,  which  yield  a  small  acid  fruit.  Mesquite,  ironwood.  palo-verde, 
artemisia,  and  species  of  opiintia  and  cereus  cover  the  mesa,  in  some  parts  even  rendering  it  impass- 
able ;  the  more  open  parts  furnish  indifferent  grazing.  Scnib  and  live-oak,  and  pine  o'f  large  growth 
are  found  on  the  Mazatsal,  but  the  building  timber  is  almost  all  in  inaccessible  situations.  Quail 
and  rabbits  are  abundant  on  the  mesa,  and  deer  are  found  in  the  mountains,  but  less  frequently 
than  in  the  more  northern  portion  of  the  Territory.  Coyotes,  rattlesnakes,  scorpions,  lizards,  cen- 
tipedes, and  tarantulas,  are  tor  be  met  with  here  as  in  other  parts.  The  soil  is  dry  and  porous,  and 
well  drained  by  its  decided  slope  toward  the  ravines. 

Some  remains  of  Aztec  civilization  are  found  in  this  part  of  the  country.  The  ruins  of  a  large 
and  complex  structure  existed  on  the  site  selected  for  the  post,  but  it  is  now  almost  destroyed,  as 
its  stones  were  used  by  the  troops  in  constructing  temporary  shelters  and  laying  foundations  for 
some  of  the  post  buildings.  It  was  built  of  washed  stones  from  the  river  bed,  and  although  the 
highest  portion  of  its  ruined  wall  did  not  exceed  three  feet,  the  ground  plan  was  perfectly  preserved. 
Another  such  is  situated  on  a  knoll  at  the  southern  border  of  the  reservation.  Again,  where  the 
road  to  Maricopa  Wells  crosses  the  Salt  River  some  large  acequias  are  to  be  seen,  which  at  a  former 
period  must  have  irrigated  many  miles  of  adjacent  country.  Another  system  of  acequias  which,  in 
former  times,  irrigated  the  country  near  the  mouth  of  this  river,  has  recently  been  cleared  out  in 
part,  and  a  thriving  settlement,  named  Phenix,  established  by  American  and  Mexican  settlers. 
Stone  hammers  and  hatchets,  and  washed  rocks,  with  rude  pictorial  and  hieroglyphic  etchings,  are 
sometimes  discovered  near  these  ruins.  Fragments  of  painted  pottery  are  very  common. 

The  post  was  established  in  1865,  by  five  companies  of  California  volunteers,  as  a  point  from 
which  to  operate  against,  or  treat  with,  the  Indians  of  the  neighboring  mountains.  The  reservation 
taken  up  measured,  from  the  center  of  the  parade  ground,  three  miles  north  and  south  and  two 
miles  east  and  Avest.  This  included  the  greater  part  of  the  arable  land  in  the  immediate  neighbor- 
hood. Building  was  immediately  commenced  and  continued  until  early  in  1866,  when  the  essential 
part  of  the  post  was  finished.  One  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  the  bottom  land  were  then  cleared  for 
cultivation,  water  being  brought  to  it  by  an  acequia  from  a  point  four  miles  up  the  river.  This 
labor  was  performed  by  the  garrison,  then  consisting  of  three  companies  of  the  Fourteenth  Infantry, 
who  had  been  sent  to  relieve  the  California  troops,  but  the  subsequent  working  of  this  "Govern- 
ment farm  "  was  by  employes  of  the  Quartermaster  Department.  After  this  it  was  leased  to  certain 


460  DESCEIPTIOXS  OF  MILITAET  POSTS. 

citizens,  under  contract  to  produce  grain  for  the  quartermaster  and  cavalry  animals,  and  furnish 
the  same  to  Government  at  a  given  figure.  This  system  is  still  in  operation.  Of  the  grounds 
ten  acres  were  reserved  by  the  troops  as  a  post  garden.  Corn,  sorghum,  beans,  tomatoes,  beets, 
radishes,  and  melons  grew  well,  but  potatoes  and  onions  did  not  thrive.  Grape  cuttings  from  Los 
Angeles  were  placed  in  the  soil,  but  proved  a  failure,  possibly  from  imperfect  preservation  during 
their  journey. 

After  the  construction  of  the  buildings  and  preparation  of  the  grounds  for  farming,  the  military 
history  of  the  post  consists  of  a  record  of  scouting  expeditions  against  the  Indians,  occasional  par- 
leys concerning  cessation  of  hostilities,  and  the  escort,  fatigue,  and  guard  details  necessary  at  an 
exposed  frontier  post.  Some  portions  of  the  command,  chiefly  F,  Fourteenth,  and  A,  Thirty-second 
Infantry,  were  employed  during  the  winter  of  1867-'C8  iu  building  a  wagon-road  through  a  pass  in  the 
Mazatsal  range  to  a  point  on  Tonto  Creek,  where  an  outpost,  Camp  lleno,  was  established  and  held. 
Tbis  creek  is  also  tributary  to  the  Salt  Eiver,  which  it  joins  at  the  southeastern  base  of  the  Mazat- 
sal.  The  valley  is  very  fertile  and  affords  good  grazing,  but  no  settlers  have  yet  ventured  into  it. 
Many  old  ruins  are  found  in  it,  and  remains  of  acequias,  marking  its  former  cultivation. 

The  climate  is  warm  and  dry.  Although  the  thermometer  iu  the  day-time  in  summer  may  show 
a  high  degree  of  heat,  the  nights  are  commonly  not  oppressive.  Thunder  clouds  from  the  moun- 
tains drop  a  heavy  passing  shower  once  or  twice  a  month.  In  winter  the  rains  are  lighter,  though 
of  much  longer  duration.  Snow  falls  on  the  mountains,  but  not  on  the  inesa.  For  the  year  ending 
June  30,  1869,  the  average  temperature  was  09.46°  F.,  the  extremes  being  25°  and  114°.  Differ- 
ence between  wet  and  dry  bulbs,  7.68°.  The  winds  are  variable  and  light,  except  when  immediately 
preceding  a  thunder  storm. 

The  post  as  planned  and  built  in  1865  consisted  of  a  parade  ground,  525  by  435  feet,  with  its 
center  one-third  of  a  mile  from  the  margin  of  the  river,  and  50  feet  higher  than  its  level.  This 
height,  attained  by  gradual  rise  of  the  ground,  gives,  with  the  aid  of  some  shallow  trenching,  a  very 
efficient  surface  drainage.  The  buildings  were  arranged  along  the  sides  of  the  parade  ground  as 
follows  :  On  the  west  and  furthest  from  the  river  the  quarters  of  the  commanding  officer,  a  com- 
paratively latge  square  building,  with  a  hall  and  two  rooms  on  either  side.  The  house  is  shaded 
by  brush  awnings,  and  has  in  rear,  fenced  in,  a  small  yard  as  a  site  for  the  necessary  outbuildings. 
On  the  south  a  line  of  quarters  for  officers ;  four  houses  facing  the  parade,  each  divided  into  four 
rather  small  rooms.  A  kitchen  was  afterward  attached  to  the  rear  of  each  of  these  buildings. 
Two  adjoining  rooms  in  this  line  are  used  as  a  post  adjutant's  office.  On  the  north,  immediately 
opposite  the  officers'  quarters,  four  sets  of  company  barracks,  with  their  gables  toward  the  parade. 
Each  is  187  by  24  feet,  and  is  divided  by  transverse  partitions  into  two  dormitories  and  four  smaller 
rooms,  for  use  respectively  as  kitchen,  mess-hall,  office,  and  store-room  for  company  property.  The 
hospital  was  placed  on  the  west,  and  the  quartermaster's  store,  bakery,  and  sutler's  store  on  the 
east  of  this  column  of  barrack  buildings,  and  separated  from  them  by  broad  streets.  On  the  east 
the  guard-house,  ordnance  store-house,  and  house  for  the  preservation  of  fresh  meat  for  issue. 
Outside  of  these  lines  of  buildings  were  the  corrals,  of  high,  close-set  upright  posts,  on  the  southeast, 
and  the  laundresses'  quarters,  of  primitive  looking  adobe  huts  on  the  north.  The  sinks,  still  further 
north,  were  deep  trenches,  inclosed  by  a  thick  wall  of  willow  and  cottouwood  branches.  Dry  earth 
is  used  as  a  deodorant.  At  its  establishment  this  post  was  intended  to  be  the  largest  and  most 
solidly  built  in  the  Territory.  For  ornaments  and  future  shade  a  line  of  cotton  wood  saplings  Avere 
planted  at  short  intervals  along  the  sides  of  the  parade  ground,  and  were  watered  assiduously  for 
two  years,  during  which  time  they  flourished  and  promised  well,  but  after  this  they  showed  signs 
of  decline,  in  spite  of  the  attention  paid  to  them,  and  so  came  to  be  neglected.  All  the  buildings 
were  of  adobe,  with  earthen  floors,  mud  roofs,  and  open  fireplaces.  The  roofs  were  flat,  and  had 
mud,  sand,  and  lime  cement  laid  over  seguara  ribs,  which  in  turn  were  supported  by  cottouwood 
timbers.  These  timbers,  or  viyas,  raised  the  roof  from  8  to  10  inches  above  the  wall,  and  so  left 
ample  space  for  ventilation.  But,  however  carefully  built  by  the  California  troops,  the  buildings 
proved  unequal  to  the  heavy  washing  showers  of  the  summer,  and  the  penetrating  rains  of  the 
winter  months.  The  roofs  leaked  almost  from  their  first  exposure,  and  the  walls  cracked  and 
washed  away  in  place  after  place,  until,  in  spite  of  constant  repairs,  many  of  the  houses  became 
almost  untenable.  Three  of  the  barrack  buildings  are  now  abandoned.  The  fourth  is  still  occupied, 


CAMP  MCDOWELL,  ARIZONA  TEEKITOEY.  461 

but  much  labor  is  required  after  every  heavy  or  continued  rain  to  keep  it  in  repair.  The  other 
companies  are  in  shelter-tents;  brush  shades  have  been  erected  over  the  tents,  each  of  which  is 
occupied  by  two  men,  and  furnished  with  raised  bunks.  The  kitchen  and  mess-room,  in  rear  of 
each  company  camp,  are  built  of  brushwood  and  canvas.  Cooking  is  done  over  open  fireplaces. 
In  addition  to  the  buildings  already  indicated,  there  is  a  recently-built  house,  for  some  time  ocen 
pied  as  headquarters  District  of  Ari/.ona,  situated  half  way  between  the  post  and  the  river,  and 
nearly  in  line  with  the  north  side  of  the  parade  ground.  It  is  built  after  the  plan  of  the  command- 
ing officer's  quarters,  and  is  now  used  as  qua  Hers  by  officers. 

The  guard-house  consists  of  a  guard  and  prison-room,  the  former  Hi  byl'S  feet,  the  latter  .">o  by 
by  28  feet,  affording  ample  space  for  the  occupancy ;  ventilation  good. 

The  magazine,  16  by  15  feet,  is  the  only  building  at  the  post  where  the  roof  fits  tigbtly  down 
into  the  wall. 

The  quartermaster's  and  commissary  store-house  is  131)  by  1'.'!  feet,  and  is  divided  into  four 
rooms.  It  is  in  bad  repair. 

The  bakery,  34  by  20  feet,  is  furnished  with  two  ovens,  and  can  turn  out  over  five  hundred 
rations  in  a  batch. 

A  number  of  Americans  and  Mexicans  connected  with  the  Government  farm  have  built  adobe 
and  brush  huts  between  the  river  and  the  post. 

The  hospital  is  120  by  23  by  12  feet,  and  is  divided  by  transverse  partitions  into  a  kitchen.  15 
feet,  a  mess-room  18  feet,  two  store-rooms,  one  7,  the  other  19  feet,  a  ward  35  feet,  and  a  dispensary 
19  feet  long.  The  ward  is  furnished  with  eleven  iron  bedsteads,  to  each  of  which  it  affords  an  air 
space  of  750  cubic  feet.  It  is  heated  by  au  open  fireplace,  lighted  by  four  windows,  and  well  ven 
tilated  by  these  and  the  interval  between  the  wall  and  roof.  The  mess-room  is  separated  from  the 
ward  by  the  store-rooms,  so  that,  to  reach  it,  patients  have  to  go  out  and  pass  along  the  front  nf 
the  building.  The  kitchen  is  well  furnished. 

The  cemetery  is  distant  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  northwest  from  the  buildings.  It  measures 
75  by  GO  feet,  is  surrounded  by  a  temporary  fence,  and  contains  the  graves  of  twenty-six  soldiers 
and  seven  citizens. 

The  medical  history  of  the  post  shows  the  prevalence  of  scurvy  among  the  troops  while  occu- 
pied in  building  during  the  winter  of  18G5-'GG,  and  its  tendency  to  reappear  as  the  end  of  winter 
or  beginning  of  each  succeeding  spring  approached.  But  careful  cultivation  of  the  post  garden 
and  the  preparation  of  pickles  for  winter  use,  with  the  occasional  purchase  of  potatoes  and  onions 
from  Souora,  (25  cents  per  pound,)  and  the  canned  supplies  on  hand  in  the  subsistence  department, 
are  deemed  sufficient  to  keep  the  garrison  free  from  scorbutic  taint.  The  regular  ration  of  the 
camp  is  fresh  beef  three  times  a  week ;  but  frequent  absences  from  the  post  on  scouting  duty,  by 
placing  men  on  a  salt  ration  and  depriving  them  of  vegetables,  may  produce  slight  cases  of  the  disease 
at  any  season.  The  summer  of  18GG,  during  which  the  men  were  engaged  in  digging  the  ditch  for 
irrigation  and  clearing  the  ground  for  cultivation,  was  characterized  by  an  outbreak  of  dysentery 
and  dysenteric  diarrhoea.  In  the  following  years  this  disease  did  not  reappear. 

The  water  supply  has  been  wagoned  in  barrels  from  the  Kio  Verde  since  the  post  was  estab- 
lished. It  is  of  excellent  quality.  Au  attempt  was  made  to  sink  a  well  on  the  parade  ground,  but 
no  water  was  struck.  Cases  of  malarial  disease  did  not  occur  among  the  troops  until  scouting  was 
commenced,  and  the  command  exposed  in  malarious  districts. 

Although  the  Kio  Verde  contains  an  abundance  of  fish,  the  troops  seldom  have  i-ecour.se  to 
fishing  as  a  pastime,  the  produce  being  soft  and  flavorless. 

The  post  library,  containing  200  volumes,  and  that  of  Company  Ci,  Twenty-first  Infantry,  of  100 
volumes,  mostly  novels,  are  in  much  demand.  Two  papers  only  are  received,  although  others  have 
been  written  for  by  the  post  treasurer.  A  billiard  table  for  the  use  of  the  officers  is  kept  by  the 
trader. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country  are  roving  bands  of  hostile  Apaches,  dwelling 
in  the  mountains  on  the  north  and  east.  On  the  Gila  River,  south  of  the  post,  are  the  villages 
of  the  Pimos  and  Maricopas,  two  friendly  tribes,  who  farm  on  the  reservation  assigned  to  them. 
Many  of  them  have  been  enlisted  as  scouts  for  service  with  the  expeditions  from  the  post,  and  the 
tribes  often  send  out  war  parties  of  their  own  against  the  Apaches,  with  whom  they  have  been  at 
war  from  time  immemorial. 


462 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  McDowell, 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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CAMP  LOWELL,  TUCSON,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT   SURGEON   CHARLES   SMART,  UNITED   STATES  ARMY. 

This  post  is  -situated  ou  the  eastern  outskirt  of  the  old  Mexican  town  of  Tucson,  Arizona  Terri- 
tory, at  a  height  above  the  sea-level  of  about  2,000  feet.  At  a  distance  of  a  mile  from  camp,  and 
separated  from  it  by  the  town,  the  Santa  Cruz  River  flows  northward  from  the  Santa  Rita  Mount- 
ains towards  the  Gila.  To  the  west  of  the  river  is  a  long,  low  range  of  hills,  which  terminates 
abruptly  16  miles  northwest  of  the  post.  North  of  the  post,  and  13  miles  distant,  is  the  south  point 
of  the  Sierra  Catariua,  which  range  extends  north  and  eastward  until  it  becomes  blended  with  the 
mountains  on  the  San  Pedro  River,  30  miles  distant  on  the  east.  The  post  is  reached  from  San 
Francisco,  California,  by  steamer  to  San  Diego,  in  Southern  California,  and  thence  by  mail  stage 
by  way  of  Yunia  to  Tucson.  Mails  run  east  and  west  twice  a  week,  usually  with  great  regularity, 
but  liable  to  occasional  interruption  from  Indian  attacks  and  flooding  of  rivers.  A  letter  will  go 
to  department  headquarters  at  San  Francisco,  in  from  ten  to  fifteen  days;  to  Washington,  by  the 
eastern  route,  in  from  fifteen  to  twenty  days. 

Tucson  first  became  a  military  post  during  the  late  war,  when  the  volunteer  column  from  Cal- 
ifornia advanced  through  Arizona  Territory.  On  account  of  its  situation  it  was  made  a  depot  for 
the  supply  of  the  posts  in  Southern  Arizona,  and  on  the  relief  of  the  volunteers  by  the  regular 
troops  in  February,  1866,  it  was  continued  as  such,  a  company  of  cavalry  being  stationed  in  the 
camp  to  guard  the  stores  of  the  depot  quartermaster  and  escort  his  trains  to  the  various  posts. 
Shortly  afterward,  however,  as  cavalry  was  required  for  scouting  duty  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Tnbac,  on  the  Sonora  line,  this  company  was  replaced  by  one  of  infantry. 

The  camp  is  placed  upon  a  hard  gravelly  inesa  or  table-land,  about  40  feet  higher  than  the 
level  of  the  water  of  the  Santa  Cruz  River.  This  mesa  is  a  part  of  the  vast  extent  of  rolling  ground 
which  extends  from  the  Rio  Grande  westward  beyond  the  Colorado  into  Southern  California.  Its  soil 
is  dry,  and  subsists  only  stunted  specimens  of  mesquite,  sage-brush,  two  or  three  species  of  acacia 
and  various  cacti.  It  is  interrupted  at  long  intervals  by  abrupt  and  very  rugged  sierras,  and  at 
intervals  scarcely  less  long,  by  small  water-courses,  often  dry  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year, 
but  in  the  rainy  season  overflowing  their  banks,  and  flooding  the  various  strips  of  bottom  laud 
through  which  they  travel,  and  which,  in  consequence  of  the  annual  overflow,  bear  a  luxuriant 
vegetation  during  the  remainder  of  the  year.  The  Santa  Cruz,  one  of  these  streams,  runs  north- 
ward from  the  Sonora  line  past  the  west  side  of  the  town  and  post,  and  continues  its  course  to 
a  point  about  four  miles  below,  where  its  waters  cease  to  run  above  ground,  on  account  of  the 
porous  character  of  the  soil.  The  dry  bed  of  the  river,  however,  can  be  traced  for  100  miles 
further  to  its  junction  with  the  Gila  below  the  Maricopa  villages.  For  a  distance  of  about  three 
miles  north  and  south,  and  on  both  banks  of  the  river  to  the  west  of  the  town,  are  the  fields  which 
are  cultivated  by  the  Mexicans,  producing  yearly  two  crops,  one  of  small  grain,  such  as  barley  or 
wheat,  sown  in  November  and  harvested  in  May,  the  other  of  corn,  planted  in  June  and  harvested 
in  October.  As  cultivation  can  only  be  carried  ou  successfully  by  irrigation,  it  follows  that  more 
or  less  of  the  fields  are  constantly  under  water,  which,  combined  with  the  heavy  rains  in  July  and 


CAMP  LOWELL,  TUCSON,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY.  463 

August,  the  tropical  vegetation  and  its  rapid  decay,  favors  the  development  of  the  malarial  poison, 
and  accounts  for  the  cases  of  remittent  and  intermittent  fevers  and  diseases  of  the  liver  which 
prevail  among  the  Mexican  inhabitants  during  the  months  of  August.  September,  and  October. 
The  camp,  however,  being  separated  from  these  fields  by  the  town,  and  being  on  a  somewhat  higher 
level,  is  almost  exempt  from  these  malarial  visitations. 

The  n  servation  has  been  well  cleared  of  all  the  mesquite  and  sage-brush  which  at  one  time 
covered  it.  The  ground  is  firm  and  smooth,  so  that  it  can  be  kept  neat  and  dean  with  the  expend- 
iture of  but  little  labor,  and  would  be  almost  a  dead  level  but  for  the  shallow  arroyos  which  drain 
off  the  heavy  autumn  rains.  Other  than  the  mesquite,  so  valuable  as  a  fuel,  the  mesa  presents  no 
plant  of  any  importance,  but  the  river  bottom  furnishes  a  number  of  useful  anti-scorbutics  in  species 
of  portulaca  and  cheiiopodium,  while  the  hills  on  the  west  are  covered  with  the  columnar  seguara, 
the  fruit  of  which  during  the  months  of  June  and  July  is  collected  by  the  Indians,  and  either  eaten 
in  its  fresh  state,  preserved  as  a  honey,  or  fermented  into  an  intoxicating  liquor.  Silver  and  copper 
are  found  in  the  mountains  to  the  west  and  south. 

The  water  of  the  post  and  toAvii  is  obtained  from  wells,  which  vary  in  depth  from  12  to  35  feet; 
the  well  in  camp  is  of  the  latter  depth,  and  furnishes  a  supply  of  much  purer  water  than  any  in 
Tucson,  at  least  in  its  freedom  from  organic  matter.  Although  it  contains  a  large  proportion  of 
lime,  (with  some  magnesia  and  the  alkalies  in  combination  with  carbonic,  hydrochloric,  and  sul- 
phuric acids,)  it  exercises  no  evil  effect  on  the  health,  even  of  those  who  have  been  unaccustomed 
to  its  use. 

The  year  is  divided  into  rainy  and  dry  seasons.  The  spring  rains  occurring  in  February 
fetch  up  the  first  or  small  grain  crop  of  the  farmers.  After  this  rain  is  a  rarity  until  July,  when 
the  heaviest  falls  of  the  year  take  place.  Even  during  this  month,  however,  the  rain-fall  seldom 
exceeds  two  inches  in  Tucson,  although  on  the  surrounding  mountains  it  may  be  such  as  to  flood 
all  the  valleys  leading  down  from  them.  Snow  is  occasionally  seen  during  the  winter  months  in 
the  crevices  on  the  northern  slopes  of  the  Santa  Rita  and  San  Pedro  Mountains,  but  it  seldom  falls 
on  the  mesa.  The  winds  are  generally  light  and  variable.  The  mean  temperature  for  the  year 
ending  June  30, 18G9,  was  67.25°  F.,  the  hygrometric  column  being  for  the  same  time  G2.070,  while  the 
highest  observed  temperature  was  111°  F.,  at  2  p.  in.  June  15,  and  the  lowest  22°  F.,  at  7  a.  m.  of 
January  1C,  1809. 

The  camp  consists  of  two  lines  of  A  tents,  with  a  street  between  them.  These  are  the  quarters 
for  the  men.  They  are  shaded,  like  all  the  rest  of  the  canvas  shelters,  with  a  brushwood  awning. 
The  tents  each  accommodate  two  men,  and  are  furnished  with  roughly-built  bunks,  raised  from  1J 
to  2  feet  from  the  ground.  On  the  south  side  of  the  line  of  tents  is  the  parade  ground,  and  wall 
tents  of  the  officers  of  the  command,  while  on  the  north  side  is  the  well,  and  beyond  it  the  kitchen, 
bakery,  and  mess-tents,  and  the  tents  of  the  company  laundresses,  two  in  number.  The  kitchen 
is  an  old  adobe  building,  with  crumbling  walls  and  leaky  roof.  The  food  is  cooked  over  an  open 
fireplace.  The  mess-room  consists  of  two  hospital  tents,  roughly  fitted  up,  with  tables  and  benches. 
The  bakery  is  small,  but  possesses  a  very  good  oven  of  burned  bricks.  The  guard-house,  until  the 
summer  of  18G9,  consisted  of  a  frail  structure  of  logs  and  brushwood,  ventilated  by  its  imperfect 
construction.  In  June  of  that  year  a  new  guard-house  was  built  on  the  west  side  of  the  quarters 
of  the  men.  It  is  a  strong  adobe  building,  consisting  of  a  guard-room,  prison-room,  and  five  cells. 
The  guard-room  is  ventilated  by  the  windows  and  open  fireplace.  The  prison-room,  22  by  15  by  12 
feet,  with  an  average  occupancy  of  five  men,  thus  affording  an  air  space  of  790  cubic  feet  per  man, 
was  originally  ventilated  by  six  loop-holes,  but  these  proving  insufficient,  it  was  found  necessary 
to  add  two  iron-barred  windows,  each  two  feet  square.  The  only  other  adobe  building  on  the 
reservation  is  a  solidly-built  magazine  and  ordnance  store-room,  situated  at  the  southwest  corner, 
about  400  yards  from  the  men's  quarters.  This  apparently  detached  position  was  elected  that  the 
building  might  be  tn  place  should  a  permanent  adobe  barrack  be  erected.  The  sinks  are  built  of 
brushwood,  and  are  at  a  distance  of  100  yards  from  the  nearest  quarters.  There  are  no  store- 
houses on  the  reservation,  the  garrison  drawing  all  supplies  direct  from  the  depot  at  Tucson.  The 
depot  quartermaster  rents  from  the  citizens  of  the  town  a  sufficient  number  of  houses  and  corrals 
for  the  storage  and  shelter  of  his  supplies  and  transportation. 

The  hospital  is  an  old  adobe  building  on  the  main  street  of  the  town,  at  a  distance  of  about 
1,000  yards  from  the  camp.    Even  were  this  building  in  good  condition,  its  position  in  the  center 


464  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 

of  the  town,  its  proximity  to  the  irrigated  fields  in  the  river  bottom,  its  distance  from  camp,  and  the 
sinallness  of  its  rooms,  render  it  undesirable  as  a  hospital ;  but  when,  in  addition  to  this,  its  leaky 
roof,  worn-out  floor,  and  rain-washed  walls  are  taken  into  consideration,  and  the  series  of  old  sinks 
that  are  covered  up  in  its  inclosure,  it  is  found  to  be  totally  unfitted  for  such  a  use.  These  facts 
have  been  appreciated  by  the  post  commander  and  medical  officer,  and  application,  accompanied 
with  plan  and  estimate,  was  made  for  permission  to  build  an  adobe  hospital  of  twelve  beds  on  the 
reservation.  The  application  was  not  favorably  considered  on  account  of  the  probable  temporary 
character  of  the  camp.  There  is  no  well  attached  to  the  buiMirig;  all  the  water  used  in  the  hos- 
pital has  to  be  carried  from  a  well  about  400  yards  distant.  Water  could  readily  be  found  in  the 
hospital  inclosure,  but  the  presence  of  the  sinks  forbids  the  sinking  of  a  well  in  this  place.  Medical 
supplies  are  obtained  from  the  Assistant  Medical  Purveyor  in  San  Francisco,  a  year's  supply  being 
required  for  at  one  time. 

The  mean  strength  of  the  garrison  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1869,  was  four  officers  and 
ninety  men.  These  troops  were  employed  in  scouting  the  neighboring  mountains  for  hostile  Indians, 
escorting  trains  through  the  country,  holding  the  picket  posts  of  the  Cienega  delas  Pimas  and  the 
Tres  Alamos,  guarding  the  depot  of  the  assistant  quartermaster  at  Tucson,  and  performing  the 
necessary  guard,  fatigue,  and  extra  duties  of  camp.  The  constant  active  service  required  of  the 
men  did  not  admit  of  opportunity  for  drilling. 

The  picket  post  of  Cienega  de  las  Pimas,  30  miles  east  of  Camp  Lowell,  was  established  in 
October,  1868,  on  account  of  repeated  attacks  made  by  hostile  Apaches  on  trains  and  travelers 
near  that  point  of  the  road  leading  from  Tucson  to  the  Rio  Grande.  The  position  selected  was  the 
highest  point  of  the  broken  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the  cienega  or  marsh  ;  this  for  reasons  mili- 
tary as  well  as  hygienic.  A  rude  but  commodious  and  weather-proof  hut  was  built  of  cottouwood 
timbers,  roofed  with  wagon  covers,  and  furnished  with  raised  bunks.  The  picket,  consisting  of  a 
non-commissioned  officer  and  ten  men,  was  relieved  every  thirty  days.  The  ration  here  could  be 
supplemented  by  hunting,  as  quail,  duck,  and  rabbits  were  plentiful  in  the  neighborhood,  and  ante- 
lope were  occasionally  to  be  found  on  the  mesa. 

The  picket  post  at  the  Tres  Alamos  was  established  in  1867  for  the  protection  of  agricultural 
interests  on  the  San  Pedro  River,  fifty  miles  east-northeast  of  Tucson.  The  valley  of  the  Tres 
Alamos  is  settled  by  four  American  and  several  Mexican  farmers,  who  raise  corn,  beans,  and  melons 
on  the  bottom  lands,  irrigating  by  means  of  acequias.  The  picket,  consisting  of  a  non-commissioned 
officer  and  ten  men,  was  stationed  on  a  rising  ground  at  a  little  distance  from  the  irrigated  fields 
in  an  adobe  hut,  which  was  rather  small  and  imperfectly  ventilated.  This  party  was  also  relieved 
once  a  mouth,  and  during  their  stay  could  improve  their  ration  not  only  by  hunting,  but,  at  certain 
seasons,  by  farm  produce.  At  both  of  these  posts  the  water  supply  was  good  from  a  running  stream. 
The  suffering  from  iutermittents  was  much  less  than  one  would  imagine  from  viewing  the  char- 
acter of  the  surrounding  country. 

The  parties  engaged  in  scouting  after  hostile  Indians  have  had  but  little  opportunity  of 
improving  on  their  salt  ration,  and  scorbutic  symptoms  have  been  a  not  infrequent  accompaniment 
of  a  return  from  a  trip  into  the  mountains,  the  more  especially  as  even  on  their  return  to  Camp 
Lowell  fresh  vegetables  were  found  to  be  a  rarity.  The  commissary  recently  has  had  a  supply  of 
canned  vegetables,  fruits,  and  jellies,  which  are  sold  to  the  men  on  the  approval  of  the  post  com- 
mander. In  town  the  nominal  price  of  butter  is  $1  50  to  $2  per  pound :  eggs,  $1  per  dozen ;  chick- 
ens, $1  apiece ;  and  all  vegetables  25  cents  per  pound;  yet  very  great  difficulty  was  found  in  obtain- 
ing these  articles  at  any  price. 

Fever  first  showed  itself  in  most  of  the  men  while  out  on  scouting  duty  in  unhealthy  parts 
of  the  country,  or  on  escort  duty  to  some  of  the  more  sickly  posts.  Cases  originating  at  Camp 
Lowell  were  rare.  Cases  of  diarrhoea  and  occasionally  dysentery  occurred.  Venereal  diseases 
have  been  very  rarely  seen,  although  the  dance-houses  of  the  town  are  the  chief  resorts  of  soldiers 
on  pass. 

Connected  with  the  post  is  a  detachment  of  twenty  tame  Apache  Indians,  who  have  been 
enlisted  as  scouts.  Two  or  three  of  them  are  sent  out  with  every  expedition  from  the  posts  in  the 
southern  district  of  Arizona.  These  men,  when  not  on  duty,  live  in  the  village  of  their  own  people, 
half  a  mile  south  of  the  reservation.  They  appear  to  be  very  liable  to  attacks  of  pulmonary 
disease  on  exposure  during  the  winter. 


CAMP  GRANT,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 


465 


In  addition  to  the  American  and  Mexican  inhabitants  of  Tucson,  about  2,000  in  number,  and 
the  village  of  about  30  tame  Apache  families,  Papagoe  Indians  are  frequently  found  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  post.  They  are  friendly  to  the  whites  and  peaceable  in  character,  occupying  them- 
selves in  raising  corn  and  melons.  Their  nearest  settlement  is  on  the  Santa  Cruz,  10  miles  south  of 
Tucson,  at  the  old  Jesuit  mission  of  San  Xavier  del  Bac.  No  hostile  Indians  live  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  post;  the  Apaches  who  murder  and  plunder  on  the  roads  radiating  from  Tucson  dwell  in  the 
more  northern  mountain  ranges. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Lowell,  Arizona  Ter- 
ritory, for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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127  66 

324 

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103.25 

227 

144 

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*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  ineumouia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  GRANT,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CHARLES  SMART,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Grant  is  situated  at  the  junction  of  the  Aravipa  with  the  San  Pedro  River.  Its  eleva- 
tion above  the  sea  is  about  2,500  feet.  It  is  distant  east  from  Maricopa  Wells  100  miles,  north  from 
Tucson  56  miles,  and  west  from  Camp  Goodwin  60  miles.  The  mail  route  from  San  Francisco  is 
by  way  of  San  Diego,  Yuma,  Maricopa  Wells,  and  Tucson,  whence  a  weekly  mail  is  dispatched 
north  to  the  post.  But  well-escorted  trains  and  travelers  may  proceed  from  Maricopa  Wells  di- 
rect, without  circling  southward  by  Tucson,  as  there  is  a  good  road  along  the  Gila  River  between 
the  two  places.  On  both  roads  Indian  attacks  are  of  frequent  occurrence.  Letters  reach  San  Fran- 
cisco in  twenty,  and  Washington  in  twenty-five  days,  when  there  are  no  delays. 

The  post  was  established  by  the  California  volunteers  with  the  view  of  restraining  the  Indians, 
and  protecting  the  southern  line  of  travel  between  California  and  the  eastern  States  from  the  rav- 
ages of  the  Apache  tribes  living  north  of  the  Gila.  It  was  originally  built  immediately  on  the 
bank  of  the  San  Pedro  River,  but  in  1866  twenty  out  of  twenty-six  adobe  buildings,  composing  the 
post,  were  swept  away  by  the  flooding  of  the  stream.  A  new  site  was  then  chosen  on  a  flattened 
knoll  in  the  angle  formed  by  the  junction  of  the  two  streams.  From  this  position,  looking  toward 
the  southeast,  the  basin  of  the  San  Pedro  is  seen  to  stretch  until  it  becomes  almost  lost  on  the 
horizon,  with  a  range  of  abrupt  and  rugged  mountains  on  the  west,  and  a  series  of  high  rolling 
hills  on  the  east.  Toward  the  northwest  are  the  mountain  ridges  and  peaks  among  which  the 
stream  courses  on  its  way  to  the  Gila,  twenty  miles  below,  and  beyond  them  the  still  higher  ranges 
on  the  north  of  that  river.  The  knoll  is  situated  close  to  the  base  of  the  steep  western  mountain 
ridge,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  the  San  Pedro. 

The  valley  of  the  San  Pedro  varies  in  width  from  one-half  to  four  miles.  Many  parts  of  the 
valley  can  be  cultivated  by  irrigation.  Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  reclaim  the  ground 
in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  camp,  but  without  success. 

The  Aravipa,  which  issues  from  a  deep  and  narrow  canon  on  the  northeast,  sinks  in  traversing 
the  San  Pedro  Valley,  except  during  rains,  when  its  shallow,  sandy  bed  frequently  overflows,  and 
becomes  uufordable. 

The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  southeast  down  along  the  course  of  the  San  Pedro,  carrying 
with  them  the  malaria  from  the  marshes  along  its  banks,  and  exposing  the  troops  stationed  on  the 
knoll  to  its  deleterious  influence.    The  mean  temperature  of  the  year  was  67°  F. 
59 


466 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


The  camp  is  composed  of  adobe,  stockade,  and  reed  buildings,  supplemented  by  tents.  All 
the  roofs  are  liable  to  leak  in  rainy  weather.  There  are  three  sets  of  soldiers'  quarters;  one  is 
adobe,  120  by  24  feet,  with  the  usual  mud  roof,  earthen  floor,  and  open  fireplaces,  ventilated  by 
the  doors  and  windows,  and  affording  to  its  average  occupation  400  cubic  feet  per  man ;  two  are 
rather  open  stockades,  thatched  with  cane  and  reeds,  and  freely  ventilated  by  the  interstices  in 
the  walls.  They  are  103  by  20,  and  140  by  22  feet,  and  give  470  and  450  cubic  feet  air  space  re- 
spectively. The  bunks  are  rudely  constructed,  but  single  and  well-raised  from  the  ground.  The 
mess-rooms  and  kitchens  in  rear  of  these  are  each  about  50  by  18  feet ;  one  is  of  adobe,  a  second 
stockaded,  and  the  third  a  framework  of  reeds. 

The  bakery  is  furnished  with  a  good  oven,  large  enough  for  the  supply  of  the  three  companies. 
The  married  soldiers  are  accommodated  in  wall  tents. 

The  officers'  quarters,  adobe,  consist  of  four  sets  of  two  rooms,  each  room  15  by  18  feet.  There 
were  six  officers  at  the  post  during  the  year,  two  of  whom  had  their  families  with  them. 

The  store-houses  are  one  adobe,  the  other  a  stockade,  each  about  70  by  25  feet,  with  the  corrals 
in  the  rear. 

The  guard-house  is  of  adobe,  lighted  and  ventilated  by  the  fireplace,  doors,  and  windows.  It 
is  34  by  17  feet,  and  affords  400  cubic  feet  to  each  man  of  its  average  occupancy. 

The  hospital  at  first  consisted  of  a  building  30  by  10J  feet,  which  is  the  ward  ;  but  recently 
a  wing  was  added  to  it,  18  by  18  feet,  as  a  dispensary,  store-house,  and  surgeon's  office.  •  The 
ward  is  furnished  with  eight  iron  bedsteads,  and  has  an  average  occupation  of  eight,  giving  per 
man  650  feet.  When,  as  is  often  the  case,  a  larger  number  of  patients  require  admission  into  hos- 
pital than  this  ward  can  accommodate,  hospital  tents  are  pitched  adjoining,  and  furnished  with 
iron  bedsteads.  There  is  a  kitchen,  10  by  16  feet,  of  adobe,  but  no  mess-room. 

Vegetables  are  obtained  from  the  subsistence  department  preserved  in  cans,  but  the  main 
supply  is  from  the  company  gardens  in  the  river  bottom.  Onions  and  potatoes  are  sometimes 
brought  up  from  Sonora,  via  Tucson,  at  25  cents  per  pound.  Chickens  and  eggs  are  scarce,  having 
to  be  brought  from  Tucson  or  Maricopa  Wells,  while  butter  is  almost  unknown.  The  water  of  the 
San  Pedro  River  is  used  only  by  the  quartermaster  animals  and  for  washing.  It  is  pleasant  enough 
to  the  taste,  and  turbid  only  during  heavy  rains,  but  coming,  as  it  does,  through  swampy  country 
above  the  post,  may  be  impregnated  with  malaria.  A  supply  of  excellent  water  is  obtained  from  a 
well,  90  feet  deep,  sunk  in  the  parade  ground,  worked  by  a  wheel  and  axle,  and  well  protected  from 
surface  drainage. 

The  diseases  are  all  malarial,  and  prevail  to  such  an  extent  during  the  autumn  and  winter 
mouths  as  to  unfit  the  garrison  for  any  active  service.  In  1868  intermittents  were  so  general  that 
the  affected  troops  had  to  be  moved  from  the  post  to  a  temporary  convalescent  camp,  28  miles 
south,  on  the  road  to  Tucson.  This  was  the  nearest  place  which  could  be  found  at  the  same  time 
supplied  with  water,  accessible  to  wagons,  and  thoroughly  free  from  any  miasmatic  influences. 

A  tribe  of  Apache  Indians,  the  Aravipas,  dwell  in  the  mountains  near  the  post.  At  one  time, 
lor  a  short  period,  they  were  friendly,  at  least  in  their  professions,  and  received  rations  from  the 
subsistence  department.  As  many  as  700  of  this  and  neighboring  tribes  or  families  have  been  in 
at  one  time.  But  it  is  some  distance  from  the  post,  north  of  the  Gila  Eiver,  that  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  hostile  Apaches  that  infest  Southern  Arizona  have  their  more  permanent  rancherios. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Grant,  Arizona 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


A 

3° 

\i 

QC 
— 

* 

1 

« 
1 

a 

i. 

1 

Years. 

I 

R     x 

o 

"^ 

2  "S 

1 

R9 

E5 

X 

d 

GO 

—  i      SO 

J  § 

& 

a 

1  5 

I 

•S  > 

1 

a 

— 

0 

s 

i 

g 

13 

1 

'S 

a 

P 

i 

s 

1 

1 

ffl 

M 

.S 

cS 

1 

1868  

214  83 

2  096 

1  735 

266 

i 

5 

97 

1869  

151  5 

643 

ruii 

•J 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  MOJAVE,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY.  467 


CAMP  MOJAVE,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 

REPORT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SUKfiEON  F.  S.  fcTIKU.NC,  1XITED  STATES  ARMY. 

This  camp  is  situated  ou  a  gravel  bluff'  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Colorado  River,  near  the  head 
of  Mojave  Valley ;  latitude  35°  fi'  north,  longitude  114°  31'  west;  altitude,  600  feet,  above  sea- 
level,  and  75  feet  above  the  river.  It  was  established  in  1858  for  the  protection  of  emigration  over 
the  Southern  Overland  Route  to  California,  the  Mojave  and  other  Indian  tribes  being  then  hostile, 
and  having  in  the  summer  of  1S57  committed  depredations  ou  parties  of  emigrants.  The  Indians 
remained  hostile  until  severely  defeated  by  the  troops  under  Major  Armistead,  who  encountered 
them  in  the  valley  below  the  fort  and  drove  them  back  with  great  loss.  They  then  sued  for  peace. 
The  post  was  abandoned  in  May,  1801,  and  regarrisoned  in  May,  1803,  by  two  companies  of  the 
Fourth  regiment  of  infantry,  California  volunteers. 

The  plateau  extends  north  and  south  about  40  miles,  with  an  average  width  of  10  or  12  miles. 
There  are  two  reservations,  each  three  miles  square.  The  camp  is  built  on  the  upper  one.  The 
lower  reservation  is  on  the  low  bottom  land,  about  six  miles  south  of  the  post.  Part  of  it  is  sub- 
ject to  overflow ;  the  soil  is  fertile,  and  is  covered  with  coarse  grass,  cottonwood,  and  mesquite  trees, 
with  a  dense  undergrowth  of  willows  and  arrow- weed.  With  this  exception  the  country  is  a  waste. 
The  elevated  plains  are  covered  sparsely  with  a  growth  of  greasewood  bush,  interspersed  with 
varieties  of  the  cactus  family. 

The  mineral  resources  of  this  portion  of  the  Territory  are  vast,  though  but  partially  explored. 
Immense  mines  of  copper  are  found  in  the  Sacramento  district,  25  miles  northeast  of  this  camp. 
The  ore  is  a  red  oxide,  combined  with  a  carbonate.  Large  deposits  of  argentiferous  galena,  assay- 
ing 60  per  cent.,  are  found  in  the  same  district,  while  in  the  Black  Mountains,  10  miles  in  an  east- 
erly direction  from  here,  rich  lodes  of  gold  and  silver-bearing  quartz  are  found.  Several  mills  have 
been  erected,  and  will,  by  their  production  of  the  precious  metals,  soon  fill  up  the  country  with  per- 
sons who  will  develop  to  the  utmost  the  resources  of  Northern  Arizona. 

Rabbits  and  quail  are  found  in  large  numbers ;  ducks  and  geese  abound  in  the  sloughs,  and  the 
river  affords  an  abundance  of  fish  of  the  salmon  species.  Deer,  mountain  sheep,  and  antelope  are 
found  hi  the  hills.  The  mountains,  ou  either  side  of  the  river,  are  barren  and  destitute  of  timber. 
But  few  springs  of  water  are  found  in  the  adjacent  mountains,  and  the  country  may  be  described 
as  a  sterile  plain,  broken  by  arroyos  or  dry  gulches. 

The  climate  is  healthy,  the  winters  pleasant,  but  the  summers  extremely  hot.  The  extremes  of 
temperature  are  35°  and  118°  F.  There  is  no  rainy  season,  though  thunder  showers  are  frequent 
in  July  and  August.  The  annual  rise  of  the  Colorado  takes  place  in  June.  The  prevailing  winds 
in  the  summer  are  from  the  south,  and,  passing  over  the  arid  plains,  the  air  is  so  heated  that  it 
scorches  like  that  from  an  oven.  The  nights  are  so  hot  that  no  one  can  sleep  in  the  house,  and 
the  whole  garrison  lie  on  the  open  plain,  endeavoring  to  catch  the  faintest  breeze. 

The  troops  now  occupy  the  new  adobe  barrack,  erected  during  the  past  year,  though  the  build- 
ings are  not  entirely  finished;  the  old  stockade  buildings  formerly  used  as  soldiers' quarters  are 
being  demolished  for  building  material.  The  quarters  afford  an  abundant  air  space  to  the  men,  are 
furnished  with  fireplaces,  well  lighted  and  ventilated  by  windows.  Single  bunks  are  used.  Con- 
tiguous to  the  barracks  are  adobe  buildings,  erected  and  formerly  occupied  by  citizens,  now  used 
as  quarters  for  married  soldiers. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  two  stockade  buildings,  containing  four  rooms  each,  much  dilapidated. 
The  new  quarters  are  unfinished.  Those  now  used  have  one  window  in  each  room,  and  a  mess-room 
in  rear.  The  adobe  building  now  in  process  of  erection  is  40  by  50  feet,  and  intended  for  two 
officers. 

The  store-house  for  the  commissary  and  quartermaster  department  is  a  new  adobe  structure,  too 
small  for  the  purpose. 

The  guard-house  is  an  old  stockade  building,  insecure  and  dilapidated,  and  entirely  unsiu'ted 
for  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  used.  It  contains  two  rooms,  poorly  ventilated,  and  lighted  only  by 


408 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


doors.  Heating  is  effected  by  means  of  a  fireplace.  The  average  occupancy  of  the  guard-house 
is  six  prisoners. 

The  hospital  is  an  old,  dilapidated  stockade  building,  not  worth  repairs,  with  dirt  roof  and 
floor.  A  new  building  is  much  needed,  and  will  be  commenced  as  soon  as  possible,  the  work  to  be 
done  by  the  troops.  The  present  hospital  is  warmed  by  means  of  fireplaces,  and  lighted  by  win- 
dows. The  ventilation  is  deficient.  The  ward,  28  by  25  by  10  feet,  generally  contains  six  beds, 
giving  to  each  a  cubical  air  space  of  1,166  feet.  There  are  no  bath  or  wash  rooms;  a  bathing-tub 
is  used  in  the  ward. 

The  supply  of  water  is  afforded  by  water-carts  filled  at  the  river,  and  that  used  for  drinking 
purposes  is  cooled  in  "overs,"  or  earthen  jars  covered  with  matting.  The  water  of  the  Colorado, 
although  muddy,  does  not  produce  diarrhoea  or  other  unpleasant  effects.  Natural  drainage  is  good. 
All  refuse,  dirt,  and  litter  are  removed  from  the  vicinity  and  carried  off  by  the  river. 

Subsistence  and  other  stores  are  received  by  light-draught  steamboats  on  the  river.  Vegeta- 
bles are  scarce,  and  are  with  difficulty  obtained  from  California.  Several  cases  of  incipient  scurvy 
have  occurred,  but  yield  at  once  to  vegetable  diet.  A  large  supply  of  canned  fruit  and  vegetables 
for  the  use  of  the  enlisted  men  is  a  great  necessity  here,  as  no  post  garden  can  be  cultivated. 
Such  articles  can  be  obtained  from  the  commissary  department  at  low  prices.  Potatoes  and  onions 
are  brought  250  miles  from  California.  Milk  costs  $1  50  per  gallon;  butter,  $1  per  pound;  eggs, 
$1  per  dozen;  potatoes,  12  to  15  cents  per  pound;  and  onions,  20  to  25  cents  per  pound. 

The  only  means  of  communication  is  by  wagon  and  horseback,  with  occasionally  a  steamer 
from  Fort  Yurna,  California.  Mails  are  received  each  week  from  the  west,  via  La  Paz,  and  from 
the  east  via  Salt  Lake  City;  the  mail  is  carried  on  horseback,  requiring  sixteen  days  to  department 
headquarters. 

The  Indian  tribes  on  the  river  are  peaceable;  they  cultivate  corn,  wheat,  beans,  and  squashes, 
planting  after  the  annual  overflow.  During  the  winter  mouths,  when  their  stores  of  provisions  are 
low,  they  are  furnished  with  small  supplies  of  flour  from  the  post.  "No  depredations  have  been  com- 
mitted in  the  valley,  and  many  of  the  hostile  Hualhapais  have  surrendered  and  come  in. 

Statement  sJioicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Mojave,  Arizona 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


i 

1     , 
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05 

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5 
t>> 

I 

g 

o 

i. 

1 

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s 

-g 

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00 

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p 

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1 

1 

1 
a 

6 

1 

S 

1 

i 

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2 

40 

£ 

I1 
| 

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o 
6 

1868 

84  08 

263 

26 

35 

2 

61 

16 

3 

25 

3 

1869  

78.83 

122 

21 

29 

21 

1 

3 

1 

8 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  VERDE,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CHARLES  SMART  AND  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON 

W.  H.  SMITH,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Verde,  formerly  known  as  Camp  Lincoln,  is  situated  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Eio  Verde, 
about  50  miles  east  of  Prescott,  the  nearest  town,  and  by  way  of  which  it  receives  all  its  supplies 
and  mails,  and  90  miles  north  of  Camp  McDowell  by  trail  along  the  Eio  Verde.  The  Verde 
Valley,  during  the  greater  portion  of  its  course  from  north  to  south,  is  extremely  narrow,  being 
little  other  than  a  canon  with  rugged  and  barren  hills  on  either  side,  but  in  this  locality  it  is  about 
seven  miles  wide,  with  a  rich  alluvial  bottom,  which,  to  some  extent,  has  been  farmed  by  settlers. 
When  irrigated  it  is  very  fertile  and  yields  fine  crops  of  corn,  which  is  the  staple  product.  The 


CAMP  VERDE,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY.  469 

Black  Mountains  bound  it  on  the  west  and  the  Mogollon  range  on  the  east.  On  the  tongue  of  land 
formed  by  the  junction  of  Beaver  Creek  with  the  Verde,  three-quarters  of  a  mile  below  the  post, 
there  is  a  considerable  tract  of  low  bottom,  on  which  a  rank  vegetation  springs  up  after  the  spring 
and  autumn  rains.  This  appears  to  be  the  chief  source  of  the  malarial  diseases  which  affect  the 
garrison,  more  especially  at  the  latter  season.  The  water  of  both  these  streams  is  of  excellent 
quality,  free  from  any  marked  amount  of  organic  or  inorganic  impurities,  and  turbid  only  during 
floods.  Cool  water,  even  in  the  hot  summer  season,  can  be  obtained  from  a  small  spring  on  Beaver 
Creek.  There  are  rich  grazing  and  fine  timber  in  the  vicinity  of  the  camp,  and  game  in  abundance. 

The  spring  rains  occur  during  March,  and,  with  the  snow  on  the  mountains,  usually  occasion 
floods,  which  inundate  many  of  the  bottom  lauds;  similar  floods  are  an  accompaniment  of  the 
July  rains ;  but  the  rapid  current  of  the  river,  the  sandy  soil  of  the  inundated  lands,  and  the  high 
winds  which  are  prevalent  during  these  stormy  months,  speedily  drain  and  dry  off  all  surface 
water. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1869,  was  60.75°  F. ;  the  extremes 
being  on  September  2,  107°  F.,  and  December  15,  24°  F. 

The  post  was  originally  established  by  two  companies  of  Arizona  volunteers,  mostly  Mexicans 
who  were  in  service  during  the  late  war.  It  was  an  outpost  from  Fort  Whipple,  and  intended  to 
protect  the  Prescott  country  and  admit  of  its  settlement.  The  shelters  built  by  these  troops  were 
of  the  most  primitive  character ;  and  even  on  the  advent  of  the  regular  troops  in  1866  they  were 
but  little  improved,  consisting  of  excavations  on  a  hill-side,  completed  with  logs  and  shelter  tents. 
The  hospital  was  a  small  log  house,  15  by  13  feet,  containing  three  beds.  Its  site  was  an  elevated  piece 
of  ground  one-quarter  mile  from  the  Verde,  with  excellent  surface  drainage  and  a  porous  gravelly 
soil.  Better  and  more  permanent  quarters  were  commenced  on  the  same  site  in  1868,  but  two  sets 
of  company  barracks  are  the  only  buildings  as  yet  completed.  One  set  is  unoccupied  by  troops, 
but  is  used  in  part  as  a  quartermaster  and  subsistence  store-room.  Each  building  is  100  by  26  by 
10  feet,  with  adobe  walls,  shingled  roof,  and  earthen  floor,  and  is  partitioned  off  into  two  dormitories, 
40  feet  long,  by  an  office  in  the  center,  20  by  26  feet,  which  communicates  with  the  former.  Each 
dormitory  has  an  open  fireplace,  four  windows,  a  door  opening  on  the  parade,  and  another  com- 
municating with  the  office.  But  as  these  were  found  to  be  insufficient  for  satisfactory  ventilation, 
a  ventilator  was  opened  in  the  wall  of  each  room  near  the  roof.  The  only  fixtures  or  furniture  is 
a  double  line  of  bunks,  two  tiers  high,  each  4  feet  wide,  and  accommodating  four  men.  But  little 
over  300  cubic  feet  of  air  space  is  permitted  to  each  man,  of  average  occupation.  All  the  other 
buildings  of  the  post  are  irregular,  being  for  the  most  part  the  remains  of  the  old  camp.  There 
is  no  mess-room,  the  men  eating  their  rations  in  quarters. 

The  officers'  quarters  are  miserable  hovels,  that  of  the  commanding  officer  being  formed  of 
rough  boards,  with  gaping  seams.  Its  size  is  12  by  13  feet. 

The  guard-house  is  a  small  stockade,  with  canvas  roof,  lighted  by  the  door  and  roof,  and 
sufficiently  ventilated  by  the  crevices  between  the  posts  forming  the  walls. 

After  the  log  hospital  of  three  beds  mentioned  above  was  disused,  the  sick  were  placed  in  a 
ward  of  hospital  tents,  with  an  adobe  fireplace  and  chimney  built  at  one  end.  Average  occupation 
of  this,  seven  men.  Since  the  recent  completion  of  the  second  set  of  company  quarters  the  sick 
have  been  moved  into  one  of  its  dormitories  for  treatment  until  such  time  as  a  hospital  is  built. 

The  post  garden,  situated  six  miles  below  the  post  where  Clear  Creek  joins  the  river,  is 
nominally  cultivated  by  from  three  to  five  men  detailed  for  that  duty;  but  the  supply  is  not  such 
as  the  extent  and  fertility  of  the  soil  at  command  would  yield  with  careful  cultivation.  It  has 
produced,  however,  a  small  cart-load  of  onions,  beets,  corn,  cabbage,  melons,  and  cucumbers  twice 
a  week  for  four  or  five  weeks  during  the  season,  and  provided  the  garrison  with  sauerkraut  during 
the  winter ;  chickens,  eggs,  and  butter  are  hardly  to  be  obtained,  but  deer  are  sometimes  shot  in 
the  mountain  gorges.  In  this  vicinity  there  are  three  or  four  small  ranches  farmed  by  German  and 
American  settlers. 

The  diseases  which  prevail  are  chiefly  malarial,  consisting  of  iutermittents,  hepatic  affections, 
and  diarrhrea.  During  the  dryer  seasons  of  the  year  most  of  this  class  of  cases  come  from  the 
men  on  duty  at  the  post  gardens  and  other  low  localities. 

In  addition  to  the  few  settlements  on  Clear  Creek,  there  are  some  ranches  on  the  Agua  Fria, 


470 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


about  midway  between  the  post  and  Camp  Whipple.    In  the  Agua  Fria  district  there  are  also 
many  auriferous  ledges,  mostly  of  free  gold. 

The  hostile  Indians,  Tonto  Apaches,  occupy  the  mountains  south  of  the  post  through  which 
the  Verde  canons  its  way  toward  Camp  McDowell,  and  to  the  eastward  the  difficult  country  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Mogollon  ridge. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  (Hscawft  «t  ('<t»>i>  Verde,  Arizona 

Territory,  for  the  year  1809. 


b 

•d 

4 

Year. 

Mean  strength. 

§1 

5  z 
a 

G 

-   -^ 

I  S 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  an 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  diseasf 

Rheumatism. 

Catarrhal  afFec 
tions.  * 

No.  of  deaths. 

1869                                          

69.91 

146 

51 

21 

1 

a 

5 

81 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  COLORADO,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CHARLES   SMART,  AND  ACTING  ASSISTANT   SUR- 
GEON WASHINGTON  WEST,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

This  camp  is  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Colorado  River,  on  the  Mojave  Indian  reservation,  322 
miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  440  feet  above  the  sea-level.  La  Paz  is  the  nearest  post 
office,  and  is  40  miles  distant  along  the  river.  Letters  require  ten  or  fifteen  days  to  reach  San 
Francisco ;  twenty-five  or  thirty  to  Washington. 

The  camp  was  established  in  the  latter  part  of  1868,  in  anticipation  of  trouble  from  the  river 
Indians.  It  is  placed  immediately  on  the  river  bank,  above  overflow,  on  the  low  level  bottom, 
which  is  about  250  yards  wide  at  this  point.  Beyond  this  bottom  to  the  eastward,  a  mesa  or  table- 
laud  rises  with  a  gradual  ascent  to  a  height  of  40  or  50  feet,  and  extends  to  the  distant  mountain 
ranges.  It  is  almost  destitute  of  vegetation.  The  country  on  the  opposite  bank  is  similar  in  char- 
acter. Some  of  the  fertile  bottom  lauds  along  the  river  are  cultivated  by  the  Indians.  Cotton- 
wood,  mesquite,  ironwood,  willow,  and  arrow- wood  grow  along  its  banks.  The  climate  is  similar  to 
that  of  Fort  Yuma,  California. 

The  camp  is  a  temporary  one,  consisting  of  brush  huts,  which  afford  some  protection  from  the 
rays  of  the  sun,  but  none  from  the  rains  and  violent  sand-storms  prevailing  during  the  winter  and 
early  spring  mouths.  Their  only  furnishings  are  rudely-built  bunks,  raised  a  foot  or  more  from  the 
ground.  The  rations  are  cooked  and  eaten  in  the  open  air.  There  are  no  married  soldiers  in  camp. 
The  officers  live  in  wall  tents  pitched  underneath  a  brush  shade  at  one  end  of  the  line  of  huts  for 
the  men.  The  bakery,  of  stoue  and  adobe,  is  the  only  building  of  comparatively  permanent  mate- 
rials. The  hospital,  ward,  dispensary,  and  store-room  is  a  hospital  tent. 

No  post  garden  has  been  cultivated,  but  vegetables  in  their  season  can  be  obtained  from  the 
Indian  settlements.  Canned  stores  are  also  on  hand  in  the  subsistence  department  for  purchase. 

There  have  been  no  deaths  at  the  post.  Venereal  diseases,  contracted  among  the  Mojave  In- 
dians on  the  reservation,  constitute  the  majority  of  the  cases  on  the  sick  report. 

The  Indians  in  the  vicinity  are  large,  muscular,  and  well  formed,  but  without  any  tendency  to 
civilization,  their  only  object  of  existence  being  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  appetite  and  the  animal 
passions. 


CAMP  BOWIE,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 


471 


Statement  allowing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  disease*  at  Camp  Colorado,  Arizona 

Territory,  for  the  year  180!). 


1 

•a 

-i 

« 

Year. 

f 

00 

|| 
a 

9 

1 

8     , 

if 

£ 

'•5 

X 

•M 

S 
*  ». 

j       60 

a   s 

•=  •= 

I 

i 
i 

r 

cl 

"3 

|I 

1 

I 
1 

s 

0) 

S 

1 

"o 

1869 

73.41 

191 

37 

30 

26 

6 

13 

7 

*  Incliuli'  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  BOWIE,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION  DERIVED  FROM  REPORTS  OF  ASSISTANT   SURGEON   CHARLES  SMART,  UNITED  STATES 
ARMY,  AND  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  W.  H.  SMITH,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  1870. 

Camp  Bowie  is  situated  in  a  pass  in  the  Chiricahua  Mountains,  known  as  Apache  Pass,  through 
which  the  road  from  Tucson  to  Mesilla  penetrates,  about  100  miles  east  of  the  former  town.  It  is 
in  latitude  32°  40'  north,  longitude  109°  30'  west,  and  elevated  about  4,826  feet  above  the  sea- 
The  post  was  established  under  the  name  of  Fort  Bowie,  in  August,  1862,  by  Company  G,  Fifth 
California  volunteer  infantry,  as  a  protection  to  the  road  at  this  dangerous  point,  and  as  a  guard  to 
the  important  springs  found  here.  It  was  placed  on  the  summit  of  a  hill  overlooking  the  water 
supply,  having  high  mountains  on  the  north  and  south,  and  the  broken  rocky  country  constituting 
the  pass  on  the  east  and  west,  beyond  which,  in  these  directions,  the  view  becomes  more  open,  and 
the  scrub  oak  growth  of  the  highlands  gives  place  to  grass. 

Up  to  1868  the  post  was  a  most  irregular  one,  the  houses,  or  rather  huts,  being  built  on  and 
under  the  ridges  of  land  on  the  hill  summit  and  slope,  but  at  that  time  a  new  post  was  commenced 
on  an  adjoining  hill  which  afforded  a  better  site. 

The  reservation  includes  about  one  square  mile,  and  is  in  every  part  well  drained  by  the  irregu- 
larity of  the  surface.  A  ledge  of  gold-bearing  quartz  has  been  discovered  within  one-fourth  of  a 
mile  of  the  reservation,  and  a  ten-stamp  mill  erected,  but  so  far  its  working  has  been  unprofitable, 
and  it  now  stands  idle.  It  is  generally  supposed  that  a  good  mill  erected  at  Bear  Spring,  about 
three  quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  post,  where  a  sufficient  supply  of  water  can  be  had,  backed  by  suf- 
ficient capital,  could  be  profitably  employed  in  grinding  ore  from  the  Harris  mine,  the  one  spoken 
of.  Large  game,  as  turkeys,  deer,  and  bear,  is  found  in  the  mountain  country. 

The  company  barracks,  an  adobe  building  with  mud  roof,  is  120  by  22  feet,  and  has  a  kitchen 
attached,  15  by  15  feet.  It  is  warmed  by  open  fireplaces,  and  ventilated  by  apertures  in  the  wall 
near  the  roof;  its  air  space  to  its  average  occupation  is  400  cubic  feet  per  man;  it  has  no  other 
furniture  than  the  rough  bunks  constructed  of  poles,  cut  in  the  ravines  near  the  post.  Since  the 
above  description  was  obtained  two  new  barracks  have  been  erected,  one  on  the  east  side  of  the 
parade  ground,  156  by  30J  feet,  containing  two  squad-rooms,  one  store-room,  one  office,  and  one 
library ;  the  building  is  roofed  with  mud,  its  walls  being  of  adobe ;  attached  to  it  is  a  mess-room 
and  kitchen,  56  by  16  feet,  built  in  a  like  manner.  The  other  set  is  on  the  north  side  of  the  parade 
ground,  built  of  the  same  material,  118  by  24  feet,  containing  two  squad-rooms,  store-room,  and 
office,  with  a  mess-room  and  kitchen,  66  by  16  feet,  attached  to  it.  The  sinks  are  open,  on  the 
edge  of  a  ravine,  from  which  deposits  are  swept  away  by  the  rains. 

There  are  two  sets  of  officers'  quarters,  each  consisting  of  two  rooms,  15  by  15  feet,  with  kitchen 
and  mess-room  adjoining.  As,  including  the  medieal  officer,  there  are  six  officers  at  the  post,  three 
of  whom  are  married,  some  of  the  old  buildings  are  made  use  of  to  supplement  these  quarters. 
The  quartermaster's  store-house,  88  by  22  feet,  has  two  rooms  for  officers  in  one  end,  and  an  ord- 
nance store-room  in  the  other.  A  new  hospital  has  been  built,  occupied,  and  vacated  as  inadequate, 


472 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


and  is  now  occupied  by  three  bachelor  officers ;  it  has  four  apartments,  with  a  kitchen  and  dining- 
room  adjoining. 

A  new  building  lias  been  erected  containing  the  offices  and  store-rooms  of  the  acting  assistant 
quartermaster  and  acting  commissary  of  subsistence.  The  building  occupied  as  guard-house,  adju- 
tant's office,  and  quartermaster's  store-house,  is  now  the  post  hospital.  The  vacated  commissary 
store-room,  after  having  been  used  as  a  barrack  room,  is  now  a  granary.  A  new  guard-house,  36 
by  16  feet,  with  two  rooms,  has  been  built  in  the  rear  of  the  present  hospital. 

A  bakehouse  has  been  erected  on  the  east  side  of  the  parade  ground ;  also,  on  the  north  side 
of  the  parade  ground,  a  corral,  with  carpenter  shop  and  blacksmith  shop  attached  to  it. 

Vegetables  are  always  scar-ce  at  this  station,  as  none  can  be  raised  and  few  purchased  any- 
where in  the  neighborhood.  The  supply  of  canned  fruits  from  the  subsistence  department  was 
useful  but  inadequate,  in  view  of  the  scarcity  of  fresh  vegetables.  As  may  be  inferred,  a  scorbu- 
tic taint  has  at  times  affected  the  men,  debilitating  them,  and  rendering  them  prone  to  diarrhoea. 
Attacks  of  intermittent  occur  only  in  those  who  have  received  the  germs  of  the  disease  away  from 
the  post. 

The  only  settlers  in  this  part  of  the  country  are  the  few  men  at  work  at  the  quartz  mine.  Fre- 
quently, however,  emigrants  from  Texas  to  California,  most  of  whom  are  in  very  destitute  circum- 
stances, call  upon  the  post  medical  officer  for  assistance  and  supplies  for  their  sick  and  wounded. 
Bands  of  hostile  Indians,  Apaches,  are  constantly  in  the  neighborhood,  watching  for  favorable 
opportunities  to  interrupt  the  traffic  on  the  road. 

Communication  from  San  Francisco  is  effected  by  means  of  the  mail  route  from  San  Diego, 
California,  via  Fort  Yuma  and  Tucson.  The  mail  coach  arrives  from  the  east  on  Thursdays,  and 
from  the  west  on  Tuesdays  of  every  week,  but  arrives  very  irregularly.  Trains  and  mails  are  fre- 
quently attacked  by  Indians  in  this  vicinity. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Bowie,  Arizona  Ter- 
ritory, for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


Years. 

I 

g 

1 

L 

s  ° 

G  <*> 

<B  jj( 
"o  * 

Malarial  fevers. 

Diarrhoea  and 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  diseases. 

3 
D 

03 

Rhenmatism. 

PutUisis. 

Catarrhal  affec- 
tions." 

No.  of  deaths. 

1868       

80.75 

131 

48 

27 

1 

5 

15 

2 

6 

1 

1869 

115.  16 

255 

106 

70 

2 

3 

13 

15 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  CRITTENDEN,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CHARLES  SMART  AND  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SUR- 
GEON B.  SEMIG,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Crittenden  is  distant  from  Tucson  south-southeast  56  miles,  from  Camp  Wallen  west- 
northwest  20  miles,  and  about  12  miles  directly  east  of  the  peak  of  the  Santa  Rita  Mountain.  It 
is  reached  from  San  Francisco  via  Fort  Yuma  and  Tucson.  Letters  eastward  and  westward,  to 
Washington,  and  San  Francisco,  California,  require  about  twenty  days  to  reach  their  destination. 
Both  routes  are  liable  to  interruptions  from  Indians  and  delay  from  floods.  The  mail  is  usually 
served  weekly  at  the  post. 

The  garrison  of  this  place,  on  entering  the  Territory  in  1866,  were  stationed  at  Fort  Mason,  a 
post  established  at  Calabasas,  on  the  Santa  Cruz  River,  13  miles  south  of  Tubac;  but  as  malarious 
fever,  diarrhosa,  and  dysentery  prostrated  the  greater  part  of  the  command,  it  was  soon  after- 
wards removed  to  a  location  which  presented  fewer  of  the  causes  engendering  the  paludal  poison. 


CAMP  CRITTENDEN,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY.  473 

The  new  post,  Camp  Cameron,  was  situated  on  the  northwestern  base  of  the  Santa  Rita  Mount- 
ain, 16  miles  northeast  of  Tubac,  and  45  miles  south  and  a  little  east  of  Tucson.  It  was  on  a  dry, 
rocky  mesa,  on  the  north  bank  of  a  clear  mountain  stream  which  sank  at  a  little  distance  below 
the  post.  The  men  were  quartered  in  A  tents,  the  officers  in  huts,  which  were  a  conglomerate  of 
stone,  rawhide,  planks,  canvas,  and  logs.  From  this  the  troops  were  moved  to  Tubac,  on  account 
of  Indian  outrages  committed  there.  A  church  and  a  number  of  adobe  buildings  were  turned  over 
by  the  citizens  for  their  accommodation.  In  February,  18G8,  they  were  ordered  to  the  position  which 
they  now  occupy,  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  the  settlement  of  the  Sonoita  Valley  and  continu- 
ing their  protection  of  the  Sonora  frontier.  The  site  selected  was  a  high  ground,  surrounded  by 
deep  ravines,  half  a  mile  northeast  of  the  remains  of  old  Fort  Buchanan,  a  military  post  which  was 
abandoned  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  rebellion. 

The  surrounding  country  is  rolling  and  affords  excellent  grazing.  It  is  sparsely  timbered  with 
live-oak  trees  of  small  growth,  but  which  become  more  luxuriant  as  the  mountains  are  approached. 
Pine  timber  is  plentiful  in  the  gorges  of  the  Santa  Rita. 

The  soil  is  a  reddish  yellow  clay  intimately  mixed  with  a  large  proportion  of  coarse  gravel,  a 
compound  which  retains  surface  water  in  situations  where  there  is  no  natural  drainage.  The  camp, 
however,  is  well  drained  naturally  by  its  slope,  and  this  is  aided  by  some  superficial  drains  tending 
toward  the  ravines.  One  of  the  ravines  on  the  southern  aspect  of  the  camp  shallows  out  into  a 
marsh,  for  the  drainage  of  which  no  work  has  yet  been  attempted. 

Southeast  of  the  post,  and  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant,  is  the  source  of  the  Sonoita  River, 
which,  after  a  west-southwest  course,  empties  into  the  Santa  Cruz  near  Calabasas.  Cottonwood, 
willow,  sycamore,  elder,  and  walnut  are  found  along  its  banks.  The  valley  widens  out  in  many 
places  into  valuable  agricultural  lands,  which  can  be  irrigated  with  little  labor.  Each  company  of 
the  garrison  cultivates  a  garden  about  four  miles  below  the  post,  near  the  now  deserted  settlement 
of  Casa  Blanca. 

Southwest  from  camp,  and  one  and  a  half  miles  distant,  is  a  warm  spring,  the  water  of  which 
is  clear,  inodorous,  and  tasteless,  and  of  a  temperature  of  81°  F.  A  mile  beyond  this,  in  the  same 
direction,  are  the  Monkey  Springs,  which  cover  all  surrounding  objects  with  deposits  of  travertin. 
A  well  in  the  center  of  camp  furnishes  water  for  drinking  and  cooking,  which  is  clear,  cool,  and 
agreeable  to  the  taste.  That  from  the  source  of  the  Sonoita  is  employed  for  washing  and  bathing. 
Game  is  abundant  in  the  surrounding  country.  The  mean  temperature  for  the  year  ending  June 
30,  1S69,  was  58.59°  F.,  the  extremes  being,  on  July  1,  at  2  p.  in.,  105°,  and  on  December  14,  1863, 
at  7  a.  m.,  25°  F.  Rain-fall  15.6  inches.  Snow  falls  occasionally,  but  lies  only  for  a  short  time. 
The  prevailing  winds  are  south  and  •westerly. 

During  the  first  year  the  three  companies,  which  for  the  most  part  of  the  time  formed  the  gar- 
rison, lived  in  A  tents,  and  made  use  of  such  of  the  old  buildings  of  Fort  Buchanan  as  could  be 
made  serviceable.  One  by  one,  as  the  buildings  of  the  new  post  were  finished,  they  were  occupied. 
At  the  present  time  two  sets  of  company  quarters  are  completed,  a  guard-house,  hospital,  commis- 
sary store-house,  corrals,  and  siuks.  No  officers'  quarters  have  yet  been  built,  but  three  mess- 
rooms,  with  kitchens  adjoining,  are  used  as  quarters  for  the  time  being.  Of  the  old  buildings 
which  have  been  repaired  for  temporary  use,  one  is  the  quartermasters'  store-house,  another  that 
of  the  post  trader,  while  three  are  used  by  quartermasters'  employes,  and  one  by  the  only  soldier's 
family  at  the  post.  These  are  all  in  poor  condition,  and  leak  badly  during  rains.  No  mess-rooms 
for  the  men  have  been  built  yet. 

The  new  buildings  are  all  of  adobe,  and  furnished  with  mud  roofs,  except  the  guard  house, 
which  is  shingled ;  this  exceptional  roof  was  found  during  the  past  season  to  be  the  only  one 
which  was  weather-proof.  As  shingles  can  be  cut  by  soldier  labor  in  the  Santa  Rita  Mountains, 
it  has  been  suggested  that  all  the  roofs  be  so  constructed. 

The  two  sets  of  company  quarters  are  built  each  in  the  form  of  the  letter  E,  and  consist  of  a 
main  building,  117  by  18  by  11  feet,  two  wings,  each  18  by  18  by  11  feet,  one  of  which  is  the  first 
sergeants'  room,  and  a  kitchen,  20  by  16  feet,  and  bakery,  20  by  14  feet.  These  quarters  afford  to 
the  men  occupying  them  an  air  space  per  man  of  600  cubic  feet;  but  that  this  may  be  so,  a  detach- 
ment of  one  of  the  companies  is  obliged  to  live  in  tents  near  by.  They  are  warmed  by  four  fire- 
places, lighted  and  ventilated  by  nine  windows,  two  doors,  and  a  number  of  loopholes,  six  inches 
60 


474 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


square,  near  the  roof.  The  buuks  are  well  raised  and  solidly  built,  each  accommodating  two  men ; 
the  only  fixtures  are  wooden  arm-racks  and  benches. 

The  guard-house  consists  of  a  guard-room,  and  prison-room  communicating  with  it ;  the  former 
is  17£  by  20  by  9  feet,  giving  to  an  average  occupancy  of  twelve  meu  2G6  cubic  feet  of  air  space; 
the  latter,  17$  by  15J  by  9  feet,  furnishes  each  of  its  eight  occupants  with  310  cubic  feet.  Each 
of  the  rooms  has  a  fireplace,  and  as  ventilators,  in  lieu  of  windows,  the  prison-room  has  apertures 
in  the  wall  near  the  roof. 

The  commissary  building  is  100  by  21  by  9  feet,  and  has  the  corrals  near  by  it,  surrounded  by 
an  adobe  wall,  132  by  100  feet.  Refuse  from  the  corral  and  camp  is  wagoned  to  a  ravine  350 yards 
distant,  where,  when  dry,  it  is  burned. 

The  hospital  has  been  built  on  the  lowest  portion  of  the  site  of  the  camp,  and  is  the  building 
nearest  the  marsh  above  mentioned,  receiving  from  it,  with  the  prevailing  winds,  the  full  influence 
of  its  exhalations.  The  roof  is  in  such  poor  condition  that  during  a  late  storm  the  floor  became 
flooded,  and  the  patients  had  to  be  removed  from  the  ward.  It  has  since  been  repaired,  and 
covered  with  a  layer  of  lime  and  fine  sand.  The  building  is  divided  into  a  ward,  55  by  17J  by  11 
feet,  and  a  dispensary,  14J  by  17J  by  11  feet.  The  ward  contains  twelve  beds,  to  each  of  which  it 
affords  a  superficies  of  80  feet,  and  an  air  space  of  880  cubic  feet.  Average  occupation,  four.  Tents 
are  made  use  of  as  kitchen,  mess-room,  and  bath-room.  As  yet  there  is  no  store-room  other  than 
the  dispensary. 

The  cavalry  of  this  command  has  been  almost  constantly  employed  in  scouting  and  escort 
duty,  while  the  infantry  have  performed  most  of  the  camp  duties,  including  the  building  of  the 
greater  portion  of  the  post.  Their  recreations  comprised  base  ball,  and  exercise  on  the  horizontal 
and  parallel  bars. 

The  full  regular  ration  has  been  issued  to  the  men,  and,  with  the  exception  of  the  beef,  its 
component  parts  have  been  of  good  quality.  Corn,  cabbage,  onions,  potatoes,  tomatoes,  and  peas 
are  obtained  from  the  company  gardens,  in  part  also  by  purchase  with  company  funds,  and  by 
personal  purchases  of  the  soldiers.  Vegetables  from  the  Sonoita  and  Santa  Cruz  Valleys  are 
worth  20  to  25  cents  per  pound.  Eggs  from  Sonora  are  $1  a  dozen.  Butter  is  seldom  seen,  and  is 
received  only  from  San  Bernardino,  in  Southern  California,  by  way  of  Tucson,  scarcely  any  being 
produced  in  the  adjacent  country. 

Scurvy  was  to  some  extent  present  in  the  command  during  the  winter  months ;  but  in  May, 
when  the  produce  of  the  company  gardens  became  available,  the  disease  disappeared.  Intermit- 
tent fever  is  the  prevailing  disease. 

A  few  settlers,  farming  parts  of  the  Souoita  Valley,  are  the  only  inhabitants  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  post ;  but  Apache  raiding  parties  frequently  pass  in  the  neighborhood. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Crittenclen,  Arizona 

Territory,  for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


A 

1     . 

•j 

Ij 

1 

i 

i 

=  ^i 

0 

• 

« 

Years. 

E 
d 

1 

§  .2 

q     M 

,| 
5    5 

Typhoid  fe\ 

Malarial  fev 

Diarrhoea 
dysenteri 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  disc 

In 

Rheumatism 

Phthisis. 

Catarrlial  a 

tidllH." 

No.  of  deaths 

1868,  (9  months) 

207  88 

716 

1 

nfi.l 

18 

3 

1869  

137  83 

663 

487 

fi9 

(5 

*Incln<lo  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  DATE  GREEK,  ARIZONA  TERRITORY. 


475 


CAMP   DATE    CREEK,   ARIZONA   TERRITORY. 


INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  ASSISTANT 


SURGEONS   R.  M.  O'REILLY  AND  CHARLES  SMART,  UNITED 
STATES  ARMY. 


K 


Camp  Date  Creek,  until  recently  known  as  Camp  McPhersou,  is  on  the  left  or  south  bank  of  the 
creek,  about  700  yards  distant  from  it  and  100  feet  above  its  level.  Communication  with  San 
Francisco,  California,  is  effected  by  way  of  Camp  Whipple  and  Prescott,  which  is  GO  miles  distant 
by  the  road,  although  but  little  more  than  half  that  distance  in  a  direct  line  northeast,  and  with 
Washington  by  way  of  Maricopa  Wells  and  Tucson.  The  road  from  La  Paz,  on  the  Colorado  River, 
east  to  the  mining  town  of  Wickeyburg,  passes  the  post,  intersecting  the  northern  road  to  Prescott. 
The  upland  valley  in  which  the  camp  is  placed  is  surrounded  by  high  lands.  Three  miles  distant 
on  the  east  is  the  divide  between  the  waters  of  the  Hassyampa,  tributary  to  the  Gila,  and  the 
William's  Fork  of  the  Colorado,  of  which  Date  Creek  is  one  of  the  headwaters.  The  soil  of  the 
valley  is  gravelly  and  well  covered  with  gramma  and  gayeta  grasses,  except  where  the  underlying 
metam orphic  rocks  crop  out  into  broad  belts  of  cactus  and  yucca-covered  malpais.  Half  a  mile 
down  stream,  to  the  west  of  the  post,  the  creek  flows  through  a  canon  150  feet  wide  and  from  50  to 
200  feet  deep,  below  which  there  are  some  strips  of  fertile  bottom  land,  on  which  farms  have  been 
located  by  a  few  settlers.  Mesqnite,  cottonwco  1,  and  willow  grow  along  the  creek. 

The  climate  of  this  part  of  the  country  is  hot  and  dry,  with  a  rainy  season  occurring  in  autumn. 
The  mean  temperature  for  the  year  ending  June  30, 1869,  was  63.04°  F.,  with  the  wet-bulb  indicating 
54.75°.  The  extremes  of  temperature  were  21°  and  108°  F.  Prevailing  wind,  southerly. 

The  Date  Creek  Camp  was  originally  established  in  1864,  by  California  volunteers.  In  1866  the 
troops  were  moved  25  miles  north  on  the  road  to  Prescott  for  the  protection  of  settlers  in  Skull 
Valley.  In  1867  the  command  returned  to  Date  Creek,  and  went  into 
quarters  close  to  the  bank.  This  position  was  found  to  be  very  unhealthy, 
the  greater  portion  of  the  men  being  prostrated  during  the  fever  season 
commencing  with  the  July  rains.  Hence  in  1868  they  were  moved  to  the 
higher  ground  further  from  the  creek — the  present  location.  In  this  the 
drainage  is  good,  both  from  the  gravelly  character  of  the  soil  and  the 
incline  toward  the  bed  of  the  stream. 

The  buildings  are  arranged  so  as  to  inclose  a  quadrangular  parade 
ground — the  men's  quarters,  kitchens,  and  post  bake-house  on  the  north, 
those  of  the  officers  on  the  south,  the  guard-house  on  the  east,  and  hos- 
pital on  the  west.  The  soldiers'  quarters  are  two  adobe  buildings,  each 
76  by  20  by  13  feet,  with  shingled  roof  and  earthen  floor.  Ventilation  is 
effected  in  each  by  eight  windows,  two  doors,  a  series  of  apertures,  9  by 
4£  inches,  just  above  the  ground  level,  and  an  air  space  between  the 
roof  and  walls.  These  are  aided  by  an  open  fireplace  at  each  end  and  a 
wood-stove  in  the  center.  Air  space  per  man  of  average  occupation,  350 
cubic  feet.  The  bunks  are  framed,  and,  with  the  arm-racks,  form  the  only 
fixtm \  B  of  these  dormitories. 

Ti  hospital  is  a  shingled  adobe  building,  wanned  and  ventilated  in 
the  sain  manner  as  the  quarters  of  the  men. 

The  arrangement  of  the  building  is  shown  in  Figure  58.  A,  ward,  30 
by  18  feet ;  C,  surgery,  14  by  12  feet ;  D,  dispensary,  14  by  14  feet ;  E, 
store-room,  14  by  8  feet ;  K,  kitchen,  14  by  14  feet ;  M,  mess-room,  14  by 
12  feet.  Height  of  rooms,  14  feet. 

The  ward  is  furnished  with  twelve  beds,  to  each  of  which  it  affords 
630  cubic  feet  of  air  space.  Its  average  occupation  is  six  patients.  Its 
supplies  are  obtained  from  San  Francisco,  California,  and  are  required 
for  yearly.  No  ambulance  at  the  post. 


M 


D 


Figure  58.— Scale  20  feetto 
1  inch. 


476 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITAEY  POSTS. 


The  first  sergeant's  room  and  company  store  room,  each  16  by  14  feet,  and  the  kitchens  (two  in 
number)  and  bake-house,  each  23  by  14  feet,  are  of  the  same  kind  of  materials  as  the  barracks.  No 
mess-rooms  have,  yet  been  built.  The  officers'  quarters  are  four  mud-roofed  adobe  buildings,  each 
containing  a  single  room,  26  by  13  feet.  The  guard-house,  at  present,  is  represented  by  wall  tents 
for  the  ten  members  of  the  guard  and  average  of  three  prisoners.  The  quartermaster  and  subsist- 
ence store-house  is  outside  the  line  of  buildings  around  the  parade.  It  is  100  by  22  feet,  built  of 
stone  and  roofed  with  shingles.  The  sinks,  properly  in  rear,  are  open  trenches  with  willow  shades. 

The  water  supply  is  carted  from  the  creek  in  barrels  and  run  through  charcoal  niters.  It  is 
largely  impregnated  with  organic  matter.  In  the  unhealthy  autumn  season  permanganate  of 
potash  was  likewise  made  use  of.  A  well  is  being  sunk. 

The  diseases  prevalent  are  all  of  malarial  origin.  It  is  expected  that  the  removal  of  the  camp 
from  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  creek,  and  success  attending  the  attempt  to  sink  the  well, 
will  materially  decrease  the  sick  rate  of  this  post. 

The  Indian  tribes  in  the  vicinity  are  hostile  ;  Yavapais  and  Apache  Mojaves. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Date  Creelc,  Arizona 

Territory,  for  the  year  18G9. 


,« 

•e 

CO 

i 

S 

a 

a 

,y 

i 

W 

•p 

s  -g 

6 

!>• 

§ 

a 

• 

S 

Year. 

a 
£ 
1 
a 

1 

S    -Z 
S     x 

.a  -3 
P 

Malarial  fe\ 

Diarrheea 
dysenter 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  dia 

Scurvy. 

Rheumatisi 

Catarrhal 
tions.  * 

a 

o 
6 

1869 

103  16 

364 

132 

79 

9 

1 

1 

17 

16 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


CAMP  CADY,  CALIFORNIA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED   BY   ASSISTANT  SURGEON  CHARLES  SMART   AND  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SUR- 
GEON F.   A.  ROMATKA,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Camp  Cady  is  situated  in  San  Bernardino  County,  on  the  road  leading  from  Wilmington,  on 
the  coast,  into  Northern  Arizona.  The  road  to  Salt  Lake  City  branches  off  a  few  miles  west  of  the 
post.  The  town  of  San  Bernardino  lies  west  about  130  miles;  Hardy ville,  on  the  Colorado  River, 
about  the  same  distance  east.  Communication  with  San  Francisco,  California,  is  effected  by  means 
of  steamer  to  Wilmington,  whence  the  road  leads  eastward  by  San  Bernardino.  Letters  reach  San 
Francisco  in  eight  days;  Washington  in  eighteen. 

The  post,  as  it  now  exists,  was  established  in  the  autumn  of  1868,  about  half  a  mile  distant 
from  the  point  formerly  occupied.  This  situation  was  originally  garrisoned,  about  fourteen  years 
ago,  to  protect  the  sparsely  settled  districts  of  Southern  California,  and  the  line  of  travel  between 
them  and  Utah  from  the  inroads  of  Pi-Utes  and  Mojave  Indians.  The  post  is  placed  about  300 
yards  from  the  north  bank  of  the  Mojave  River,  on  a  small  plateau  30  feet  higher  than  the  bed  of 
the  stream,  but  a  little  lower  than  the  level  of  the  surrounding  country.  This  point  is  in  part 
sheltered  by  a  few  low  hills,  against  the  western  base  of  which  is  impacted  much  of  the  sand  which 
would  otherwise  sweep  over  the  camp  with  the  prevailing  winds.  The  neighboring  country  is  part 
of  the  Colorado  desert  or  plateau,  a  level  sauu  waste,  which,  from  this  point  of  view,  is  encircled 
by  bare  and  grotesquely  eroded  mountain  ranges,  which  rise  from  1,000  to  4,000  feet  above  the 
desert  level.  These  are  from  20  to  60  miles  distant  from  the  post,  and  are  said  to  be  rich  in  silver 
aud  lead.  The  plateau  bears  little  other  than  the  wild  sage,  and  in  many  parts  is  destitute  even  of 
this,  bearing,  instead  of  vegetation,  a  white,  glistening  efflorescence  of  soda  salts.  A  few  scattered 
bunches  of  grass  grow  along  the  river,  aud  stunted  specimens  of  cottonwood,  mesquite,  and  willow, 
tangled  witli  wiul  vines.  Attempts  have  been  made  to  cultivate  a  post  garden,  but  the  alkalinity 
of  tae  soil  has  rendered  them  all  fruitless.  Antelope  and  mountain  sheep  are  sometimes  seen  on 


CAMP  CADY,  CALIFORNIA. 


477 


the  mountain  ridges,  but  it  is  chiefly  along  the  river  that  game  is  discovered,  consisting  of  rabbits, 
quail,  ducks,  and  geese.  A  small  water  turtle  is  found,  and  some  mountain  trout.  The  coyote, 
lizards,  snakes,  scorpions,  tarantulas,  centipedes,  and  all  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  American 
desert  are  plentiful  here. 

The  soil  is  sandy,  with  an  admixture  of  clay,  which,  when  sun-dried  after  rain,  gives  its  surface 
a  firm  coating,  as  if  covered  with  a  layer  of  adobe  plastering. 

This  part  of  the  country  has  its  dry  and  wet  season,  but  the  latter  is  usually  abortive,  the 
quantity  of  rain  being  small.  The  temperature  of  the  year  has  been  03.18°  F.,  the  wet  bulb  show- 
ing for  the  same  time  a  mean  of  62.69°.  The  extremes  were  116°  and  22°  F.  The  prevailing  winds 
are  from  the  west,  frequently  blowing  strong  and  continuously,  constituting  sand-storms,  in  which 
the  air  is  so  clouded  with  fine-particles  that  objects  within  a  few  yards  are  only  visible.  The  mirage 
is  of  frequent  appearance. 

.  The  post  has  a  parade  ground  300  yards  square,  and  has  the  buildings  arranged  along  three  of 
its  sides.  The  buildings  are  of  adobe,  floored,  and  shingle-rcofed,  plastered  outside  and  plastered 
and  whitewashed  inside.  The  officers'  quarters  is  the  only  building  ceiled.  The  hospital  and  laun- 
dresses' quarters  have  not  been  built.  For  temporary  use  as  such  the  buildings  of  the  old  camp  are 
retained.  Cases  requiring  hospital  treatment  are  few. 

The  barrack  building  is  86  by  26  by  12  feet,  but  has  the  northwest  and  southeast  corners  par- 
titioned off  as  temporary  dispensary  and  saddler's  shop  respectively.  It  is  heated  by  stoves  when 
necessary,  lighted  and  ventilated  by  twelve  windows  and  three  doors,  and  has  furnished,  to  the 
average  occupation  of  the  past  year,  650  cubic  feet  of  air  space  per  man.  The  bunks  are  temporary 
structures  made  by  the  men.  In  rear  of  this  building  is  one,  48  by  18  feet,  partitioned  into  a  kitchen 
and  mess-room. 

The  officers'  quarters  is  one  building,  36  by  18  feet,  divided  by  a  hall  into  two  rooms.  There  is 
a  wing  in  rear,  14  by  12  feet,  and  a  small  out-house  as  kitchen. 

The  building  constructed  as  a  guard-house  is  26  by  18  feet,  and  divided  into  two  rooms,  which, 
for  the  time  being,  are  occupied  as  quarters  by  the  post  surgeon  and  his  family,  a  hospital  tent  being 
used  meanwhile  as  guard  house. 

The  store-house,  76  by  24  by  14  feet,  is  divided  into  a  room  for  quartermasters  stores,  one  for 
subsistence,  and  an  office.  The  corrals  and  sinks  are  near  the  river,  sufficiently  distant  from  the 
quarters. 

The  water  supply  is  at  present  obtained  from  springs  in  the  bank  of  the  river,  at  the  site  of 
the  old  post,  half  a  mile  distant.  Some  half  a  dozen  wells  have  been  dug,  and  water  invariably 
found  at  from  3  to  5  feet,  but  it  has  proved  unfit  for  use  from  its  alkalinity. 

The  ration  issued  has  been  of  good  quality,  but  the  commissary  department  has  been  almost 
the  only  source  of  vegetable  supplies.  A  good  stock  of  canned  vegetables  has  been  on  hand  for 
purchase.  Potatoes  and  onions  are  occasionally  brought  from  San  Bernardino.  There  have  been 
no  diseases  at  the  post,  except  trivial  cases.  Care  has  been  taken  to  secure  all  the  vegetables  pos- 
sible as  preventive  of  scurvy. 

The  hospital  is  kept  well  supplied  with  medicines  and  stores  by  yearly  requisitions  on  the  medi- 
cal purveyor  at  San  Francisco,  California. 

There  are  no  inhabitants  in  the  vicinity.  Occasionally  a  baud  of  hostile  Indians,  supposed  to 
be  Pi-Utes,  cross  the  road  on  their  way  to  or  from  the  Colorado  River. 

Statement  shoicing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Camp  Cady,  California,  for 

the  years  1868  and  1869. 


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1-2 

9 

1859  .     .. 

26  33 

46 

12 

12 

2 

1 

5 

1 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


478  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


FORT  YUMA,  CALIFORNIA. 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  J.  V.  LAUDERDALE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

After  receiving  the  Gila  at  a  point  160  miles  from  its  mouth,  the  Colorado  Kiver  turns  suddenly 
westward  and  forces  its  way  through  a  rocky  defile,  70  feet  high,  350  yards  long,  and  200  yards 
wide,  thus  cutting  oft' a  narrow  rocky  bluff  aud  leaving  it  as  an  isolated  eminence  on  the  California 
side  of  the  river.  On  this  rocky  eminence,  which  has  been  shifted  not.  many  ages  since  from  the 
Arizona  to  the  California  side  of  the  ever-varying  stream,  (and  during  high  water  it  is  hard  to  tell 
which  side  it  is  on,  as  the  water  flows  freely  all  around  it,)  stands  Fort  Yuma,  (latitude  32°  32' 
north,  longitude  114°  36'  9"  west,)  rising  gray  and  somber  above  the  broad  sea  of  green  as  it  is 
approached  on  the  emigrant  road  from  Pilot  Knob.  At  this  point  the  bottom  lands  adjacent  to  the 
river  average  seven  miles  in  width,  and  are  covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  cottonwood  and  mes- 
quite.  Chains  of  low  serrated  hills  and  mountains  limit  the  view  on  nearly  every  side,  all  bare  and 
gray  save  when  painted  by  the  sun  with  delicate  tints  of  blue  and  purple. 

History  says  that  in  the  year  1540  the  Viceroy  of  Spain  sent  Fernando  Alarchon  to  explore  the 
Gulf  of  California,  and  he  discovered  the  mouth  of  the  Colorado,  which  he  describes  as  "  a  very 
mighty  river  which  runs  with  so  great  a  fury  of  stream  that  we  could  hardly  sail  against  it."  The 
difficulty  of  ascending  this  river  is  due  to  the  tidal  wave  flowing  from  the  ocean  through  the  Gulf 
of  California,  and  to  a  greater  or  less  distance  (depending  on  the  height  of  the  annual  overtiow) 
up  the  river,  renders  it  unsafe  for  any  but  light-draught  boats  to  make  the  attempt.  All  freight  from 
San  Francisco  must  be  reshipped  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  the  boats  are  able  to  run  up  as  far 
as  Fort  Yuma,  where  the  average  depth  is  4  feet.  During  the  mouths  of  June  and  July  the  flood 
from  the  hills  meets  the  tidal  waves  from  the  Gulf  and  causes  an  overflow  or  setting  back  of  the 
waters  over  the  California  desert,  filling  up  the  basins  and  that  long  bayou  known  as  New  River, 
from  which,  during  the  summer,  it  gradually  recedes  or  is  evaporated  by  the  burning  sun.  The 
course  of  the  river  from  the  gorge  at  Fort  Yuma  is  remarkably  straight  as  far  as  Pilot  Knob,  a  dis- 
tance of  10  miles ;  the  banks  are  regular,  and  the  current  so  rapid  that  bodies  set  afloat  at  the  fort 
will  be  carried  nearly  to  the  Knob. 

Before  reaching  the  fort  the  road  leads  the  traveler  through  a  long  avenue,  shaded  by  young 
cottonwoods  and  inesquite,  with  an  impenetrable  growth  of  arrow-busk  aud  cane ;  at  length  he 
arrives  at  the  bend  of  the  river,  aud  the  water  no  longer  bears  the  Colorado  or  ruddy  tint  which 
gives  it  its  name,  but  appears  of  a  muddy  color,  the  red  being  due  to  reflected  light.  What  ap- 
peared in  the  distance  to  be  a  heavy  fortification  resolves  itself  into  a  collection  of  substantial 
adobe  houses,  inclosed  by  deep  verandas  with  Venetian  blinds,  which  shut  out  every  direct  ray  of 
sunlight  and  exhibits  an  air  of  privacy  unsurpassed  by  the  surroundings  of  a  Mormon  harem. 
Shade  trees  are  an  impossibility,  and  "grassed  surfaces"  unknown.  Paragraphs  42  and  43,  Re- 
vised Regulations,  do  not  apply  to  Fort  Yuma. 

Leaving  the  flat  land  along  the  river,  we  ascend  the  rocky  hill  toward  the  fort,  aud,  by  an  easy 
winding  roadway,  cut  out  of  the  side  of  the  bluff,  reach  the  hollow  square  called  the  parade.  Not 
one  single  blade  of  grass,  or  viue,  or  tree,  worthy  of  the  name,  is  seen ;  all  is  rock  and  the  debris 
of  rock,  and  in  many  places  the  abraded  faces  of  the  crumbling  feldspathic  granite  forms  the  sub- 
stantial but  gritty  pathway. 

All  the  buildings  at  the  post  are  of  sun-dried  brick,  and  neatly  plastered  within  and  without. 
They  are  constructed  one  story  high,  with  lofty  ceilings,  large  rooms,  with  double  sash  doors 
extending  from  floors  nearly  to  ceiling,  and  affording  the  freest  ventilation.  The  roofs  are  made 
double  like  the  walls,  inclosing  an  air  chamber,  and  over  all  a  metal  sheeting.  Each  house  is  sur- 
rounded on  all  sides  by  a  veranda,  and  adjacent  houses  have  their  verandas  meet  so  that  an  inmate 
may  pass  from  house  to  house  without  exposing  himself  to  the  sun. 

That  which  entitles  Yuma  to  the  designation  of  fort  are  certain  unpretentious  intrenchincnts 
scattered  along  the  slopes  of  the  bluff,  which  command  the  river  and  the  bottom-lands  adja- 
cent ;  they  are  not  visible  from  the  river,  and  the  spectator  is  not  aware  of  their  existence  until  he 


FOET  TUMA,  CALIFORNIA. 


479 


steps  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff  and  looks  down  upon  their  gabion  revetments.  They  were  constructed 
for  barbette  guns,  bnt  are  now  dismantled. 

This  not  being  a  point  for  offensive  operations,  the  garrison  is  small  and  chiefly  engaged  in 
guard  duty  at  the  large  quartermaster's  depot  across  the  river,  and  in  escorting  supply  trains  to 
the  interior  of  Arizona. 

The  parade  we  find  a  stony  lawn  ;  the  rocky  hill  roughly  dressed  and  made  smooth  by  filling  in 
with  fine  grit,  and  inclosing  a  square  200  by  600  feet  in  extent,  with  a  gentle  slope  toward  the  river. 
The  arrangement  of  the  post  is  shown  in  Figure  59. 


i) 


CJ 
s 


cm 
s 


1 

J  
B 

B 

!ni      ll~  1 

m 

[Hi 

...I  
B 

MB 


L 


Figure  59— Scale,  160  feet  to  1  inch. 

A,  commanding  officer's  quarters;  B,  company  quarters;  C,  quartermaster  and  adjutant's 
offices ;  E,  store-houses ;  F,  flag-staff ;  G,  guard-house ;  H,  hospital ;  K,  kitchen ;  L,  ordnance 
office;  MN,  corral ;  O,  officers' quarters ;  OD,  dining-room  ;  OK,  kitchen:  P,  shops;  E,  reservoir; 
S,  sinks;  T,  sutler's  store;  V,  bastions;  W,  bakery. 

This  post  is  well  selected  as  a  defense  against  Indians ;  it  is  very  healthy,  but  it  is  impossible 
to  find  a  more  uninviting  spot  for  a  residence  than  this  small  promontory  of  decomposing  trachyte. 
The  earth  and  rock  are  of  that  light  ash-gray  color  so  trying  to  the  eyes  that  it  is  a  relief  to  stand 
near  the  flag-staff  at  the  brow  of  the  hill  and  look  out  upon  the  green  vegetation  that  everywhere 
covers  the  bottom  lauds. 

Being  near  an  extensive  desert  the  air  is  very  dry,  and  evaporation  is  rapid.  Rain  seldom 
falls;  the  annual  quantity  does  not  exceed  five  inches.  During  the  months  of  April,  May,  and 
June  no  rain  falls ;  then,  with  the  thermometer  at  105°,  the  perspiration  is  scarcely  seen  upon  the 
skin,  and  it  becomes  dry  and  harsh,  and  the  hair  crispy.  Furniture  put  together  at  the  North  and 
brought  here  falls  to  pieces;  traveling  chests  gap  at  their  seams,  and  a  sole-leather  trunk  contracts 
so  that  with  difficulty  the  tray  can  be  lifted.  Furniture  to  hold  together  must  be  made  of  the  very 
driest  timber.  The  extreme  dryness  of  the  atmosphere  is  observed  in  the  ink  that  dries  so  rapidly 
upon  the  pen  that  it  requires  washing  off  every  few  minutes.  A  No.  2  "  Faber  "  leaves  no  more 


480 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MILITARY  POSTS. 


trace  on  paper  than  a  piece  of  anthracite,  and  it  is  necessary  to  keep  one  immersed  in  water  while 
using  one  that  has  been  standing  in  water  some  time.  Newspapers  require  to  be  unfolded  with 
care  ;  if  rudely  handled  they  break.  I  was  called  to  inspect  some  commissary  stores  a  short  time 
ago,  and  the  loss  they  had  sustained  was  remarkable.  Twelve-pound  boxes  of  soap  weighed  ten 
pounds.  Hams  had  lost  12  per  cent,  and  rice  2  per  cent  of  their  original  weight.  Eggs  that 
have  been  on  hand  for  a  few  weeks  lose  their  watery  contents  by  evaporation  ;  the  remainder  is 
thick  and  tongh ;  this  has  probably  led  to  the  story  that  our  hens  lay  hard-boiled  eggs. 

The  mercury  gained  the  highest  point  last  summer,  on  the  2d  day  of  July,  when,  for  two  hours, 
it  stood  at  113°  in  the  shade.  All  metallic  bodies  were  hot  to  the  touch ;  my  watch  felt  like  a  hot 
boiled  egg  in  my  pocket ;  the  cords  of  my  grass  hammock  were  like  heated  wires.  At  snch  times, 
if  the  wind  is  from  the  south,  the  air  is  like  that  from  the  mouth  of  a  furnace,  hot  and  ovenish. 

The  effort  to  cool  one's  self  with  an  ordinary  fan  would  be  vain,  because  the  surrounding 
atmosphere  is  of  a  higher  temperature  than  the  body.  The  earth  under  foot  is  dry  and  powdery, 
and  hot  as  flour  just  ground,  while  the  rocks  are  so  hot  that  the  hands  cannot  be  borne  upon  them. 
The  parade  is  always  hot  at  midday,  and  the  story  told  of  the  dog  that  ran  on  three  legs  across  it, 
barking  with  pain  at  every  step,  may  be  correct,  though  I  have  never  seen  it  tried. 

This  post,  although  not  the  most  southerly,  is  the  hottest  military  post  in  the  United  States ; 
the  mean  annual  temperature  is  76.86°.  The  highest  temperature  recorded  in  our  books  since  1850, 
when  the  post  was  established,  is  119°,  observed  at  2.25  p.  m.,  June  16,  1859.  The  monthly  mean 
for  July,  1868,  was  93°,  and  for  nineteen  days  the  mercury  at  2  p.  m.  stood  above  100°.  A  tem- 
perature of  100°  may  exist  at  Fort  Yuma  for  weeks  in  succession,  and  there  will  be  no  additional 
cases  of  sickness  in  consequence. 

The  dress  must  be  of  the  lightest,  suitable  to  the  temperature.  The  lightest  woolen  fabrics 
that  are  made  should  be  worn  next  to  the  skin,  or,  if  woolen  is  not  borne  well,  cotton.  The  dress 
of  the  natives  is  very  simple.  The  heavily  fringed  kilt,  made  of  the  bark  of  the  cottonwood,  or 
woolen  yarn,  in  two  divisions  which  hardly  come  together  at  the  hips,  and  worn  about  the  loins,  is 
the  fashion  which  obtains  among  the  Yuma  women,  while  the  men  of  this  tribe  encumber  them- 
selves with  about  two  yards  of  muslin,  and  a  belt  or  strap. 

Ice  is  never  seen,  not  even  on  the  coldest  day  in  winter.  I  do  not  think  it  would  be  desirable 
to  have  the  article  in  summer  if  it  could  be  furnished.  The  water  we  drink  is  relatively  cool  at  60° 
to  75°,  and  is  very  refreshing. 

We  have  none  of  the  malarial  diseases  incident  to  the  cities  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  or  along 
the  eastern  seaboard.  The  heat  depresses  the  already  debilitated,  and  we  miss  the  tonic  effect  of 
cold  weather;  but  those  who  come  here  in  good  health,  and  observe  the  ordinary  rules  for  preserv- 
ing it,  will  have  nothing  to  fear  from  the  high  temperature. 

Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  sick,  and  principal  diseases  at  Fort  Yuma,  California, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1869. 


h 

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X 

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A 

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T3 

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O     0 

3 

1 

I 

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1 

CO 

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£ 

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97.5 

135 

17 

29 

20 

8 

13 

11 

3 

1869  

128  5 

111 

1 

16 

20 

17 

9 

1 

2 

1 

*  Include  laryngitis,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


DRUM  BARRACKS,  WILMINGTON,  CALIFORNIA.  481 


DRUM   BARRACKS,   WILMINGTON,   CALIFORNIA. 

INFORMATION  FURNISHED    BY   SURGEON   W.  F.   EDGAR,  UNITED  STATES  AK.MY.  AND  ASSISTANT  8UR- 

6EOM  CHARLES  SMART,   UNITED  STATES  ARMY. 

Drum  Barracks  is  situated  in  Los  Angeles  County,  California,  one  mile  from  and  .'55  feet  above 
tide-water  in  the  Bay  of  San  Pedro,  in  latitude  33°  42'  north,  and  118°  17'  S"  west  longitude.  The 
town  of  Los  Angeles  is  20  miles  distant  north.  The  seaport  of  Wilmington  lies  between  it  and  the 
bay.  On  all  other  sides  it  is  surrounded  by  a  plain  which  reaches  inland  to  the  spurs  of  the  mount- 
ain range  of  California.  The  soil  is  a  light,  sandy  loam,  barren  of  shade  trees  and  bearing  but 
little  grass,  although  it  produces  well  when  irrigated;  but  there  is  little  cultivated  land  in  the 
neighborhood  on  account  of  the  want  of  water.  The  climate  is  mild,  temperature  03°  F. ;  extremes, 
102°  and  32°  F.  Usually  a  light  breeze  from  the  southeast  blows  during  the  forenoon,  hut  is 
replaced  after  midday  by  one  stronger  from  the  northwest.  Occasionally  sand-storms  occur. 

The  post  was  established  during  the  late  war  as  a  depot  for  the  supply  of  the  column  of  troops 
which  passed  onward  into  Arizona.  It  was  built  for  five  companies,  and  to  supply  it  with  water  a 
ditch  and  flume  from  the  San  Gabriel  River  were  constructed  at  great  expense.  The  post  is  now 
in  poor  repair  and  the  Hume  valueless,  the  water  supply  being  carted  daily  from  the  wells  at  Wil- 
mington. The  buildings  are  seldom  occupied,  and  troops  passing  in  transit  to  or  from  Arizona  usually 
go  into  camp  somewhere  in  the  vicinity.  Sick  men  from  these  passing  commands  are  frequently 
left  for  treatment  at  the  post,  and  the  hospital  for  this  reason  has  been  kept  in  1  tetter  repair. 
There  are  no  quartermaster  or  subsistence  store-houses  at  the  post;  these  are  at  a  depot  near  the 
wharf  in  Wilmington.  Communication  with  San  Francisco,  California,  is  by  steamer  every  Thurs- 
day, arriving  on  Saturday. 

The  permanent  garrison  consists  of  a  detachment  of  infantry,  L'O  strong,  which  is  employed  in 
guard  and  fatigue  duties,  but  is  too  weak  to  be  able  to  keep  the  post  in  good  repair.  No  gardens 
are  cultivated,  but  fresh  vegetables,  grown  inland,  can  be  purchased  during  their  season. 

The  post  is  built  on  the  four  sides  of  a  square  of  eight  acres,  and  is  arranged  as  follows  :  On 
the  east  the  men's  quarters,  with  the  laundresses' quarters  and  bakery  in  rear;  on  the  west,  officers' 
quarters;  on  the  north,  commanding  officer's  quarters  and  adjutant's  ollice,  with  the  hospital  in  the 
northeast  angle;  on  the  south  the  guard-house,  magazine,  and  ordnance  store-room. 

The  men's  quarters  are  five  sets  of  frame  buildings;  each  set  80  by  30  feet,  one  story,  with 
ten  windows,  two  doors,  and  a  ventilating  flue,  3  by  3  feet,  in  the  center  of  the  roof;  each  set  is  fur- 
nished with  wooden  bunks,  and  would  give  about  400  c"ubic  feet  air  space  per  man  of  the  average 
strength  of  an  infantry  company.  Each  building  has  a  veranda  in  front  and  a  large  wing  in  rear, 
formerly  used  as  kitchen  and  mess-hall. 

The  officers'  quarters  on  the  west  side  are  two  large  two-story  -wooden  buildings,  with 
veranda  in  front.  Each  contains  four  rooms  on  each  floor,  20  by  18  feet,  with  two  one-story  wings 
in  rear  intended  as  dining-rooms  and  kitchens.  In  the  inclosnre  in  rear  are  also  sinks,  private 
stables,  and  fuel  houses. 

The  set  of  quarters  on  the  north  side  are  in  better  repair.  The  building  is  40  by  35  feet,  cot- 
tage-built, with  two  rooms,  20  by  15  feet,  and  three  11  by  12  feet,  dining-room  and  kitchen  attached. 
The  hospital  is  a  two-story  frame  building,  with  veranda  in  front.  It  is  80  by  40  feet,  and  has  two 
wings,  30  by  15  feet,  and  is  divided  into  two  wards,  39  by  40  feet ;  two  15  by  19  feet,  and  one  40  by 
15  feet,  an  office,  15  by  19  feet,  a  surgery,  15  by  19  feet,  and  a  steward's  room,  15  by  15  feet,  a  store- 
room, 15  by  15  feet,  a  kitchen,  15  by  20  feet,  a  dining-room,  15  by  40  feet,  and  a  bath-room,  15  by  10 
feet.  Sinks  are  100  feet  in  rear.  The  wards  can  accommodate  forty-two  patients,  to  each  of  which 
is  allowed  1,200  cubic  feet  of  air  space. 

The  cases  of  disease  left  for  treatment  by  troops  in  passing  are  usually  rheumatic  or  bron- 
chial affections,  or  diarrhoea.    There  are  no  ambulances  or  other  transportation  at  the  post;  but 
such  as  may  be  necessary  can  be  obtained  of  the  quartermaster's  department  at  Wilmington. 
61 


482 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  MIL1TAKY  POSTS. 


Statement  showing  mean  strength,  number  of  siclt,  and  principal  diseases  at  Drum  Barracks,  California, 

for  the  years  1868  and  1809. 


b 

nj 

00 

. 

1 

a 

i 

Q 

Years. 

Mean  streugtl 

Whole  uum 
taken  sick. 

Typhoid  fever 

Malarial  fever 

Diarrhoea  a 
dysentery. 

Tonsillitis. 

Venereal  disea 

Rheumatism. 

Phthisis. 

Catarrhal  aff 
tions.* 

No.  of  deaths. 

186H,  (4  ninnlh.s)  

80 

46 

1 

2 

10 

6 

. 

10 

172 

27 

26 

2 

„ 

20 

i 

1  Include  laryngitis  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  ajul  pleurisy. 


APPENDIX. 


REPORTS  ON  EXAMINATION  OF  AIR  IN  BARRACK  ROOMS. 

1.  Report  of  Assistant  Surgeon  V.  B.  Ilubbartl,  United  States  Army. 

2.  Report  of  Acting- Assistant  Surgeon  B.  F.  Craig,  United  States  Army. 


APPENDIX. 


REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  V.  1$.  HUHBARD,  UNITED  STATES  ARMV,  WI>T  POINT.  NEW  YORK. 

For  the  estimation  of  the  ctn-l>/»tii-  nciil,  the  process  followed  was  that  given  in  Frezenios's 
u  Quantitative  Analysis." 

For  the  estimation  of  the  organic  mat  to;  the  profess  followed  was  t  hat  gis  en  in  "I'arkc's  Manual 
of  Practical  Hygiene." 

For  the  determination  of  the  amount  of  carbonic  acid,  solutions  of  both  calcium  and  barium 
hydrates  were  used  ;  the  proportion  of  CO2  was  determined  by  a  standard  solution  of  oxalic  acid. 

The  first  analysis  was  made  of  the  air  contained  in  the  artillery  barrack. 

Date  and  hour  of  examination :  July  22,  1870,  1.30  o'clock  a.  in. 

Room  on  the  ground  floor. 

Contents  of  the  room,  in  cubic  feet,  13,OIG.L>5. 

Superficial  area  of  windows  and  door  open  at  the  time  of  examination,  in  feet,  131. 7.1. 

The  air  examined  was  taken  at  an  elevation  of  2  feet  6  inches  from  the  Hoor. 

Temperature  of  the  room  at  the  time  of  examination,  81°  F. 

Xo  perceptible  breeze  moving  at  the  time. 

Sleeping  in  the  room  at  the  time  of  examination,  19  men  ;  unoccupied  bunks,  3. 

Estimation  of  CO2. 

The  volume  of  air  examined  was  3,700  cubic  centimeters. 

The  solution  of  calcium  hydrate  indicated  the  presence  of  6.2~>  milligrams  of  CO2  in  the  volume 
of  air  examined. 

The  solution  of  barium  hydrate  indicated  the  presence  of  fl.50  milligrams  of  CO-  in  the  same 
volume  of  air. 

Taking  the  mean  of  these  as  the  correct  amount,  and  reducing  the  volume  of  air  examined  at 
81°  F.,  to  what  it  would  be  at  02°  F.,  we  find  9.58  volumes  of  CO2  in  10,000  volumes  of  air. 

Estimation  of  organic  matter. 

Three  thousand  four  hundred  and  nine  cubic  centimeters  of  air  were  passed  through  one 
liter  of  pure  water,  and  the  amount  of  organic  matter  taken  up  by  the  water,  estimated  by  mean* 
of  a  standard  solution  of  potassium  permanganate.  The  air  was  found  to  contain  .00440  grams  of 
oxidizable  animal  organic  matter  per  1,000  cubic  centimeters  of  air. 

The  second  analysis  was  made  of  the  air  contained  in  the  cavalry  barrack. 

Date  and  hour  of  examination :  July  22,  1870,  3  o'clock  a.  m. 

Room  on  the  second  floor. 

Contents  of  the  room,  in  cubic  feet,  16,803.36. 

Superficial  area  of  windows  and  door  open  at  the  time  of  examination,  in  feet,  111. 

The  air  examined  was  taken  at  an  elevation  of  2  feet  6  inches  from  the  floor. 

The  temperature  of  the  room  at  the  time  of  examination  was  78°  F. 

A  slight  breeze  moving  from  the  southwest  at  the  time  of  examination. 

Sleeping  in  the  room  at  the  time  of  examination,  16  men  ;  unoccupied  bunks,  17. 

Estimation  of  CO2. 

The  volume  of  air  examined  was  4,340  cubic  centimeters. 

The  solution  of  calcium  hydrate  indicated  the  presence  of  7.37  milligrams  of  CO2  in  the  air 
examined. 


486  I.XAMIXATION  OF  AIR  IN  BARRACKS. 

The  barium  hydrate  indicated  the  presence  of  7.25  milligrams  of  CO2  in  the  same  volume  of  air. 
Proceeding  as  before,  we  find  9.30  volumes  of  CO2  to  10,000  volumes  of  air. 

Estimation  of  organic  matter. 

Three  thousand  four  hundred  and  nine  cubic  centimeters  of  air  were  passed  through  one  liter 
of  pure  water,  and  the  amount  of  organic  matter  taken  np  by  the  water  estimated  by  means  of  a 
standard  solution  of  potassium  permanganate.  The  air  was  found  to  contain  .OOU92  grains  of 
oxidi/.able  animal  organic  matter  per  1,000  cubic  centimeters  of  air.  •  • 

The  third  analysis  was  made  of  the  air  contained  in  the  engineer  barrack. 

Date  and  hour  of  examination,  July  26,  1870,  2  o'clock  a.  m. 

Room  on  the  second  floor. 

Contents  of  the  room,  in  cubic  feet,  6,296.4.0. 

Superficial  area  of  windows  and  door  open  at  the  time  of  examination,  in  feet,  G3. 

The  air  examined  was  taken  at  an  elevation  of  2  feet  G  inches  from  the  floor. 

The  temperature  of  the  room  at  the  time  of  examination  was  85°  F. 

A  fresh  breeze  blowing  from  the  west.     Circulation  of  air  in  the  room  good. 

Sleeping  in  the  room,  at  the  time  of  examination,  9  men  ;  unoccupied  bunks,  2. 

Estimation  of  CO*. 

Proceeding  as  in  the  cases  of  the  first  and  second  analyses,  10,000  volumes  of  air  were  found  to 
contain  0.37  volumes  of  CO2. 

Estimation  of  organic  matter. 

Proceeding  as  in  the  above  analyses,  the  air  was  found  to  contain  .003430  grams  of  oxidizable 
animal  organic  matter  per  1,000  cubic  centimeters  of  air. 

The  fourth  analysis  was  made  of  the  air  contained  in  the  cadet  hospital. 

Date  and  hour  of  examination,  July  2S,  .1870,  2  o'clock  a.  m. 

Ward  on  the  tirst  floor. 

Contents  of  the  ward,  in  cubic  feet,  4,480. 

Superficial  area  of  windows  and  door  open  at  the  time  of  examination,  in  feet,  73.35. 

The  air  examined  was  taken  at  an  elevation  of  2  feet  and  G  inches  from  the  floor. 

The  temperature  of  the  ward  at  the  time  of  the  examination  was  77°  F. 

A  slight  breeze  blowing  from  the  south-southeast.     Circulation  of  air  in  the  ward  good. 

Sleeping  in  the  ward,  at  the  time  of  examination,  four  patients,  (cadets.) 

Estimation  of  CO'1. 

Proceeding  as  in  the  above  analyses,  10,000  volumes  of  the  air  were  found  to  contain  5.G8 
volumes  of  CO2;  but,  owing  to  a  suspected  error  in  manipulation,  the  test  was  repeated  on  the 
following  morning,  (July  29,)  at  the  same  hour,  under  similar  circumstances,  and  10,000  volumes  of 
air  were  found  to  contain  5.52  volumes  of  CO2.  The  thermometer  in  this  examination  indicated  76° 
F.  A  brisk  breeze  was  blowing  from  the  north-northeast.  Rain,  with  thunder  and  lightning,  from 
10  p.  m.  to  10.30  p.  m.,  28th  instant. 

Estimation  of  organic  matter. 

Proceeding  as  in  the  above  analyses,  the  air  was  found  to  contain  .001875  grams  of  oxidizable 
animal  organic  matter  per  1,000  cubic  centimeters  of  air. 

To  account  for  a  portion  of  the  discrepancy  in  the  results  obtained  from  the  calcium  and  barium 
tests  for  CO2  in  the  artillery  and  cavalry  barracks,  it  should  perhaps  be  stated  that  in  the  artillery 
barrack  the  calcium  test  was  used  first,  and  immediately  after  entering  the  room. 

The  barium  test  was  used  afterwards;  and  seven  men,  in  addition  to  those  sleeping  in  the 
room,  were  introduced  to  conduct  and  assist  in  the  experiments;  while  in  the  cavalry  barracks 
the  barium  test  was  used  first  under  similar  circumstances. 

It  is  but  right  that  I  should  mention  that  these  analyses  were  made  chiefly  by  Captain  Lorenzo 
Lorain,  Third  United  States  Artillery,  for  the  past  eight  years  assistant  professor  of  chemistry  in 
the  United  States  Military  Academy,  assisted  by  Lieutenant  John  Pitman,  United  States  Ordnance 
Corps,  instructor  in  chemistry. 


APPENDIX.  487 

Sl'KCIAI,  KEPOUT  OF  ACTING  ASSISTANT  SURGEON  I!.  F.  CKAKJ,  l.-.MTF.I)  STATKS  AK'MY. 

GENERAL:  I  luivc  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  on  the  ventilation  of  the  soldiers' 
quarters  at  certain  posts  which  I  visited,  in  accordance  with  your  instructions : 

There  are  two  radically  different  methods  by  which  the  amount  of  ventilation  of  a  room  ma\ 
be  ascertained.  One  of  these  is  to  measure;  mechanically  the  quantity  of  air  that  enters  or  leaves 
it,  a  measurement  which  may  be  made  with  tolerable  accuracy  by  small  anemometers,  in  those  cases 
where  all. the  air  enters  or  leaves  through  one  or  more  ventilating  shafts  or  other  air  passages  so 
placed  as  to  be  accessible,  for  purposes  of  experiment.  This  condition  of  things  is  to  be  found  in 
buildings  in  whose,  construction  certain  plans  of  ventilation  have  been  provided  for,  but  is  not  met 
with  in  the  quarters  usually  occupied  by  United  States  troops.  The  other  method  of  measuring 
ventilation  is  to  determine  the  amount  of  vitiation  of  the  air  of  an  apartment  occupied  by  a  given 
number  of  persons. 

In  an  occupied  room  the  air  undergoes  various  alterations,  which,  for  the  most  part,  are  the 
results  of  the  passage  of  portions  of  it  through  the  lungs  of  the  occupants.  The  most  noticeable  of 
these  alterations  are  those  of  temperature,  of  moisture,  of  the  amount  of  organic  matter  of  various 
kinds,  and  of  the  amount  of  carbonic  acid ;  and  by  measuring  the  extent  of  any  of  these  changes  a 
basis  may  be  obtained  for  some  sort  of  calculation  as  to  the  rapidity  with  which  the  air  in  the  room 
is  renewed.  They  are  very  far,  however,  from  giving  equally  satisfactory  means  of  calculation. 

The  change  of  temperature  is  well  marked  in  a  very  crowded  room  in  cold  weather  when  there  are 
no  artificial  sources  of  heat  present,  but  as  a  general  thing  the  difference  of  temperature  between 
the  external  and  the  internal  air  is  either  too  slight  or  too  much  dependent  upon  causes  incapable 
of  exact  estimation  to  be  made  of  practical  use  for  determining  the  amount  of  ventilation. 

The  augmentation  of  the  moisture  of  the  air  would  seem,  at  first  sight,  to  be  of  more  value  as 
an  indicator,  as  in  passing  through  the  lungs  the  vapor  of  water  in  the  air  is  increased,  in  some 
cases,  as  much  as  seventeen  times,  or  from  one  to  seventeen  grains  in  a  cubic  foot ;  and  if  the 
methods  for  the  ready  estimation  of  the  moisture  of  the  air  were  sufficiently  exact  in  their  results, 
they  could,  in  dry  cold  weather,  be  advantageously  employed  in  this  connection;  but,  as  it  is,  their 
accuracy  is  not  great  enough  for  this  particular  purpose. 

The  perception  by  the  sense  of  smell  of  the  presence  of  organic  matter  is  the  usual  and  the 
standard  test  of  the  fact  of  insufficient  ventilation.  For  the  simple  fact  of  good  or  bad  ventilation. 
the  accuracy  of  this  test  is  greatly  influenced  by  the  temperature,  and  it  is  sufficiently  delicate 
only  in  a  tolerably  warm  room. 

When  we  attempt  to  determine  the  amount  of  organic  emanations  from  the  body  present  in  a 
given  space,  we  find  that  they  are  so  small  in  actual  mass,  and  of  so  complex  and  so  indefinite  a 
character,  that  they  evade  to  a  certain  extent  the  powers  of  chemical  titration. 

The  measurement  of  the  carbonic  acid  which  is  added  to  the  air  by  animal  respiration  is  much 
(Veer  from  the  difficulties  above  alluded  to.  The  quantity  given  oft'  is  more  considerable,  as  air,  in 
passing  through  the  lungs,  has  its  carbonic  acid  increased  about  one  hundred  times,  or  from  about 
four  parts  in  ten  thousand  to  four  parts  in  one  hundred.  Moreover,  the  chemical  affinities  of  car- 
bonic acid,  although  comparatively  feeble,  are  well  defined,  and  it  is  capable  of  tolerably  exact 
chemical  estimation. 

In  examining  the  air  of  soldiers'  sleeping  apartments,  I  noted  its  condition  as  to  organic  mat- 
ter, as  far  as  indicated  by  its  odor,  and  measured  its  moisture  by  means  of  the  improved  hygrom- 
eter of  the  Medical  Department,  but  the  most  important  part  of  the  examination  was  the  determin- 
ation of  the  carbonic  acid. 

This  was  made  by  the  well-known  process  of  Fettenkofer,  which  depends  upon  the  power  of 
solutions  of  lime  and  of  baryta  to  absorb  carbonic  acid  from  the  air,  and  to  precipitate  it  in  an 
insoluble  form.  The  determination  was  made  both  for  the  external  and  for  the  internal  air,  and  it  was 
then  assumed,  in  accordance  with  the  experiments  of  Mr.  Edward  Smith,  that  a  sleeping  man  pro- 
duces about  four-tenths  of  a  cubic  foot  of  carbonic  acid  per  hour,  and  will  therefore  increase  (lie  amount 
of  it  in  one  thousand  cubic  feet  of  air,  to  the  extent  of  four  parts  in  ten  thousand,  and  in  two 
thousand  feet,  to  the  extent  of  two  parts  in  ten  thousand,  v.Ve..  so  that  from  the  percentage  of 
carbonic  acid  we  may  infer,  by  computation,  the  number  of  cubic  feet  of  fresh  air  received  per 


488  KXAMINATION  OF  AIR  IN  BAKRACKS. 

hour  for  each  man.  Of  course  an  allowance  is  to  be  made  for  the  amount  of  air  originally  con- 
tained in  the  room,  and  this  is  determined  on  obvious  principles,  by  considering  the  size  of  tlie 
room,  the  number  of  its  occupants,  and  the  length  of  time  during  which  it  had  been  occupied  by 
them  when  the  air  was  collected. 

As  soldiers  are  supposed  to  enter  their  quarters  at  a  certain  hour  in  the  evening,  and  to  remain 
in  them  through  the  uight,  without  materially  altering  their  ventilation,  this  allowance  can  be  made 
with  some  approximation  to  accuracy,  in  a  way  which  will  be  shown  further  on. 

A  solution  of  baryta,  of  carefully  measured  strength,  was  employed  for  the  absorption  of  the 
carbonic  acid,  but  iu  some  cases  circumstances  led  to  the  substitution  for  it  of  a  solution  of  lime- 

The  chief  modifications  of  Fettenkofer's  original  process  were  these :  Dilute  hydrochloric  acid, 
of  such  strength  that  one  cubic  centimeter  was  equivalent  to  one  milligram  of  carbonic  acid,  was 
used  instead  of  the  oxalic  acid  solution  of  Pettcukofer,  as  being  less  liable  to  alter  by  keeping,  and 
the  solution  of  baryta,  after  having  been  spread  over  the  sides  of  the  jar,  and  exposed  for  several 
hours  to  the  action  of  the  contained  air,  was  taken  up  by  a  long  pipette  and  transferred  to  one  of 
the  small  flasks  known  as  Schuster's  alkalimeters.  In  this  it  was  allowed  to  settle  and  to  deposit 
the  suspended  carbonate.  The  clear  liquid  was  then  carefully  poured  off,  drop  by  drop,  into  a 
measured  quantity  of  standard  acid,  contained  in  a  porcelain  capsule,  in  which  it  had  been  mixed 
with  a  few  drops  of  tincture  of  litmus,  until  the  color  was  Brought  to  the  tint  which  the  same 
litmus  tincture  gave  to  distilled  water.  The  quantity  required  for  the  neutralization  of  the  acid 
was  determined  by  weighing  the  flask  both  before  and  after  the  titration.  AVheu  the  baryta  solution 
was  first  transferred  from  the  jar,  the  beak  of  the  flask  was  sealed  by  tallow  or  simple  cerate,  to 
prevent  access  of  air,  and  when  the  final  testing  was  to  be  made,  a  hole  was  pricked  through  with 
a  needle,  to  allow  of  its  being  poured  out.  When  lime  water  is  used  for  absorbing  the  carbonic 
acid,  a  much  longer  exposure  is  required  to  give  accurate  results,  and  it  should  remain  in  the  jar 
for  at  least  twenty-four  hours.  The  solution  of  baryta,  which  absorbs,carbonic  acid  from  the  air 
very  rapidly,  was  kept  in  small  and  well-stopped  bottles,  one  of  which  was  opened  whenever  a 
determination  was  to  be  made,  and  what  was  not  used  at  the  time  thrown  away,  so  that  the  baryta 
water  was  never  taken  from  bottles  which  had  beeu  kept  on  hand  after  being  partially  emptied. 
This  precaution  was  not  found  necessary  with  the  lime  water. 

The  barracks  were  generally  visited,  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  the  air,  about  three  hours 
after  the  men  had  gone  to  bed ;  but  in  two  or  three  instances  the  visit  was  made  shortly  before 
reveille,  or  after  the  room  had  been  occupied  for  about  eight  hours.  In  most  cases  fires  were  iu 
use  in  the  quarters ;  and  the  question  may  be  raised  whether  the  accumulation  of  carbonic  acid 
may  not  have  beeu  increased  by  the  products  of  combustion  of  the  fuel.  This  question,  I  think, 
can  be  answered  in  the  negative,  as  in  all  cases  the  stoves  were  burning  with  a  very  good  draught, 
and  the  current  of  air  from  the  tire  up  the  stove-pipe  was  too  quick  and  steady  to  leave  it  at  all 
probable  that  a  diffusion  of  gases  took  place  backward  into  the  room. 

The  first  post  visited  was  Fort  Adams,  in  Newport  Harbor.  The  troops  there  arc  lodged  in 
•  casemates  54  feet  long  by  18  wide,  giving  972  square  feet  floor  space,  and  with  cubic  contents  of 
about  10,700  feet.  The  ceiling  and  walls,  or  rather  the  furring  of  the  walls,  are  built  inside  of  the 
original  masonry  of  the  casemate,  and  in  the  ceiling  are  two  large  circular  openings  which  communi- 
cate with  a  hollow  space  under  the  stone  arch.  Immediately  under  the  coping  of  the  scarp  wall  are 
openings  which  are  probably  the  termination  of  ventilating  flues  ascending  from  the  roof  of  the 
casemate  arch.  In  this  way  a  communication  exists  between  the  interior  of  the  casemates  and  the 
external  air  through  the  openings  in  the  ceilings,  and  whenever  these  openings  were  examined  a 
slight  current  of  air  was  found  moving  through  them  downward  into  the  room.  Each  casemate 
is  provided  with  two  chimneys,  and  has  windows  opening  in  front  on  the  parade  ground,  and  in 
the  rear  through  loop-holes  into  the  ditch.  The  ventilation  of  these  casemates  depends  in  summer 
chiefly  on  doors  and  windows  being  left  open',  and  in  winter  on  the  draught  up  the  chimneys,  and 
the  compensating  inward  flow  through  the  openings  in  the  ceilings,  and  through  accidental 
crevices.  One  of  the  chimneys  is  always  closed  by  a  fire-board  through  which  the  stove-pipe 
passes,  and  the  other  is  generally  open  and  provided  with  a  grate.  A  good  deal  of  the  outward 
draught  of  air  takes  place  around  the  stove-pipe,  if  it  passes  loosely  through  the  fire-board,  and  that 
opening  might  in  all  cases  advantageously  be  enlarged  to  allow  of  the  freer  access  of  air  into  the 
chimney,  which  the  presence  of  the  stove-pipe  converts  into  an  efficient  ventilating  shaft. 


APPENDIX.  489 

At  Fort  Adams  tbe  wind  blows  constantly  for  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  and  by  connecting 
the  ventilating  flues  in  the  masonry  with  cowls  turning  toward  the  wind,  or  with  some  equivalent 
arrangement,  their  ventilating  action  could  be  made  much  more  considerable.  In  connection  with 
such  a  device  a  shaft  could  be  carried  down  from  one  of  the  apertures  in  the  ceiling,  and  be  made 
to  introduce  fresh  air  under  the  stove ;  or  sheets  of  wire-gauze  could  be  placed  immediately  below 
the  apertures  to  warm  and  diffuse  the  entering  air.  The  openings  which  can  be  made  into  case- 
mates are  so  limited  that  the  forcing  through  them  of  currents  of  wind,  in  connection  with  measures 
for  increasing  the  efficiency  of  the  chimneys  as  upcast  shafts,  is  the  only  practicable  method  of 
securing  a  very  large  ventilation.  The  amount  of  ventilation  which  at  present  exists  may  be  seen 
by  the  following  experiments: 

Visited  at  12.30  night  of  October  4-5,  casemate  on  western  half  of  southeast  front.  Number 
of  men  in  it  fifteen,  giving  to  each  a  floor  space  of  65  feet,  and  cubic  space  of  713  ieet.  There  was 
a  fire  in  the  stove,  and  the  temperature  of  the  room  was  09°  F.,  six  degrees  above  that  of  the  ex- 
ternal air.  The  wind  was  from  the  southward,  blowing  obliquely  into  the  mouths  of  the  ventilat- 
ing openings  on  the  scarp  wall.  The  air  of  the  room  being  driven  through  a  jar  for  a  few  minutes, 
25  cubic  centimeters  of  standard  lime-water  were  put  in  and  the  stopper  inserted.  After  a  sufficient 
lapse  of  time  to  make  the  action  of  the  lime-water  effectual,  the  absorption  of  carbonic  acid  was  de- 
termined, and,  corrections  being  made  for  temperature,  &c.,  was  found  to  amount  to  9.G7  parts  in 
10,000.  The  external  air  received  into  a  jar  at  the  same  time  yielded  4.08  parts  in  10,000.  This 
leaves  5.59  parts  in  10,000  for  vitiation  of  air.  As  on  the  supposition  that  each  man  produces  0.4 
cubic  feet  of  carbonic  acid  per  hour,  an  accumulation  of  4.00  per  10,000  would  correspond  to  a  ven- 
tilation of  1,000  feet  per  man  per  hour,  5.59  corresponds  to  a  ventilation  of  712  feet  per  man  per 
hour.  As  the  room,  however,  had  been  occupied  for  about  three  hours,  one-third  of  the  cubic  con- 
tents per  man  is  to  be  subtracted  from  this  apparent  ventilation,  which  will  leave  474  cubic  feet  per 
man,  or  15x474=7,110  cubic  feet  of  air  passing  through  the  casemate  every  hour. 

On  the  6th  of  October  air  was  taken  from  the  same  casemate  before  reveille,  and  found  to  con- 
tain 10.07  parts  per  10,000.  The  determination  of  carbonic  acid  in  the  external  air  was  reudered  uncer- 
tain by  an  accident,  but  as  it  may  be  assumed  to  be  substantially  the  same  as  on  the  preceding  night, 
the  excess  of  carbonic  acid  in  the  air  of  the  quarters  would  be  5.99  per  10,000,  corresponding  to  a 
ventilation  of  667  feet  per  man  per  hour.  From  this  subtract  one-eighth  of  the  cubic  space  per 
man,  and  we  have  a  ventilation  of  578  feet  per  hour,  and  as  a  mean  of  the  results  of  examinations 
at  the  different  hours  of  midnight  and  of  day-break,  528  feet  per  man,  or  7,890  feet  for  the  whole  room 

The  quarters  were  several  times  visited,  and  air  collected  during  the  month  of  September;  but 
from  the  lameness  of  my  hand  at  that  time  interfering  with  the  proper  performances  of  the  manip- 
ulations, I  have  not  perfect  confidence  in  the  accuracy  of  the  results.  Moreover,  at  that  season 
the  windows  were  always  found  more  or  less  open,  so  that  the  condition  of  things  may  be  regarded 
as  coming  under  the  head  of  summer  ventilation.  The  amounts  of  carbonic  acid  found  during  this 
warmer  season  indicated  a  ventilation  of  from  1,000  to  3,900  feet  per  man  per  hour. 

The  largest  amount  of  ventilation  was  found  in  the  quarters  of  the  band,  on  the  northern  front. 
These  were  of  different  arrangement  from  the  other  quarters,  and  the  original  flues  for  carrying  off 
the  smoke  from  the  guns  opened  directly  into  the  apartment,  and  acted  efficiently  as  upcast  shafts, 
while  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  room  a  brisk  wind  was  blowing  against  the  partially  opened  win- 
dows. In  winter,  when  the  windows  are  closed,  the  ventilating  flues  would  probably  cease  to  draw 
so  well. 

At  some  distance  from  the  fort  are  sets  of  quarters  for  married  soldiers,  to  which  I  did  not 
make  any  night  visits.  Each  set  consists  of  a  small  room  used  as  a  kitchen,  eating-room,  and 
company  laundry,  and  an  attic  chamber  above,  of  954  cubic  feet  capacity.  The  greatest  number  of 
persons  sleeping  in  one  of  these  rooms  is  seven,  viz.,  a  soldier,  his  wife,  and  five  children.  The 
ventilation  is  by  a  staircase  into  the  room  below  and  a  window,  which  can  hardly  be  kept  open  in 
cold  weather. 

I  proceeded  to  Boston  Harbor  from  Newport,  and  visited  there  Forts  Independence  and  War- 
ren, at  each  of  which  a  company  of  artillery  is  stationed. 

At  Fort  Independence  quarters  for  the  men  have  been  made  in  the  rear  or  inner  portions  of 
the  casemates,  which  are  separated  from  the  gun-gallery  by  large  doors.  The  gun-gallery  is  ex- 

62 


490  EXAMINATION  OF  AIK  IN  BAKBACKS. 

ceediugly  damp;  and  when  a  board  is  removed  from  the  floor  of  the  quarters,  the  stones  beneath 
are' seen  to  be  wet.  The  quarters  have  each  a  floor  space  of  21  by  17,  or  357  square  feet,  and  a 
cubic  capacity  of  3,927  feet.  In  the  middle  of  the  ceiling  is  a  place  for  a  register  ventilator,  which, 
however,  has  never  been  put  in,  excepting  in  the  quarters  of  the  non-commissioned  officers. 

On  the  night  of  the  13th-14th  of  October  one  of  the  rooms  was  visited.  There  were  nine  men  in 
it,  giving  436  cubic  feet  to  each  man.  One  window  was  open  at  top  to  the  extent  of  150  square 
inches.  At  the  other  end  of  the  room  was  a  stove  with  a  fire  in  it,  the  stove-pipe  going  through  a 
brick  wall  into  the  chimney.  Around  the  stove-pipe  was  an  irregular  opening,  through  which  a 
rapid  current  of  air  was  passing.  The  temperature  of  the  air  was  70°,  and  its  moisture  4.62  grains 
in  a  cubic  foot.  The  carbonic  acid,  as  determined  by  a  solution  of  baryta,  was  7.18  in  10,000. 
The  external  air  had  the  temperature  of  57°,  and  contained  3.50  grains  of  water  in  a  cubic  foot. 
Its  carbonic  acid  was  3.68  in  10,000.  This  gives  an  excess  of  3.5  per  10,000  for  the  internal  air. 
Making  allowance  for  the  capacity  of  the  room,  this  indicates  a  ventilation  of  997  feet  per  man,  or 
S.973  cubic  feet  per  hour  for  the  room. 

At  Fort  Warren  the  quarters  were  of  a  much  better  character  than  at  Independence.  They  were 
cast-mates  of  540  feet  floor  space,  and  8,100  feet  capacity.  In  front  were  two  windows  opening  on 
the  parade,  and  in  rear  three  windows  opening  through  loop-holes  into  the  ditch.  In  the  ceiling 
were  two  openings  of  apparently  about  12  by  14  inches  each,  and  near  the  floor  eight  apertures  of 
8  by  6  inches,  closed  by  registers.  On  looking  at  the  top  of  the  scarp  from  the  outside,  a  number 
of  small  openings  could  be  seen  in  a  stone- work  revetment  of  the  slope  of  the  parapet,  which  prob- 
ably were  connected  through  passages  in  the  masonry  with  the  above-mentioned  ventilating  open- 
ings. When  one  of  the  registers  near  the  floor  was  opened,  a  current  of  air  entered  the  room 
through  it ;  there  also  seemed  to  be  an  inward  current  through  the  openings  in  the  ceiling.  There 
were  two  chimneys  in  each  casemate,  both  of  them,  however,  having  their  fire-places  closed  up  by 
brick-work,  and  through  one  of  these  brick  fire-boards  the  pipe  of  the  stove  was  passed. 

Two  casemates  were  visited  ou  the  night  of  the  14th-15th  October.  In  the  first  of  them  there 
were  eleven  men.  A  fire  was  burning  in  the  stove ;  the  pipe  passed  through  the  brick -work  screen 
with  a  loose  fit,  and  around  the  pipe  there  was  a  strong  draught  into  the  chimney.  One  of  the 
foot-board  registers  was  open,  the  others  closed.  Two  of  the  windows  in  the  rear  were  partly- 
open,  and  one  window  in  front  was  down  a  little  at  top.  The  temperature  of  the  air  was  70°.  and 
its  moisture  4.29  grains  to  the  cubic  foot.  The  carbonic  acid  was  6.26  in  10,000,  an  excess  of  only 
0.77  over  the  external  air.  This  corresponds  to  a  ventilation  of  54^450  for  the  room,  or  4,950  for 
each  man. 

The  second  casemate  contained  ten  men.  It  had  two  windows  open  in  rear,  one  pane  of 
glass  broken  in  front,  and  one  foot-board  register  open.  The  condition  of  things  difl'ered  from  that 
in  the  first  casemate  only  in  this,  that  the  stove-pipe  passed  through  a  closely-fitting  hole,  and  thus 
the  ventilation  into  the  chimney  was  cut  off.  The  temperature  was  72°,  and  the  moisture  4.76 
grains  in  a  cubic  foot.  The  carbonic  acid  was  8.37  in  10,000,  and  the  computed  ventilation  for  the 
room  12,000  cubic  feet  per  hour,  or  1,200  feet  per  hour  for  each  man.  The  great  difference  in  the 
ventilation  of  the  two  casemates  is  evidently  due  to  the  want  of  an  opening  into  the  chimney  of  the 
one  last  examined.  The  external  air  had  a  temperature  of  52.5°,  3.41  grains  of  moisture  to  the 
cubic  foot,  and  5.49  parts  carbonic  acid  per  10,000 — a  notably  larger  proportion  than  any  previously 
found  out  of  doors.  It  may  be  mentioned  that  OH  tin's  night  there  was  seen  from  the  post  a  bril- 
liant and  remarkable  aurora. 

In  New  York  Harbor  I  visited  Forts  Wood,  Wadsworth,  and  Hamilton,  and  the  post  at  Wil- 
let's  Point. 

At  Fort  Wood  the  men  were  quartered  in  frame  barracks  outside  of  the  fortification,  the  rooms 
being  about  1,320  feet  floor  space,  and  15,860  feet  cubic  capacity.  There  are  twelve  windows  on  each 
side,  and  three  ventilators  in  the  roof.  The  first  room  which  I  visited  contained  fourteen  men.  There 
was  a  fire  in  one  stove,  the  stove-pipe  passing  up  through  a  ventilating  shaft,  and  many  of  the  win- 
dows were  down  at  the  top.  The  temperature  of  the  room  near  to  where  the  jar  was  filled  was 
59°.5,  its  moisture  3.75  grains  in  a  cubic  foot,  and  the  carbonic  acid  5.12  parts  in  10,000. 

Another  barrack  was  occupied  temporarily  by  troops  that  had  just  arrived  at  the  fort. 
There  were  forty  men  in  it.  The  stoves  were  not  yet  ready  for  use.  Many  of  the  windows  were 
open  at  top,  but  rather  less  freely  so  than  in  the  first  barrack.  The  temperature  was  58°,  the 


APPENDIX.  491 

moisture  4.02  grains  in  a  foot,  and  the  carbonic  acid  9.13  in  10,000.  The  external  air  was  of  the  tem- 
perature of  47°.5,  3.2'.»  grains  of  nioistiirc  to  the  foot,  and  4.62  carbonic  acid.  The  calculated 
ventilation  for  the  first  room  was  IOii.700  cubic  feet  per  hour,  and  for  the  second,  30,700.  This 
large  difference  between  barracks  of  the  same  si/.e  and  character  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  influence 
of  the  fire  in  the  stove  of  the  one  first  visited. 

At  Fort  Wadsworth  the  men  had  been  removed  from  the  casemates,  and  quartered  in  frame 
barracks.  The  one  in  which  I  collected  air  was  a  ceiled  room,  81  by  27  feet  floor  space,  and  10 
feet  high,  it  contained  fifteen  men,  giving  io  each  the  ample  allowance  of  1,458  feet  of  cubic 
space.  Along  the  middle  line  of  the  room  were  three  chimneys,  belonging  originally  to  other 
buildings  which  had  stood  on  the  same  ground.  Into  two  of  these  chimneys  were  inserted  the 
pipes  of  two  stoves,  in  which  fires  were  burning,  and  in  the  sides  of  all  three  chimneys  were  round 
holes  a  few  inches  in  diameter.  Five  of  these  holes  were  open,  beside  others  which  were  occupied 
by  tho  stove-pipes,  or  closed  by  obstructions,  and  through  the  five  open  holes  most  of  the  ventila- 
tion of  the  room  seemed  to  take  place,  the  current  of  air  into  them  being  very  rapid.  In  the  ceil- 
ing of  the  room  were  three  openings  of  about  20  inches  square,  leading  into  the  space  between  the 
roof  and  the  ceiling.  The  effect  of  these  as  ventilators  was  less  apparent.  There  was  no  wind 
blowing  at  the  time ;  but  if  a  window  was  raised  on  either  side  or  at  either  end  of  the  building,  a 
current  of  air  rushed  in,  showing  that  the  three  chimneys  acted  vigorously  in  exhausting  the  air 
from  the  room,  and  that  free  openings  for  the  entrance  of  air  was  the  only  thing  needed  to  make 
abundant  ventilation.  At  one  end  of  the  room  a  pane  of  glass  was  broken  out,  and  through  this 
the  air  was  passing  in  rapidly.  All  other  access  of  air  to  the  room  was  through  accidental  crevices. 
The  temperature  of  the  air  was  70°,  the,  moisture  4.07,  and  the  carbonic  acid  6.24.  The  thermome- 
ter out  of  doors  stood  at  47°,  the  moisture  was  2.60,  and  the  carbonic  acid  4.23.  From  these  data 
we  are  to  infer  a  ventilation  of  22,710  feet  per  hour  for  the  room,  or  1,514  feet  to  each  man. 

At  Fort  Hamilton  I  found  a  large,  garrison  quartered  in  casemates  of  an  inferior  kind.  Those 
in  which  the  greater  part  of  the  men  were  lodged  are  44  feet  by  14,  with  an  offset  some  4  feet  deep 
in  the  thickness  of  the  wall,  the  total  cubic  space  being  about  7,700  feet.  The  rooms  are  ceiled  and 
furred,  and  along  the  arch  of  the  ceiling  is  a  broad  slit  guarded  by  lattice-work,  while  along  the 
foot-board  are  numerous  narrow  slits  covered  by  wire  nettings.  What  communication,  if  any  the 
space  between  the  furring  and  the  masonry  has  with  the  external  air  could  not  be  made  out  either 
at  the  fort  or  from  an  examination  of  the  plans  and  drawings  at  the  Engineer  Bureau  in  Washington. 

In  a  casemate  which  I  visited  at  midnight  there  were  eighteen  men  sleeping,  and  the  carbonic 
acid  in  the  air  amounted  to  14.06  per  10,000.  The  external  air  contained  4.22  per  10,000,  and  the 
ventilation,  therefore,  would  be  only  260  feet  per  man.  or  4,080  for  the  whole  room. 

I  also  visited  the  guard-rooms  or  prisons  at  Fort  Hamilton,  which  are  low  and  damp  casemates. 
In  the  one  from  which  I  collected  air  there  were  twelve  prisoners;  a  fire  was  burning  in  the  stove, 
the  pipe  passing  up  through  a  tine.  Two  embrasures  and  four  loop-holes,  closed  only  by  gratings, 
allowed  a  pretty  free  entrance  of  air.  The  amount  of  carbonic  acid  found  was  5.76  per  10,000. 
Just  over  the  bunks  where  the  prisoners  slept  the  accumulation  was  no  doubt  greater. 

Between  the  fort  and  the  post  hospital  are  quarters  for  married  soldiers  of  the  same  insufficient 
size  and  ventilation  as  those  noticed  at  Fort  Adams. 

The  last  post  visited  was  Willet's  Point,  which  is  occupied  by  the  engineer  battalion.  The  men 
were  quartered  in  old  frame  barracks,  the  new  barracks  in  course  of  erection  not  being  yet  com- 
pleted. Air  was  collected  from  a  barrack  room  occupied  by  twenty-eight  men,  which  had  a  floor 
space  of  58  feet,  and  a  cubic  capacity  of  780  cubic  feet  per  man.  The  room  was  not  ceiled,  and  the 
height  to  the  ridge-pole  was  15  feet.  Above  the  ridge  were  small  turrets  with  windows  on  all  sides, 
intended  to  serve  as  ridge  ventilators.  These  turret  windows  were  closed  at  the  time  of  my  visit, 
but  along  the  eaves  fifteen  or  twenty  small  ventilators  were  standing  open.  Fires  were  burning 
in  two  stoves,  the  pipes  of  which  passed  out  through  narrow  sleeves  or  tubes  of  earthenware  or 
metal,  which  extended  downward  for  a  short  distance  from  the  ridge,  inclosing  the  pipes.  These 
acted  as  good  ventilators,  as  far  as  their  insufficient  size  permitted.  The  carbonic  acid  from  the 
air  taken  at  midnight  was  found  to  be  4.96  per  J0,000,  an  excess  of  1.90  over  that  of  the  external 
air.  With  a  capacity  of  room  of  780  cubic  feet  per  man,  as  above  stated,  this  gives  a  ventilation 
of  1 ,845  feet  per  man. 


492  EXAMINATION  OF  AIE  IN  BAEKACKS. 

Another  jar  was  tilled  iu  tbe  quarters  of  the  band,  a  somewhat  smaller  apartment,  in  a  barrack 
from  which  the  turret  ventilators  had  been  removed,  on  account  of  their  seeming  to  endanger  the 
security  of  the  building.  There  were  eleven  men  in  the  room,  and  about  1,500  cubic  feet  of  space 
for  e.ich.  No  stoves  were  up,  and  no  windows  or  other  ventilating  apertures  were  open,  all  the  air 
which  entered  or  left  the  room  passing  through  crevices  of  the  wood-work.  The  amount  of  carbonic 
acid  found  was  10.07,  and  upon  calculation  the  ventilation  indicated  is  reduced  to  25  cubic  feet  per 
man  per  hour,  or  275  feet  per  hour  for  the  whole  room,  showing  that  where  the  ventilation  depends 
entirely  on  the  action  of  the  wind  in  blowing  through  crevices,  it  may,  at  times,  even  in  a  frame 
building,  be  practically  suppressed. 

With  regard  to  the  general  results  of  the  above  detailed  examinations,  it  may  be  remarked  that 
the  amount  of  air  which  writers  on  hygiene  have  held  to  be  the  minimum  supply  consistent  with 
perfect  healthfulness,  viz.,  2,000  cubic  feet  per  man  per  hour,  was,  at  the  posts  which  I  visited, 
attained  only  in  exceptional  instances;  but  that  in  most  cases  an  extension  and  slight  modification 
of  the  existing  systems  of  ventilation  would  probably  give  a  sufficient  circulation  of  air. 

The  efficient  agent  or  motive  power  in  winter  ventilation  is  the  heat  of  the  fire,  and  more  par- 
ticularly that  portion  of  the  heat  which  is  communicated  by  the  stove-pipe  to  the  air  of  the  shaft 
or  chimney  through  which  it  passes  out. 

In  our  military  hospitals  the  stove  pipe  passes  out  through  a  large  shaft  which  opens  freely 
into  the  room,  but  in  quarters  provision  for  the  access  of  air  to  the  chimney  is  apt  to  be  deficient 
or  altogether  disregarded. 

The  upcast  ventilation  set  in  motion  by  the  heat  of  the  stove  is,  moreover,  often  held  in  check 
by  the  want  of  openings  for  the  entrance  of  the  external  air,  and  this  difficulty  must  inevitably 
increase  as  the  winter  advances  and  the  entrances  for  cold  air  are  closed  up  by  those  sleeping 
near  them. 

Ventilation  should  not  be  nv.ulu  to  depLMid  upon  the  endurance  by  men  of  unpleasant  and  dan- 
gerous currents  of  cold  air;  and  where  the  inhabitants  of  a  room  cannot  so  choose  their  sleeping 
places  as  to  be  out  of  draughts,  the  cold  air  on  entering  should  have,  as  far  as  possible,  the  general 
temperature  of  the  room  immediately  imparted  to  it.  There  are  two  general  methods  of  doing  this, 
one  of  them  that  of  Franklin,  who  connected  with  the  stove  a  shaft  which  brought  in  the  outer  air — a 
plan  which  requires  the  stove  to  be  placed  as  far  distant  as  possible  from  the  ventilating  chimney  5 
and  the  other  is  represented  by  a  contrivance  shown  me  at  the  rooms  of  the  Board  of  Health  in  New 
York,  of  a  large  metal  box  intended  to  be  placed  in  a  window-sash  from  which  a  pane  of  glass  had 
been  removed.  This  acts  both  by  imparting  the  warmth  of  the  metal  to  the  entering  air,  and  by 
causing  it  to  mix  more  thoroughly  with  the  air  of  the  room. 

In  buildings  erected  for  quarters  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  proper  ventilation  can  be  secured  by 
a  little  intelligently-directed  labor  and  expense,  but  in  casemates  which  were  put  up  for  a  different 
purpose,  and  in  which  even  small  .alterations  are  costly,  the  question  is  different.  Certain  case- 
mates, as  those  of  Fort  Independence  and  of  Fort  Hamilton,  are  evidently  not  suitable  for  habita- 
tions. Casemates  of  a  more  modern  character  of  construction,  like  those  of  Fort  Warren,  are  greatly 
superior  to  those  first-named  in  all  sanitary  aspects ;  but  as  there  are  limits  to  their  possible  ven- 
tilation which  do  not  exist  elsewhere,  the  cubic  space  per  man  should  be  greater  than  that  afforded 
in  barracks;  and  casemates  must  always  be  regarded  as  quarters  in  which  men  are  particularly 
liable  to  suffer  from  the  evils  of  overcrowding. 

Very  respectfully,  yonr  obedient  servant, 

B.  F.  CBAIG, 
Actfg  Asst.  Surgeon  United  /States  Army. 


INDEX  OF  TOSTS  DESCRIBKD. 


Page. 

Abercrombie,  Fort 372 

Adiitns,  Fort 18 

Alcatraz  Island,  California 439 

Angel  Island,  California 440 

Atlanta,  Georgia 145 

Austin,  Texas 177 

Baker,  Camp   4U9 

Bairancas,  Fort 156 

Bascom,  Fort 253 

Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana 173 

Bayard,  Fort 240 

Brtiton,  Fort 405 

Bidwell,  Camp 446 

Bliss,  Fort 232 

Boise,  Fort 425 

Bowie,  Camp 471 

Brady,  Fort 124 

Bridger,  Fort 359 

Browu,  Fort 206 

Buford,  Fort 400 

Cady,  Camp 476 

Cape  Disappointment,  Fort 420 

Carlisle  Barracks 59 

Charleston,  South  Carolina -..  141 

Clark,  Fort 218 

Columbus,  Fort 24 

Colorado,  Camp 470 

Colville,  Fort 417 

Coucho,  Fort 198 

Craig,  Fort 244 

Crittenden,  Camp 472 

Cummings,  Fort 238 

Date  Creek,  Camp 475 

Davis,  Fort 227 

Delaware,  Fort 55 

Dodge,  Fort 301 

Douglas,  Camp 363 

Dium  Barracks,  California 481 

Duncan,  Fort 217 

Ellis,  Fort 406 

Fetterman,  Fort '. 3,~>0 

Foote,  Fort 68 

Garland,  Fort 320 

Gaston,  Camp 448 

Gibson,  Fort , 267 

Grant,  Camp 465 

Gratiot,  Fort 120 

Griffin,  Fort 194 

Halleck,  Camp 452 

Hamilton,  Fort 

Ha.ker,  Fort 290 

Harney,  Camp 436 

Hays,  Fort 304 


Independence,  Camp,  California 

Independence,  Fort,  Massachusetts 

.Iack.*ou  Hal  racks 

Jackson  and  St.  Philip,  Forts 

JefT«rson,  Texas 

Jefferson,  Fort,  Florida 

Jefferson    Barracks,  Missouri 

Johnson,  Fort 

Kearney,  Fort 

Key  West,  Florida 

Klamath,  Fort 

Lapwai,  Fort 

Lara  mie,  Fort 

Larned,  Fort 

Leavenwortb,  Fort 

Little  Rock,  Arkansas 

Lowell,  Camp 

Lyon,  Fort 

Mackinac,  Fort 

Macon,  Fort 

Madison  Barracks 

McDermitt,  Camp 

McDowell,  Camp 

McHenry,  Fort 

Mclntosh,  Fort 

McKavett,  Fort 

McPherson,  Fort,  Nebraska 

McPherson  Barracks,  Georgia 

McRae,  Fort 

Mobile,  Alabama 

Mojave,  Camp 

Monroe,  Fort 

Newport  Barracks 

Niagara,  Fort 

North  Platte  Station,  Nebraska 

Oglethorpe  Barracks 

Omaha  Barracks 

Outai  io,  Fort 

Pike,  Fort 

Plattsburg  Barracks 

Point  San  Jose,  California 

Porter,  Fort 

Preble,  Fort 

Presidio  of  San  Francisco,  California. 

Pulaski,  Fort 

Quitman,  Fort 

Raleigh,  North   Carolina , 

Randall,  Fort 

Ransom,  Fort 

Reynolds,  Camp,  California 

Reynolds,  Fort,  Colorado  Territory... 

Rice,  Fort 

Richardson,  Fort 


9 

162 
Iftj 


275 

92 
332 
152 
433 
423 
3)5 
299 
384 
273 
462 
313 
132 

83 

97 
453 
459 

63 
215 
203 
334 
145 
242 
159 
467 

72 
134 
109 
337 
142 
329 
103 
166 

53 

442 

112 

5 

443 
148 
230 

94 
386 
380 
440 
316 
390 
184 


494 


INDEX  OF  POSTS  DESCRIBED. 


Page. 

Kiley,  Fort 287 

Ritigguld  Barracks 213 

Ripley.  Fort 370 

Russell,  D.  A.,  Fort 340 

San   Antonio,  Texas 181 

Sunders,  Fort 353 

Santa  1'6,  New  Mexico 255 

Savannah,  Georgia 142 

Schuyier,  Fort 41 

Scott,  Winfield,  Camp 454 

Sedgwick,  Fort 338 

Selden,  Fort 237 

Slmw,  Fort 409 

Shrevpport,  Louisiana 174 

Sill,  Fort 263 

Smiih,  Fort 271 

Snelliug,  Fort 367 

Stanton,  Fort 248 

Steele,  Fred  ,  Fort 357 

Stevens,  Fort 430 

Stevenson,  Fort 394 

Stockton,  Fort 223 

Sullivan,  Fort 3 

Sully,  Fort 388 


Page. 

Supply,  Camp 261 

Taylor  Uarracks ]38 

Three  Foiks,  Owyhee,  Camp 428 

Totten,  Fort 3«3 

Trumbull,  Fort 22 

Union,  Fort 259 

Vancouver,  Fort 421 

Verde,  Camp 468 

Wadsworth,  Fort,  Dakota  Territory 377 

Wadsworth,  Fort,  New  York  Harbor 31 

Wallace,  Fort 309 

Warner,  Camp 434 

Warren,  Fort 6 

Washington,  Fort 69 

Wayne,  Fort 11-1 

West  Point,  New  York 47 

Whipple,  Camp,  Arizona  Territory 457 

Whipple,  Fort,  Virginia 67 

Wil let's  Point,  New  York 43 

Wiugate,  Foil 250 

Wood,  Foil 3« 

Wright,   Camp 451 

Yerba  Bueua  Island,  California 445 

Yiima,  Fort 478 


USV 


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